At Your Doorstep, March 2004

At Your Doorstep Departments

Web Wise

City Web site improvements to aid public to access law enforcement information

The City of Austin has made several changes to the Austin City Connection, its official Web site, to make police information more accessible to the public.

Police Chief Stan Knee's Police Community Relations Plan 2004 may be viewed at www.cityofaustin.org/action.

The Crime Report Viewer program added to the Austin Police Department's main Web page, www.cityofaustin.org/police, makes crime statistics easier to find by census tract or neighborhood association boundary.

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Neighbor to Neighbor

Nominations sought for re-naming of St. John Community Center

The City of Austin is seeking nominations for a possible name change for the St. John Community Center that houses several City facilities including a recreation center, clinic, library and police substation.

The Center is at 7500 Blessing Ave. in East Austin and shares the campus of J.J. Pickle Elementary School. It opened in January 2002.

The call for nominations began Feb. 23, starting a three-month period for receiving suggestions for possible names for the community center. The deadline for submissions is May 24, 2004. Facilities may be named after individuals (living or dead) or something other than an individual such as a place or natural feature.

Once the nomination deadline passes, the Parks Board will call a public hearing for public comment about suggestions. The Parks Board will recommend a name to the City Council within 45 days for final approval.

Nomination forms are available at the Parks and Recreation Main Office, 200 S. Lamar Blvd.; by calling (512) 974-6728; or from Austin City Connection at www.cityofaustin.org/parks/namingform.htm.

Forms may be returned online, at Parks headquarters, faxed to (512) 974-6756 or mailed to:

Facilities Naming Nomination
Attention: Donna Bohls
200 S. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, Texas 78704

• If an individual - A biographical sketch; a description of the individual's involvement in the community; and the individual's connection, if any, to the facility or activity for which the facility will be used.

• If other than an individual - Justification for the suggested name.

For more information contact, David Matustik, Public Information Office, (512) 974- 2406.

Shed unwanted pounds of clothing next month

Central Texans can drop unwanted pounds fast, free and easy by donating to Goodwill's Seventh Annual Weigh Good Donation Drive April 22-25.

The event's goal is to secure 200,000 pounds of clothing and household items within four days. Goodwill will even accept vehicle donations. The revenue raised through the sale of these donated goods will help employ people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

Donors may take unwanted pounds to any of Goodwill's 32 donation locations in Central Texas.

Call (512) 637-7100 or visit www.austingoodwill.org for the Goodwill nearest you.

Temporary Carver Branch closes

The Carver Branch of the Austin Public Library, 1161 Angelina St., has been operating temporarily in two portable buildings at the Kealing Middle School Campus during construction and expansion of the facility.

The temporary Carver Branch Library will be closed Monday, March 22, to remove transmission poles from the construction path of the Carver Museum and Cultural Center Expansion Project. The expanded Carver Branch Library on Angelina Street is expected to open in October 2004.

In the 1998 City of Austin Bond Election, voters approved the funds to expand the facility. For additional information contact John Gillum, Facilities Manager for the Austin Public Library, at (512) 974-7495.

City needs your help to clean up bandit signs

What are bandit signs?

Section 25-10-103 of the City's Land Development Code states that signs are prohibited in public right of way. This means that a person may not install or use a sign maintained on a structure located on or over public property or public right of way. This ordinance has been on the City's books for almost 20 years.

The City Manager and code enforcement staff working under the City Manager's direction have the authority to remove a sign or other advertisements located on public property or public right of way. The City doesn't have to provide notice to remove or dispose of the illegally erected sign.

Some of the most common types of bandit signs seen every day on City intersections and streets are:

How is right of way defined?

Right of way is legally defined in Section 25-1-21 of the Land Development Code as "land dedicated or reserved for streets, utilities or other public facilities".

The best indicator to determine where the right-of-way is located is by using the first expansion joint in the driveway. The expansion joint is the first "man-made crack" you will find when walking from the street toward the interior of a property, the area between this crack and the street is the right of way. Other City infrastructure that would be on the right of way are utility poles, water meters, and fire hydrants. Medians and the grass area between a sidewalk and the street are also in the right of way.

How big is the problem?

City officials received more than 1,000 citizen complaints on new sign violations last year. For each complaint, citizens typically reported about five locations where illegal signs were erected. By the end of this year, code inspectors anticipate removing more than 21,000 illegal right of way signs. And that's just scratching the surface of the problem.

Until recently, the volume and incidence of illegal signs that are erected each day simply exceeded the City's dedicated resources to handle enforcement. Illegal right of way signs is just one of many types of code violations handled by the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department each day. Unfortunately, looking around Austin lately reveals a problem that is out of control.

City officials want to clean up the problem and in the process - clean up Austin!

Where is the problem?

Sign violations occur throughout the City and are prevalent in public right of way, which are areas dedicated for streets, utilities or other public facilities.

Recent complaints indicate there are heavier hit areas in Austin for illegal signs. But the problem exists citywide. You will find these illegal signs practically everywhere. They are placed on utility poles, nailed to trees and stuck in the ground along busy streets, highways and medians all over Austin.

When does the problem occur?

Illegal postings of signs in the right of way most often occur during evening or early morning hours and on weekends. It's common practice for businesses to contract with sign- installers who place these signs in strategic places across the city.

You may be wondering who is held responsible for these illegal signs?

Section 25-10-103 of the Land Development Code states that "the primary beneficiary of any sign installed in violation with this section of the code is presumed to have authorized or caused the installation, use or maintenance of the sign - commits an offense".

It's a Class C misdemeanor. In many cases, the information listed on the sign reveals the identity or contact information for the primary beneficiary - a business or property owner. In other cases, particularly those businesses outside of Austin, tracking down the primary beneficiary can be very difficult.

Most of the violations occur because the public is just not aware that erecting signs in the public right of way is a violation of City ordinance.

City officials need your help spreading the word. And it all begins with educating the public about the City ordinance and what it means.

How is the City tackling the problem?

New solutions for an old problem! The City has taken a serious look at this problem and recently researched how other cities deal with bandit signs.

With the help of other City departments and citizen volunteers, the City will launch a collaborative plan to significantly reduce the number of illegal right of way signs throughout Austin.

City staff is taking action in several new ways:

What can you do to help?

Take a look around. There are probably bandit signs erected on intersections and along streets near your home.

Sign up for the Volunteer Sign Ranger Program to help rid your community of bandit signs and, in turn, clean up your neighborhood.

Participants in the program will receive training about sign regulations and how to identify and safely remove illegal signs. Volunteers will be required to follow City of Austin policies and procedures, similar to APD's Abandoned Vehicle Tagger's Volunteer Program.

Sign Rangers will have scheduled work hours and work in "buddy teams" or directly with code enforcement staff. They will be assigned to an area of Austin and have access to staff for guidance and supervision.

To become a Volunteer Sign Ranger, contact Sherry Mitchell, Austin Police Department, (512) 974-4731; or Gloria Quinonez, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department (512) 974-7673.

For more information about the City's Sign Initiative or to report the location of illegal right of way signs, contact Matthew Christianson, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, (512) 974-6576.

E-mail information to bruna.quinonez@ci.austin.tx.us.

The City needs your signoff

To sign up to be a Volunteer Sign Ranger, contact Sherry Mitchell, Austin Police Department, (512) 974-4731; or Gloria Quinonez, Neighborhood, Planning and Zoning Dept. (512) 974-7673.

Participants will be required to attend specific training courses and will be assigned to a specific area in Austin to keep illegal signs out of public right of way. Join the effort to keep Austin beautiful.

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Streetscapes

Comments sought on truck lane restriction

In 1997, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 773 which allowed municipalities to propose restricting trucks to two designated lanes of a highway having at least three lanes in each direction, during peak hours, Monday through Friday only.

House Bill 1208 and Senate Bill 514, passed in August 2003, allowing the truck restriction to be implemented 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Counties, cities or the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) are allowed to propose lane restrictions.

If enforced in Austin, trucks would be prohibited from using any traffic lane - other than the second, third and fourth controlled access lanes on each side of IH-35 as counted from the center. The proposed lane restriction has been well received by all counties and municipalities in the Austin TxDOT District through which IH-35 passes. The restriction would apply to vehicles having three or more axles and to truck tractors.

The Texas Department of Transportation will conduct a public hearing March 4 to receive public comment and input on the proposed truck lane restriction on the portion of IH-35 located within Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties. The public hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be at:

Texas Department of Transportation
Austin District Headquarters
Public Hearing Room
7901 North IH-35

TxDOT will also be accepting written comments on the proposal until 5 p.m. March 15. TxDOT anticipates implementing the restriction on IH-35 by the end of 2004.

For more information, contact David Gerard, Transportation, Planning & Sustainability Department, (512) 974-7022.

Lamar Boulevard Utility and Road Reconstruction Project ready to start

After months of planning, design and preparation, construction has begun on the Lamar Boulevard Utility and Road Reconstruction Project that will upgrade and improve the road in the downtown area.

The project is slated for completion in summer 2005. Access to area businesses will not be interrupted by construction. However, traffic flow will be altered to accommodate the work in the 10-block area.

Watch for traffic pattern changes in the area and closures between 12th and 24th streets within a few weeks. Active planning for the $12.6 million project has been under way for more than a year. The 1998 voter-approved bonds, the Austin Water Utility and the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department is funding the project.

The project extends from West 24th Street to Town Lake and involves three major components:

• Water and wastewater lines, some dating to the 1930s and 1940s, will be replaced. This work comprises a significant part of the total $12.6 million project cost.
• Once that work is completed, road reconstruction can occur. While much of the roadway between Town Lake and West 24th Street will be surfaced in asphalt, the Fifth, Sixth and 12th street intersections and the roadways between Fifth and Sixth will be constructed in concrete.
• The final component of the Lamar project involves pedestrian amenities which include: installing new sidewalk on the east side of the street between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and West 24th ; repairing damaged sidewalk; building new ADA ramps and repairing existing ones where possible.

For more information, contact Mike Curtis, (512) 974-7056. Updates, maps and other information about the project may be found at www.cityofaustin.org/lamar.

City wants feedback on commercial development guidelines

City staff wants to know what your preferences are for how commercial development - large and small - should look in Austin.

Feedback is being sought about architectural preferences as well as signage and the layout of the building and parking areas.

The public is encouraged to participate in the survey March 9-April 9. Visit www.cityofaustin.org to respond to the survey.

The design of commercial development, including shopping centers, "big box" retail and office complexes, is influenced by a combination of city regulations and private decisions. Your input will help city staff evaluate how well current development regulations align with public preferences.

For more information, contact Katie Larsen (512) 974-6413; e-mail, Katie.Larsen@ci.austin.tx.us.

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Big Ideas

City's performance measures available online

The City of Austin now offers an online look at its Performance Measures Database - giving the public a close-up look at how money and performance measure up!

The City is committed to providing the highest quality services to the public. In an effort to sustain service levels, strive for excellence and continued improvement, the City of Austin implemented several years ago an operating strategy of Managing For Results.

The strategy incorporates a very comprehensive Business Planning process, which establishes very clear departmental goals, objectives and performance measures. These performance measures provide a map of the annual expectations for each department.

Performance measurement helps in a number of ways:

This information has always been available to the public through the budget document, quarterly performance reports, community scorecard and any specialized requested reports. However, with the advantage of today's technology, the City is able to continue to improve open communication with the public. The public is now able to access the Performance Measures Database information online.

The database provides the public an opportunity to review performance measures by overall departments, department programs or specific department activity. The data includes historical information, current year budgeted targets, as well as current year actual results. Additionally, the database is a very useful information tool for City employees as they develop necessary work plans and identify focus areas.

Visit www.cityofaustin.org/budget/eperf/index.cfm for more information about the Performance Measures Database.

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Environs

City offers two more chances to buy rain barrels

Austin Water Utility customers may purchase up to four rain barrels. The City will host two rain barrel sales March 6 and April 17. The 75 gallons barrels are made of polyethylene. You may send payment and an application in advance to have a receipt mailed to you in advance, avoiding long lines the day of the sale. Visit www.cityofaustin.org/watercon/rainbarrel_sale.htm for an online application.

You may also fill out the forms and purchase the barrel the day of the sale. Even though you may have paid for a barrel in advance, rain barrel distribution is still first come first served.

To purchase a barrel from the City of Austin bring a copy of your water/utility bill and photo ID to 4005 Airport Blvd on:

If you are not an Austin Water Utility customer but are a customer of the following wholesale contractors, you are eligible to participate in the rain barrel program:

Quantities are limited. The first two barrels are $45 each. The third and fourth barrels are $75 each. Retail price is normally $120 per barrel. Only cash (correct change) or checks will be accepted.

Please call (512) 974-2199 for information regarding eligibility.

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Money Wise

Airport offers travelers parking discount

The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport discount coupon for parking in the airport garage will be available throughout March.

Additionally, the coupon offers a chance to win two weeks of free airport garage parking. Located directly across from the terminal and closest to the flights, airport garage parking means no buses, no waiting and no hassles.

The coupon offers a savings of $6 off the daily maximum garage-parking rate from March 1-31. Customers must present the coupon to cashiers at the garage exit toll booth to receive $6 off the daily maximum rate of $18.

Visit www.abia.org for more information about the coupon. For real time parking information, parking fees, flight status and other airport information 24 hours a day, call 530 ABIA (2242) or visit the Austin-Bergstrom Web site, www.abia.org.

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Zone In

The following zoning cases are tentatively scheduled for the March 16 Planning Commission Agenda and the April 15 City Council Agenda.

C14-04-0031 - (Robbie Mayfield), by Lopez-Phelps, Vaughn (Amelia Lopez-Phelps), 3801 N. Capital of Texas Hwy,. From I-GR to CS-1-CO. (Lake Austin). City Staff: Glenn Rhoades, (512) 974-2775.

C14-04-0032 - (Robbie Mayfield), by Lopez-Phelps, Vaughn (Amelia Lopez-Phelps), 3801 N. Capital of Texas Hwy. From CS-1-CO to GR-CO. (Lake Austin). City Staff: Glenn Rhoades, (512) 974-2775.

C14-04-0033 - (A.K. & Joan Nelson; Rose Nelson; Winna Gene Nelson Jones), by Austin Blue Sky Investments (John Bolt Harris), FM 969 Road From SF-3 to SF-4, GR. (Elm Creek). City Staff: Annick Beaudet, (512) 974-2975.

C14-04-00034 - City of Ausitn Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Departement (Sherri Gager), by City of Austin Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department (Sherri Gager), 8518 Fathom Circle. From GO-CO to MF-2. (Bull Creek). City Staff: Sherri Gager, (512) 974-3057.

C14-04-0035 - Shoal Creek Properties, Ltd. (Fred Eppright), by Land Strategies (Paul Linehan), 9300 - 9800 Blocks of N. FM 620 Road. From I-RR to SF-6. (Bull Creek). City Staff: Sherri Gager, (512) 974-3057.