Board members attending:

Noah Kennedy, Gail Morriss, Pate Tate, Susan Pascoe, Bryan Chester, Elizabeth Cash

Board members absent:

Katherine Allen, Bill Britton, Charles Heimsath, Mark Mayfield, Candace Volz

Neighbors Attending: Frank Walsh, John Volz, Bert Tate, Charles Johansson, Tom Roberts

City Representatives Attending: Warren Struss, Director, Parks and Recreation Department for City Manager Toby Futrell; Leon Barba, Asst. Director, Watershed Protection and Development Review Dept.

The meeting was called to order at approximately 7pm and adjourned at approximately 9pm.  A quorum was present.

Agenda Item #1: Future of Pemberton’s Triangle Parks

Noah made a short PowerPoint presentation regarding the state of the 10 triangles/open areas in the neighborhood.  He explained that we have a lot of neighborhood interest in fixing these areas up, and this interest is backed up by donations of money and services.  He stressed that PHNA is looking for a way to facilitate working with the City, not looking for a handout.  He noted that volunteer efforts had been made to improve the entrance to the neighborhood but the effort was futile because the City did not have a process in place for this type of project.  Furthermore, efforts at landscaping have been frustrated by a lack of water at the triangles.

He noted that we have about 8 standard triangles that we would like to landscape and maintain, and two special project areas:  1) the entrance to the neighborhood at Harris and Windsor, and 2) the large triangle and MoPac strip area at Ethridge and Hartford. 

For the standard triangles, we would like to provide landscaping and maintenance, if the City will provide water.  For the neighborhood entrance, we would like to incorporate a sign.  For the large Ethridge triangle, we would like to explore a children’s play area and possibly a pool.

The City is excited about working with PHNA on this project.  For the first time ever, they have appointed a project manager who will be the single point of contact at the City and will oversee guiding us through all the necessary submissions and approvals.  Our contact’s name is Brian Block, the Executive Director of Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB).  PH is going to be a test case for Brian.  We have been chosen because of the high level of volunteer interest and donations to the project in the neighborhood.

PHNA and Brian face a considerable bureaucracy in accomplishing the triangle parks.  Liability insurance for the project will be covered under the KAB Adopt-a-Park program.  We will need to sign a licensing agreement with the City, and get the areas surveyed, including field notes.  We will need detailed drawings of our proposed improvements to the triangles.  There is a $425 application fee that must be paid with each submission.  The plans must go through 25-30 reviews and approvals, for example, by everyone in the right-of-way, such as gas, phone, water, and electric. Each of these reviewers must be pressed for a final answer, which can be difficult to obtain.  In order to provide water to the triangles, street and curb cuts must be permitted and completed.  PHNA would be responsible for the costs of both.  Street work in turn requires a traffic control plan as the street is torn up.  If a standard traffic control plan could not be used, we would have to pay for a custom plan to be developed.

We would end up with a water meter at each triangle, whose bills will be paid by the KAB fund, to be reimbursed by PHNA.  A $1000 capital recovery fee may be assessed for the City’s work, as well.

It should be noted that the dollar amounts cited above may be negotiable or discounted.  This will be explored as the process develops.

Tree lights were mentioned and the City representatives strongly recommended using solar power if at all possible, to avoid the additional complication of bringing power to the triangles.

With regard to the neighborhood entrance triangle, Warren and Leon said that they do not have authority over signs.  However, Brian Block will help us get the required approvals.

The best way to proceed with the Ethridge triangle was not clear.  If the triangle becomes an official park, liability is covered by the City.  If PHNA installs a playscape, it faces potential liability issues.  However, there are considerable hurdles to making this a true park, such as providing ADA access and parking.  Warren and Leon estimated it would cost about $200,000 to fence the area and provide safe, resilient surfaces for play areas.  This type of park is not typically watered by the City.  It was determined that it makes sense to start with the more straightforward triangles and work up to this project.  Warren would need to become directly involved with any City park project.

Agenda Item #2: Transfer of authority from Noah Kennedy

Noah is leaving the neighborhood and moving into the Zilker Park area.  He stepped down as president at this meeting.  We thank Noah very much for his service to PHNA.  He has started and managed our website, initiated the dialog and surveys on the local historic districts, taken the neighborhood through the McMansion ordinance process, and represented all of West Austin on the McMansion ordinance task force.  In between, he has met frequently with neighbors to discuss all kinds of problems and opinions.  He has left extremely large shoes to fill.

There is one board meeting between now and the neighborhood picnic.  Bryan has agreed to chair that meeting.  The picnic marks the end of the term for the current board.  New members will be elected at the picnic.  We need to invite neighbors who are interested in running for a board position to come to the September meeting to learn what is involved.

Katherine Allen is retiring from writing, designing, and distributing the PHNA newsletter.  We thank Katherine, a design professional, for donating five years of service of four newsletters every year.  Many neighbors have commented on how much they enjoy the newsletter, in which Katherine has done a great job capturing the neighborhood news and spirit. We were lucky that she stayed with it for so long and her touch on the newsletters will be missed.

It was suggested that one possibility would be to outsource the newsletter to a group that does newsletters for a business.  This company asks in return only that they be allowed to sell advertising space in each issue.  We would provide content.  Susan Pascoe will explore this option and report back.

Agenda Item #3: Neighborhood sign project

Elizabeth presented a possible project of putting signs up in the neighborhood to identify us as Pemberton Heights.  The project would be modeled on a similar project in the Judges Hill neighborhood.  Permanent metal signs are mounted to the back of existing traffic signs.  A possible sign design was presented.  The design must follow City guidelines for signs in historic areas.  It was estimated that about 30 signs would be needed to mark the boundaries of the neighborhood and put signs along Harris at regular intervals.  The signs would need to be about 24”x24”, because the stop signs in the neighborhood are 30” across.  There are two types of sign poles in the neighborhood so two different types of mounting systems would be necessary.  Research had shown that the cost for the project would be about $1500.  After discussion, it was decided that the project and two to three sign design options should be presented at the October picnic, so that neighbors can comment on the project and vote on their preferred design.

Minutes prepared by Elizabeth Cash, Secretary

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