PfCONA TIDBITS - COMMUNITY CALENDAR AND MORE (forward this E-mail to pfriends/neighbors)
Neighborhoods can help by sharing this E-mail (e.g., leaders/block captains/contacts) and by posting on their web pages or putting in newsletters. Also, collaborate with other neighborhoods, churches, community organizations, and city services.
From 6:30pm till 7:00pm at Pflugerville Justice Center at 1611 E. Pfennig Ln. Commercial property owner is making herself and associates available to answer questions about future plans and request they will be making of city regarding property. Is open to the public, such as residents in neighborhoods surrounding the property.
This is a short pre-meeting before PfCONA's Neighborhood Leader Meeting and before 11/21 Planning & Zoning Public Hearing, 12/5 P&Z Public Hearing, and January 2006 Council Public Hearing.
November 14th - PfCONA Roundtable Meeting for Neighborhood Leaders
(This is a new quarterly roundtable meeting. No town meeting on this night).
To be held at Justice Center at 1611 E. Pfennig Ln. from 7pm to 8:30pm. This meeting may occur on a quarterly basis. If you're a neighborhood leader you should get a reminder call about this meeting, which is open to the public to participate. All neighborhood and community leaders invited and needed. Is open to the public.
Note: See http://www.pfcona.org/Meetings-Minutes.htm for past town meeting agendas/minutes. The Mayor, a City Councilperson City Manager, Chief of Police are scheduled to attend monthly PfCONA Town Meetings. PISD/School Board has been invited to send a representative like council does on a rotating basis. PISD Public Information Officer has been frequently attending.
Note: PfCONA has been involved in this diverse committee for the past year and plans to continue to in order to help revitalize downtown on behalf of neighborhoods and businesses. Current projects the committee is undertaking includes: Market Inventory Subcommittee work, Market Analysis Request for Proposal Subcommittee work, Downtown Master Plan work, and more.
Begin decorating your yards for the holidays during Thanksgiving in Pflugerville, and win one of the categories to be featured in the Pflugerville Pflag and our website. The contest is completed early to allow the community a chance to drive by the winning homes before and after Christmas rolls around. PFCONA holiday light judging will occur the evening of Wednesday, December 7th. If your neighborhood residents or a neighborhod leader wish to submit entries for this contest or wish to appoint a rep to help with judging let Nancy Ramsey, PfCONA Secretary/Treasurer, know by the December 6th at: kenramsey@cox-internet.com.
Criteria for Homes: Unique, creative, impressive, extraordinary lights and displays.
Criteria for Best Street: Most homes uniformly decorated within at least one block.
Categories may include: Best Light Display, Most Festive, Best Traditional, Best Lawn Display, Best Street, and Honorable Mention.
December 30th - Falcon Pointe Casino Nite
From 8pm to 11pm. A prelude to the New Year! for Falcon Pointe Residents and guests only. Poker, blackjack, slot machines, music, food and fun are all part of this event for adults over 21. Prizes are raffled off at the end of the evening. No real money here!
January 4th - Pflugerville Police Department Victims Services Training Begins
PPD Victims Services is seeking volunteers. New training class begins. Contact Judy Allen at jallen@cityofpflugerville.com or call 670-5701 for information.
Click here for November City Newsletter, "Pflugerville Pfacts", and past ones on city website. Current issue stories include: City Tax Rate Lowered Again, Colorado River Water Supply Project Update, Adopt-a-Trail/Adopt-a-Street, Holiday Hours at the City, Blue Santa Needs You, Soliid Waste and Recycle Schedule, Holiday Happenings, and Animal Control.
Click here for other meeting/event dates listed on City Calendar on city website.
Click here for events at library.
Click here for public notices on City website.
Click here for city council and other boards/commissions/committee agendas and minutes on city website.
Click here for Community Calendar sponsored by PfCONA.(ask how to put something on it)
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Adopt-a-Trail/Adopt-a-Street
The City of Pflugerville is offering two new programs and is asking for your volunteer help. The Adopt-a-Trail and Adopt-a-Street programs encourage citizens to take pride in their community and help keep the costs of litter collection under control. The homeowners from the Club at Wells Point and the Bohls Neighborhood Association have adopted the trails in their neighborhoods. Saxony HOA is in the process of adopting a trail as well.
Adopting groups agree to pick up litter a minimum of six times a year. One of the dates will be during the "Keep Pflugerville Beautiful Trash Off" city-wide initiative in the spring. Coordinating additional special clean-up initiatives with the City is encouraged. For more information on the Adopt-a-Trail or Adopt-a-Street program, please call the Parks and Recreation Department at 251-5082. [Source: November 2005 Pflugerville Pfacts Newsletter]
Residential Policy Guidelines being Developed by Council - Update
As previously announced, the City Council has had a committee working for the past six months on Residential Policy Guidelines. These detailed recommendations are important and appear to include items that may affect the operation of HOAs to be formed in the future and the residents who will live in these neighborhoods. PfCONA has requested that an overview presentation be made to neighborhood leaders at an upcoming PfCONA meeting, with materials sent to leaders ahead of time. PfCONA has also indicated to city staff and Council that it would be important to make sure that public input is allowed on this issue at future Council meeting before it is decided upon (tabled if necessary). The committee appears to have done good work, and seasoned HOA leaders may be in agreement on most if not all that is proposed, but the more eyes and input on this the better, to make sure that well intentioned ideas are well thought through. If no comments are made, then so be it.
Recommendations (residential design standards) appear to have been or will be made in relation to: Architectural detailing; elevation differentiation; arterior collector streets; residential quality setback standards; and landscaping. Others may be made in relation to ALUR options, construction standards, and green building. Click here for link to presentation made by city planning staff at 11/8 Council meeting (is a very large zipped Powerpoint file that may take awhile to download). Click here for summary of meetings attached to Council 11/8 agenda.
The reason for the standards appear to be to raise the value of homes to built in Pflugerville and thus the taxable value. PfCONA understands that city needs more taxes, especially through more commercial development, and that rooftops do not provide enough taxes in comparison to the city services provided. PfCONA is cognizant that HOAs efforts, restrictions, and city ordinances make for better neighborhoods. PfCONA understands that certain rules are already on the books but since they may be changed it is a good time for public discussion on the impact of any changes on residents that move here or wish to move up to another home.
As a devil's advocate and to push for further review and digestion of the residential policy standards, PfCONA posed questions to Council at its 11/8/05 meeting. These may have been discussed in committee, but not necessarily in the public realm: If standards are to be across the board, as opposed to only in some situations, will policy allow for mixed density housing and buyers of various incomes? How much money will one need to make to buy such a home being described--that has to meet certain requirements (e.g., must have yard sprinkler system, rear patio, certain sod initially installed, trees in right of way, minimum size garage requirements, mandatory HOAs with certain city requirements imposed on them)? How much will homes cost? Will higher home values/standards raise area insurance rates? Will blue collar workers be limited to smaller homes, older homes, or must reside outside the city? Are we assuming that people want to and can pay higher taxes--are we pricing people out of the market or making them buy a smaller home? What if HOA cannot maintain trees or signage or afford insurance on property it will be required to maintain? What if HOA ceases to exist or changes from mandatory dues? Does city have budget to maintain trees in right of way if HOA cannot? Mayor said PfCONA's questions would be forwarded to committee. PfCONA asked for alternates to be named to committee and Council did not move forward on recommendation at 11/8 Council meeting. Mayor said she will let committee meet and decide next steps, including whether it has completed its work or will continue, and if it needs neighborhood reps as a result. PfCONA is attempting to learn next committee meeting date in order to attend. It is assuming that such meetings are open to the public.
Note: Two neighborhood representatives were initially put on the Residential Policy Guidelines Committee, per PfCONA's suggestion, one from Falcon Pointe HOA and another from Windermere HOA. One resigned during first month of meetings and the other after two months, and alternates were not appointed. Mountain Creek HOA president sat in on behalf of Mayor for most meetings and he feels that he has been able to be a voice for neighborhoods. PfCONA feels that there needs to be additional eyes on matter, especially the public, and other neighborhood leaders, since Council appears to be ready to quickly approve of the recommendations, which goes beyond the usual three-sides brick and 9,000 square foot lot requirements.
AngelHeart Children's Shelter Walk Being Planned by Old Town NA
As a follow-up to Old Town NA garage sale on Sept. 10th on behalf of this shelter for abused and neglected children, Old Town NA had an organizational meeting on 11/2/05 to plan the "Angelheart Children's Shelter Walk" (name of walk still undecided) scheduled for April 22, 2006 during Child Abuse Prevention Month. Parks & Rec will be a cosponsor for the walk. OTNA is working with PfCONA to enlist the help and support of organizations/neighborhoods to ensure a successful walk.
Saxony Food Drive Held on October 15th for The Storehouse food panty
This Pflugerville food pantry, one of a few in our community (e.g., North Rural Community Center, St. Vincent de Paul, First Baptist Church, Blue Santa) had 73 bags of food collected from 26 percent of the homes in Saxony. If your neighborhood is interested, food drives are a wonderful way to help those who need help. Any subdivision, neighborhood, organization, club, or school that is interested in having a food drive can contact The Storehouse food drive coordinator, Monique Goode, at 990-8595 or 694-3374 or 1monique@cox-internet.com. She will help you with ideas, fliers, grocery bags, and a list of needed food items. Saxony subdivision will have a food drive on Saturday, October 15th. All food items will be donated to the Storehouse food pantry in Pflugerville.
Hurricane Relief Update
With each passing week, the trauma of Katrina (and Rita) fades a little more from national attention. However, Austin nonprofits say that although the immediate crisis is over, the long-term needs of evacuees continue to grow. According to the Community Action Network, a partnership of 14 social service organizations, more than 4,200 hurricane evacuees remain in Austin. About 1,100 families have found apartments. An additional 500 families have applied for
homes with the city housing authority. The Red Cross also has received more than 10,000 applications for rent money and other basic needs from Katrina and Hurricane Rita victims in the Austin area. Social service providers say those extra people are stressing already stretched nonprofit groups. [Source: Exerpt from Austin American-Statesman, 10/19/05]
For local assistance in relation to Hurricane Relief, contact Pflugerville City-wide Initiative at: 251-5578 or E-mail pastor@stmarybaptist.com. Address: 1202 Pecan St. Click here for additional info/links on city website. Office Hours: 10am to 2:30pm, but has been earlier and later. The Pflugerville Community-wide Initiative is focusing on evacuees who have come to Pflugerville area and families assisting those families, since others are being taking care of in Austin.
Overall, Hurricane Katrina has swept away more than New Orleans buildings: Nearly four in 10 city residents who sought help from the Red Cross say they don't plan to move back, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds. That astounding migration of an estimated 50,000 households could change the face of the city they're leaving behind - and the places where they relocate...
The Red Cross registered more than 132,000 of the city's 180,000 households. Those with higher and lower incomes are more likely to say they'll relocate than those in the middle. And those under age 30 are much more likely to plan to move than their elders. Among those polled Sept. 30-Oct. 9: half haven't returned home. They are staying in hotels, renting temporary quarters or living with friends or relatives; nearly four in 10 of those who had jobs before the storm are out of work; more than one in five still are separated from family members; and, those least prepared for Katrina's force were inland residents of all three states. They were the least likely to have evacuated beforehand and the most likely to have feared for their lives when the storm hit. [Source: Excerpts from USA Today, 10/14/05]
Rita victims can get trailers:
People in need have until Nov. 24 to register online at www.fema.gov or at (800) 621-FEMA. [Source: Exerpt from Austin American-Statesman, 10/19/05]
Help available for special needs/Rita evacuees:
Texas is providing going-home help for some Hurricane Rita evacuees who have special medical needs...The agency says Rita evacuees who have medical conditions that could require special transportation arrangements to get home -- should call the agency. The number is: 1-888-312-4567. The service is available for Rita evacuees who are still in homes, motels, hotels or other private locations...This service is not meant for evacuees who were moved from a hospital or nursing home -- to another hospital or nursing facility. Arrangements for their return are being made by those hospitals and nursing centers. [Source: Exerpt from Austin American-Statesman, 10/19/05]
- WorkSource - North Austin: Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. - 454-9675
- WorkSource - South Austin: Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and Fridays at 10:00 a.m. - 381-4200
- WorkSource - East Austin: Mondays at 9:30 a.m. and Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. - 223-5400 [Source: GPCC Weekly Wire]
posted by PfCONA @ 11/13/2005 04:41:00 PM
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