THERE IS NO MEETING
SCHEDULED FOR MARCH


There is no meeting for March. See inside for updates of traffic planning for our neighborhood. The next scheduled meeting is April 21st. The web version of this newsletter and other promised content will be delayed for a short time due to illness of our editor. See 2008 meeting schedule below. Meetings are at 7:00 p.m. at the Southwest Church of Christ, 8900 Manchaca Rd. (Rear Entrance).

February 18th
April 21st
June Picnic—(TBA)
September 15th
November 17th
Dec Party—(TBA)


316 - Freedom of Information Day
(Madison)


3/31 - Bunsen Burner Day

 

Last last chance!!!

Due to a delay in processing, you may still join or renew your COVNA membership and, if desired, participate in the neighborhood directory Dues are $10 per year. An organization that provides a helpful email list, 2 free parties, and most importantly, a strong voice in preserving our neighborhood's integrity is worth supporting.

If you have not joined this year, please consider doing so now. Go to http://covna.org/membership.htm, print the form and send it or take it to Hal's this week.

2008 COVNA BOARD

Dominic Chavez
Floyd Clark
Dan Anderson
Hal Ferguson
Doug Tabony
Doug DuBois
Floyd Clark
President (695-5457)
Vice President (282-8245)
Secretary (282-1932)
Treasurer (282-0601)
Newsletter (280-4080)
ANC Delegate (292-9323)
Past President (282-8245)
 

To join the COVNA Email List, click below and send an email
with your name(s) to Doug at

tabonyproductions@austin.rr.com
Now 100+ households strong!

Find out the latest neighborhood news and developments.
Receive recommendations for service providers.

 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Neighbors:

Slowly but surely we are making progress on the transportation front. I am pleased to let you know that after a concerted effort of complaining to the city at every turn (no pun intended) about the horrendous conditions at Manchaca and Slaughter, that city staff is soliciting bids for a major improvement project.

According to staff reports, the intersection will include dual left-hand turn lanes in both the northbound and southbound directions of Manchaca. Additionally, and perhaps the best news of all, the turn bays will include a raised median that will prohibit left-hand turns into and out of the HEB shopping center, which has been the genesis of most problems in that area. I will continue to communicate with staff and see if they might come to one of our future association meetings to brief us on the design.

In related news: Association leaders met with city staff to discuss the Davis Lane/Westgate planning efforts. We learned quite a bit from the meeting, some of which is provided later in the newsletter and has been sent around via our email distribution list. Most important was the admission that Westgate will likely be extended with or without city bond money under consideration during this planning process. However, the same cannot be said for any future Davis Lane improvements. There is neither enough development funds nor any other city sources to construct any improvements along Davis Lane at this time. Even if there is a future bond election, there is no guarantee Davis Lane will be slotted for funding.

We are scheduled to have the association leaderships meet shortly to begin discussing possible consensus positions on these improvements. If a tentative agreement can be reached, that agreement will be brought before COVNA for consideration to include adoption, amendment, or rejection.

Progress is slow but steady. And hopefully by late Spring we will have a solution before the city council.

Dominic Chavez
President, COVNA

 


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Only $10.00/month. Reaches over 400 homes & Online at COVNA.org
Email Doug Tabony at: tabonyproductions@austin.rr.com

ANC 2008 CITY COUNCIL
C
ANDIDATES' FORUM

Dear Neighbors, at our last meeting, I explained that I was (with the association’s blessing) going to see about organizing a candidate forum in our area of town with some of the other associations. Unfortunately, I have been so covered up with the Davis Lane and Traffic Calming planning processes that I was unable to make it work. However, if you are interested, ANC is hosting a major candidate forum on March 26 (see details below). I hope to get a better jump on an effort to organize a forum for next year’s Mayoral race. – Dom

You are cordially invited to attend the Austin Neighborhoods Council (ANC) 2008 Austin City Council Candidates' Forum. Get to know the candidates and hear their answers to questions about the issues important to Austin on such varied topics as: Growth Management, Neighborhood Planning, City Government Structure, Open Governance, Community Values, Code Enforcement, Environmental Issues, Transportation, Working with AISD, and more. Everyone is welcome to attend this free forum.

ANC 2008 City Council Candidates Forum
Austin City Council - Places 1, 3, 4
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 6:00 p.m.
Austin Energy Building (Free Parking in rear)
721 Barton Springs Rd

Candidates Schedule
Place 4 (6 Candidates): 6:00-7:00
Place 1 (4 Candidates): 7:05-7:45
Place 3 (3 Candidates): 7:50-8:20

 

 

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TRAFFIC UPDATE

On March 6th, representatives from Deer Park HOA, Sendera HOA, Cherry Creek on Brodie, and COVNA met with representatives from the city of Austin and AISD to discuss the Westgate/Davis Lane Planning Project. Below are some of the highlights from the meeting:

The city staff preference is for the full construction of Westgate Blvd as a four-lane divided roadway at $8.5 million. This would result in no funding for any additional Davis Lane improvements other than those already funded (e.g. Davis Lane realignment west of Brodie and short connect of Davis at Guidepost).

The realignment of Davis at Brodie includes significant intersection improvements for the intersection at the bottom of the hill at Brodie. Specifically, approx. 500 feet of cue space that will include separate left turn and right turn lanes (thereby eliminating the one lane of cuing up the hill). The key here is that this is already funded. The downside is that these improvements will not start until late 2009 or early 2010.

The intersection at Westgate and Davis (assuming the full section is completed) will likely include a signal (however that cannot be determined until the construction is complete).

If the full length of Westgate is constructed, it will include approximately 250 feet of improvements along Davis Lane on either side of the intersection.

The city plans do not allow the city to expand Davis Lane beyond the two-lane divided (a la Dittmar), regardless of how much money we identify for the project.

AISD/Cowan elementary does not need the northern extension of Westgate to address their ingress/egress problems from Davis Lane.

City staff admitted that Westgate Lane likely will be completed with our without this bond money because of the development interests in the area (multifamily and neighborhood commercial zoning north of Davis Lane @ Westgate).

Click here for answers to questions we submitted in writing that provide additional context.

The next step is to set a meeting with the neighborhood leaderships to begin discussing possible compromise(s) that we can then bring back to our associations for consideration/discussion, etc. Ideally the city would like some input in the next 30-60 days, so we must act quickly.

 

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