SEPTEMBER MEETING
7:00 p.m. Monday, September 16th
Southwest Church of Christ
8900 Manchaca Rd.
(Rear Entrance)

PROGAM NOTES

Capital Metro Community Involvement representative, Willie Cecil, will be giving a presentation on Cap Metro’s plans with a Q&A afterword. Cap Metro is collecting community input on their future transportation plans and think that neighborhood associations are an important piece in their development process. Come and hear what the future may hold and express your views.

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2013 MEETING SCHEDULE

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DAVIS LANE PROJECTS
INFORMATION MEETING

Meet the Contractor
September 23, 6:30 - 8pm
Manchaca Road Library
5500 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78745

About The Project

In coming weeks, the City of Austin will begin the Davis Lane project. This work will install a modern roundabout at the intersection of Davis Lane and Leo Street and extend Davis Lane where it currently dead ends. Currently, drivers must take Guide Post Lane and Huebinger Pass to reconnect with Davis. The extension and roundabout will help improve the flow of traffic through the neighborhood while reducing congestion.

Citizens are encouraged to attend to come learn about the project, meet the contractor, and learn how construction could impact traffic and the surrounding neighborhood.

To Rsvp or to Request Future Email Updates:
Darryl Haba, Project Manager
Phone: 512.974.7205
Darryl.Haba@austintexas.gov

Courtney Black, Public Information Officer
Phone: 512.974.7972
Courtney.Black@austintexas.gov

TEXAS BROWN GRASS

Solutions for Brown Grass
From Austin Water

Looking around our neighborhoods at brown yards and wilting shrubs, we get the feeling that this drought may be here to stay. Yet, a look in the weather almanacs will lead us to recognize that the central region of Texas fluctuates from periods of drought to periods of wet weather. If we accept these weather patterns as our reality, one would have to ask, why do we design or even try to maintain landscapes that are poorly suited for our area, landscapes that require enormous amounts of water to keep the grass green and the shrubs and trees alive? This drought should give us pause to rethink our landscape options. So let’s take a minute to do that here.

Many folks just really don’t know a lot about managing a landscape. We expect that if we water and fertilize, everything will be fine, but that is not always the case. During the summer months, outdoor irrigation accounts for about 60% of the water consumed, and much of that is wasted by poor application or overwatering. Some of the brown patches we see in our lawns are actually caused by a fungus inhabiting our grass. Fungus is first identified by its brown color and irregular shape, and because it thrives in moist conditions, it is a great indicator that too much water is being applied to the turf. It is commonly called “Take All” fungus and will do just that if left unchecked. If you suspect fungus in your turf and the affected areas are still small, there are natural fungicides that will help. Neem oil, compost tea, and baking soda solutions are some of the most common natural fungicides, but first and foremost, reduce the amount of water you are applying.

Other brown patches in our lawns are caused by plain ole sunburn…not enough water to tolerate the sun and the heat. Grass adapts to drought conditions by going dormant; it turns off its drive to grow and transfers its energy to its roots in order to stay alive. This results in a brown or yellow color in the leaf blades. Water-thirsty grasses like St. Augustine reach the dormancy trigger quicker than native turf species, and if water doesn’t come soon, the grass will die. If yours is a St. Augustine lawn, you will need a lot of water to keep it alive. Native grasses like buffalo grass require only a fraction of the water St Augustine needs and because they are native, are specifically adapted to tolerate the sun and heat of central Texas. Properly maintained, native grasses can produce a thick and lush carpet of turf, and while they exhibit a different shade of green, that green can translate to money in your pocket.

To help you take the leap toward changing your landscape to something more suitable for this area, Austin Water has a WaterWise Landscape rebate program that targets taking out your healthy or even dormant lawns and replacing them with native plant beds. Native plants are adapted to long-term droughts. Lantanas, Mountain Laurels, Texas Sage, and Red Yuccas are but a few plants that do well in the heat and have unique flower colors to beautify your yard. Replacing your turf with native plant beds through Austin Water’s WaterWise Landscape program will net you $25 for every 100 square feet of altered landscape, not to mention the money you will save on your water bills. There is a minimum requirement of 500 square feet.

As you consider undertaking a landscape conversion, steer away from rock and gravel beds. While these landscape options conserve water, they retain heat, creating an unhealthy environment for many plants and increase the city’s ambient temperatures or “heat island” effect. Using mulch in place of rocks or gravel will help keep your beds cooler, retain moisture better, and provide additional nutrients to the soil.

While we can’t predict the future, we can plan for it. Living with frequent drought requires us to plan ahead for ourselves and future generations. There are many options available to homeowners for beautiful landscapes that conserve our precious water resources.

Please visit www.waterwiseaustin.org or call the Water Conservation Division of Austin Water at (512) 974-2199 if you have any questions.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
From Community Impact Newspaper

Local nonprofit HomeBase has filed permits with the City of Austin to build Westgate Grove, 50 single-family homes near the intersection of West Gate Boulevard and Cameron Loop (SE corner)
.
When completed, the development will join a number of local properties deemed affordable, a term the federal government defines as costing less than 30 percent of a household's monthly income."

Westgate Grove has been in the works since 2008, HomeBase Project Manager Ivette Benitez said. HomeBase bought the land using grant funds from the city’s 2006 bond election.

The nonprofit, which is affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, is accepting resident applications through Sept. 6 and may begin construction in November.

With Westgate Grove, HomeBase hopes to replicate its work managing affordable housing in the Mueller development. “We want to create affordable housing for working families within city limits. That’s the main goal,” Benitez said.

Westgate Grove has measures in place to prevent homeowners from selling affordable housing for an unfairly large profit. HomeBase tries to encourage homeowners to stay in their homes as long as possible by offering homeowners 2 percent of the home’s appreciated value for every year of residency at the time of sale. If a homeowner wants to sell, he or she must first attempt to sell their home back to HomeBase. HomeBase does this in order to keep prices low. HomeBase retains the right of first refusal before a homeowner can sell the property to
someone else.

“We are not looking for investors,” Austin Habitat for Humanity spokeswoman Fiona Mazurenko said. “We are looking for people who want this as their primary residence.”

More info at: www.westgategrove.com