NSCNA Blog Archive

  • It’s NSCNA Renewal Time

    Chip Rosenthal

    The NSCNA membership year begins today, February 1.

    If you’ve been a past member — thank you! — please consider renewing today. If you’ve never been a member, here is a great opportunity to get involved.

    We’re hoping to have a great 2010, with strong programs to protect our neighborhood, and fun events to meet our neighbors. But we’ll need your support to make that happen. Dues are just $15 per household.

    Good news! It’s now easier than ever to become an NSCNA member.

    You can pay online using PayPal. Simply go to the Membership Information page and click the Pay Now button. That’s the quickest and easiest way to join.

    You also can pay by check through the mail. Simply go to the Membership Information page, and print out the “membership flyer” linked near the bottom. Mail that printout with your payment. You also can find printed membership forms on the backs of past NSCNA newsletters.

  • Renderings for Wal-Mart at Northcross Mall Released

    Cheri Hartman

    Three years after Lincoln Property Co. proposed a two-story Wal-Mart Superstore at the Northcross Mall location, renderings of the new store have been released to the public.  The new Wal-Mart will be a one-story building, approximately 99,000 square feet, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010.  The proposed Wal-Mart is less than half the size of the building originally proposed in 2006, and does not include a parking garage.

    The Austin-American Statesman has more information about the site plans and construction schedule.

  • Please Mind Your Pooch at Pillow

    Chip Rosenthal

    Pillow PlaygroundThe staff at Pillow Elementary told me the school had an unfortunate dog-related incident recently, and they — and the kids — are concerned.  I was asked to pass along some reminders and requests.

    Scoop the Poop

    Please clean up after your pet. It will help keep the kids safe, and it’s the law. Bags are available for easy pet cleanup by the park sign at the Rockwood driveway.

    More info here: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/watershed/wq_scoop.htm

    Control Your Pet

    The City requires that you keep your dog under control and on a leash of 6 feet or shorter while in a park (except for a few designated “off leash” areas). If you don’t, you could be fined as much as $500.

    More info here: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/offleashareas.htm

    Although leashes have not been strongly enforced at Pillow, it’s still the law and we could see stricter enforcement if problems continue.  So please control your pet, especially when children are present.

    Consider Leaving Pets at Home During School Hours

    While pets are allowed all times during park hours, please keep the schoolkids and their safety in mind. If you can, please consider shifting your dog walking time in the park to a time outside of school hours.

    The Pillow Park area is a shared facility, used both by the school and the neighborhood. A little extra attention will ensure that everybody is safe and comfortable using the park.

    That would be appreciated especially now, while the staff and kids are still a bit on edge with respect to loose running dogs.

    Thanks!

    — Chip Rosenthal, NSCNA President

  • Austin Mobility Forums, Feb. 8 – 11

    Chip Rosenthal

    The City of Austin Transportation Department will hold a series of Mobility Forums to gather citizen priorities for funding mobility projects. This includes not just road projects but also rails, roads, bikeways and sidewalks. Here’s the info from the department:

    “The goal of the Austin Mobility Program is to make it easier to move around our city. From roads to rail to buses, bicycles, and sidewalks, our transportation system can provide us all with better options and a better quality of life.

    “The City has collected more than 1,200 needed transportation projects from citizens to date. This is more than we can pay for at once. We need your help to determine the community values and priorities for Austin’s mobility system.

    “Please attend an Austin Mobility Forum on any date from February 8th – February 11th. Times and locations are listed below.

    “For more information about the forums, please contact Lindsey Reed by phone at (512) 477-1018 or email transportation[at]ci.austin.tx.us.

    “Everyone is welcome, and every opinion matters. Refreshments are provided. We look forward to seeing you there!”

    Sincerely,

    Robert Spillar, P.E.
    Director of Transportation
    Austin Transportation Department

    The locations are:
    (more…)

  • The Right Tree in the Right Place

    Cheri Hartman

    Emily King from Urban Forestry will be presenting a talk called “The Right Tree in the Right Place” at the North Village Library on Monday, January 25, from 6:30-8:00PM.

    Thanks to our neighborhood librarian, Walter Minkel, she will be focusing on trees in our area. North Shoal Creek (in particular) and many of the surrounding neighborhoods are full of so called “junk” trees nearing the end of their life span. We need to think to the future and plant trees suited where we live if we want to retain our lush and tree lined streets.

    Please join us in the library meeting room for the discussion.