Board Members Present:
Lonnie Moore (LM)
Erika Mott (EM)
Walt Thompson (WT)
Sam Love (SL)
Anne Cole-Steichen (ACS)
Leo Slaton (LS)
Jerry Mills (JM)
Catriona Smith (SM)

Absent Board Members: Sallie McLaughlin

 Call to order at 7:05pm.

 LM polled board members for any new agenda topics.  None were added.

 Minutes of the 9/5/00 meeting were reviewed.  A few changes were made, and the revised minutes were approved unanimously.

 Treasurer’s Report - ACS reported we have $3,747.68 in the account, and there is no longer a service fee.  Two additional checks were received for membership dues.  SL asked if a “treasurer’s report” was done yet, LM explained that ACS will prepare a report for the annual meeting.  WT made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report, and SL seconded, all agreed.  A motion was also made to reimburse EM for the purchase of a fan for VVFD, LM made the motion to include all expenses incurred.  WT seconded, and all were in favor.

 Membership Committee – LM reported that 101 members have paid for 2000

 Lake Travis Committee –  JM reported that there was a meeting with Lake Travis Advisory Panel and Joe Beal of LCRA.  Discussion was primarily about San Antonio water situation, and what LCRA was doing to resolve it.  There is an estimate of 1 million more people in a five county area that includes Austin and San Antonio within 10 years.  JM says he feels like LCRA knew there would be a water shortage problem, but has done little to address it in the last 50 years.

JM also reported that the issue of pumping water out of Lake Travis is a TNRCC issue, not LCRA.  There was an article in the Austin American Statesman about residents pumping out of the lake, and it made the residents look like bandits, stealing the water.  JM was disappointed that LCRA didn’t stand up and support the residents position, in reality it doesn’t add up to be that much water that is pumped out by homeowners.

The marina ordinance revisions by LCRA do little in dealing with the problems according to JM. It was discussed that one of the new changes is that there will not be permits issued to new marinas that cannot operate below 640 ft.  This means there will be no more marinas that have alternate locations for low water conditions, such as Cypress Creek, Anderson Mill and Riviera marinas currently have.  LM says overall the changes are an improvement, but could be better.  He also said he addressed the specific issue of public notice to property owners.  He told LCRA that 300 ft. from the structure rather than the property boundary was not sufficient.  LM feels it should include more people, such as neighborhood associations, because it impacts more people than they are notifying.  He said LCRA staff has recommended some changes he thinks are a direct result of VNA efforts in the past, such as automatic fuel handles being prohibited, requiring no unsupervised pumping of fuel on weekends and holidays, and end ties and proposed end ties must be shown on footprint layout at time of application.

LS asked what came of the lawsuit some residents had with Sandy Creek Marina with regards to anchors for the marina being on property that didn’t belong to them.  No one was sure, but LM said at a meeting with LCRA, they had stated that marinas and anchors were to be on or over their own property.  CS added that existing marinas fall under the grandfather clause, and are exempt from these revised rules.  WT said he attended both public meetings with LCRA about the revisions, and he noted that the second meeting had a different audience, because there were mostly developers and marina owners there.  This group was not supportive of the revisions, and wanted the moratorium lifted.

JM mentioned Sunlit cove again.  The developer has filed for a dredge and fill permit.  They want to dredge the end of the cove, but JM and his neighbors are opposed.  The developer has threatened to put in mobile homes if they do not cooperate.  LCRA said they have found no reason to deny the request for permit.  JM noted LCRA doesn’t even ask why they want to dredge in the application.  The residents were given an appeals application, and were the process goes through the Corp of Engineers.  The Corp of Engineers say if the request is to remove less than 500 cubic yards then they don’t care.  This application is to remove 470 cubic yards.  JM also has learned that waterfront property purchased from LCRA has a clause that allows public access up to the “high water mark”.

LS reported that LCRA has predicted the lake level to be 636 at the end of the year.  LM announced the LCRA lake cleanup on 10/14/00.  WT called to see about VVFD being a drop off point with a dumpster, but LCRA said all the money was used up, and closest one would be at Windy Point.  LM told of an invitation to a meeting in Luling with Joe Beal on 10/19/00.

WT reported on the Cypress Creek Marina expansion issue.  He said LCRA has granted temporary permission to allow the slips they added.  This will only remain in effect until the lake comes back up.

Incorporation Committee –  LS said a neighbor asked him if there was an organized effort for incorporation of a different area of Volente.  WT said Carmen Seim told him several people approached her, soliciting her support for incorporation of  “Phase 2” of the current pursuit for incorporation. Later in the meeting, EM asked the VNA board members if any of them had first-hand information about the recent issue of a second incorporation effort.  ACS stated that Save Our Volente committee was not involved in any second petition or "Phase 2" effort at this time. No one else had any such information.

It was discussed that the 9/7/00 panel discussion had a good turnout.  ACS said she thought LM did a good job of mediating.  There is an estimate of over 100 in attendance.

The Austin Chronicle published an article in the 9/22/00 about incorporation in Volente.

LM reported he has spoken to Mattie Adams, and she has had many meetings with the City of Austin.  ACS said Mattie is anticipating a response from the city on the petition.  ACS also says Mattie is assuming the city will release the ETJ, but doesn’t think it is likely going to a vote in January, maybe April 2001.  Also ACS does not believe the 45 days referenced in the petition is a requirement.  Also, Mattie will not respond to anyone with regards to incorporation at this time, ACS said this includes herself and SL, who are members of the Save Our Volente committee.

Business/Development Committee – SL reported that Rick Redmond called him for a meeting.  SL said Rick mostly vented about selective enforcement of regulations, and walked through the history of Volente Beach.  SL mentioned that Rick owns other property in the area, and expressed that it is not economical to turn it into parking, and that he (Rick Redmond) is exploring other uses for the property, including the possibility of condominiums.  Rick also told SL the VNA wanted more parking, so he did that, and now residents are unhappy with that.  Rick said he will not come to another VNA meeting because in the past there has been too much yelling and screaming, but he said he would sit down with "any reasonable person" one on one.
 

Roadway/Safety Committee –  WT reported that he called the County about the crumbling shoulder on Lime Creek Road due to the construction traffic.  They said they would do shoulder patches when they have a truck in the area.

 VVFD Liaison Committee – LM reported that ESD #14 did raise the tax rate to $.07 per $100 valuation as discussed in previous meetings.  VNA and EM received appreciation letters from VVFD for donations of fans and water coolers.  WT reported that there were two structure fires recently, one on 620 and one on FM 2769 near the low water crossing.  LS commented on the good job VVFD did with the house fire in Volente, WT said Hudson Bend VFD and Cedar Park were there to assist.

Liaison to Other Organizations – LM reported that LTNC met on 9/21/00 about the marina ordinance and related topics.  LM said LTNC wants LCRA to map out neighborhood associations that are around the lake, and he is assisting in that effort.

SM is to bring refreshments to the next meeting on November 7, 2000.

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM.
 
 

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