Board Members Present:
Anne Cole-Steichen (ACS)
Sally McLaughlin (SM)
Lonnie Moore (LM)
Erika Mott (EM)
Leo Slaton (LS)
Catriona Smith (CS)
Walt Thompson (WT)
Board Members Absent
Sam Love (SL); Jerry Mills (JM)
Guests
Pamela Kingfisher, Indigenous Women's Network / Alma de Mujer
John Shipley, Volente Group
Corporal Dale Vannoy, Cedar Park Police Department
Call to order at 7:13pm.
LM asked if any board members had additional items to add to the agenda. SM added discussion about committee structure, CS said that should include content of emails sent between board members. ACS asked that the topic of a VNA sign be added also. Corporal Dale Vannoy from the Cedar Park Police Dept. will also be added to the agenda to talk about the Lime Creek Rd. traffic issue.
Pamela Kingfisher - This month's meeting was held at the Alma
De Mujer Conference Center on FM2769. Ms. Kingfisher gave an overview of
what Alma is and what the Indigenous Women's Network is.
Subsequent to the meeting, Ms. Kingfisher furnished the VNA with
the following synopsis of her discussion for VNA to use in the minutes:
" The organization is a non-profit group that focuses on native
women's sovereignty. Their retreat and learning center is rented out to
groups who work on meditation, spiritual growth, and they also offer programs
to teach about medicinal uses for plants and how to make tinctures as well
as other ways to use our natural resources. This group is very concerned
about the water quality because they water their animals and the organic
garden with water from Cypress Creek, which runs through the property.
The produce from the garden is eaten and used in the medicines they create."
Lime Creek Rd. Traffic – Corporal Dale Vannoy from the Cedar Park Police Dept. came to the meeting to update the board on what he was doing to solve the problem of the traffic on Lime Creek Rd. at the quarries. EM has been working with him to set up a meeting with the company owners, some of the residents and representatives from the VNA board. Cpl. Vannoy reported that he has been researching the area to see if the companies are in violation of any Cedar Park Environmental Dept., TNRCC, or LCRA regulations. His theory is that if the owners have not been receptive to working with residents in the past, then they are unlikely to in the future. Any violations could be used as a tool to get better cooperation, and hopefully a solution agreed to. He said he will be making contact soon, by Thursday 3/15/01 at the latest. Cpl. Vannoy said when he looked at the area, he noticed some trees that need trimmed, and some improvements that can be made to reduce the blind spots. Even though we haven’t seen the work he has done, he wanted the board to know he has been laying the groundwork for he next step.
LM asked what companies are involved. Cpl. Vannoy said there are three companies, Ranger Excavation, Coreslab, and Texas Quarries. SM asked if the hot issue here is debris on the road, the trucks, or the potholes. LM said to his knowledge the potholes were fixed by Cedar Park. LM also wanted to clarify that the VNA has not contacted the business owners, but a resident has attempted to with no success. Ms. Kingfisher asked if Cpl. Vannoy had any information on when the Anderson Mill extension might be finished. He said he didn’t know, but would check into it and get back with her. Cpl. Vannoy said Twin Creeks is in Travis County, and is included in Cedar Park’s ETJ, but that is about all he knows about the development right now. SM asked if he know who would patrol that development. Cpl. Vannoy said Cedar Park will not routinely patrol it, but would go out as a courtesy if needed. Travis County Sheriff’s Dept would do any follow up and reports.
Volente Group – John Shipley of the Volente Group (VG)
came to give an update on his developments in Volente. He reported
that not much has changed since his last presentation to the VNA board
in May 2000. He has been concentrating on the land he has in Jonestown,
including a 64-acre commercial tract. He is planning on permitting
through City of Austin (COA) this year for the gated community planned
behind VVFD, called The Plateau. WT asked if there was an approximate
time schedule for that. Mr. Shipley said he had hoped to be in the planning
stages already by now.
Mr. Shipley said the number of houses built would be determined
by the street choice they go with. The wider the road, the denser
the development can be. 29-ft. roads will allow for up to 167 houses,
while 36-ft. roads will allow for up to 540 houses. Mr. Shipley said
his personal choice would be to go with the lower number of homes.
He said once filed, COA gives 6 months to complete the permitting process.
He is trying to develop without any variances from COA. Horizon Environmental
has done a study, and no caves were found. Septic systems and piped
in water are the preferred choice with no sewer, but the sewer could happen.
SM asked how long before the road decision was made. Mr. Shipley
said the goal was Jan. 2001 – March 2001, but now anywhere from 2-6 months.
He said as soon as he files the plan at COA he will have it hanging in
VJ’s for everyone to see, and will update the VNA then also.
WT asked about the previous water supply VG had talked about putting
in. Mr. Shipley said he is still pursuing water, but has not confirmed
the supply yet. LM asked about other residents in Volente being able to
tap into the water supply brought in for The Plateau. Mr. Shipley
said the water he will bring in will be for his development only, and any
other hookups will have to be through the entity providing the water, not
through him or VG.
WT asked if there were any plans to head-off parking problems at
Sandy Creek Marina on Lime Creek Rd. Mr. Shipley said additional
parking was planned across the street from the marina, accommodating about
100 cars. He also said they have a clearing permit and a driveway
permit. Mr. Shipley did say there would most likely be a parking
problem on the holiday weekends even with that additional parking provided.
The VNA board expressed gratitude towards VG for donating a piece
of land to the VVFD that was being used by VVFD.
Minutes – All reviewed the 2/6/01 minutes by topic. A few suggestions for changes were made. SM made a motion to accept the minutes as amended, CS seconded the motion, and all were in favor.
Treasurer’s Report – ACS reported the VNA has $3,526.88 in the checking account. There is one outstanding bill payable to the US Postal Service for the mailing permit, $125. Motion to accept the report was made by EM and seconded by SM, all were in favor.
Lake Travis Committee – CS reported that she attended her first LTAP meeting. The meeting consisted of introductions and an overview of each member’s issues. Non-Point Source Pollution is scheduled going to be discussed soon.
Business/Development Committee – LM gave an update on the Twin Creeks development. He is still trying to set up a meeting with the developer and Cedar Park along with others involved. He is also still gathering Information from many sources to find out about golf course pollution. LM also presented the board with the three general neighborhood concerns: 1) Point Source Pollution 2) Non-Point Source Pollution, and 3) Native Artifacts.
Membership Committee – LM reported there is nothing new.
VVFD Liaison Committee – (No Report)
Liaison to Other Organizations – LM reported on incorporation. He said Bob Tinstman (SOV) told him there has not been another SOV newsletter sent out, and they are not currently working on one either. Mr. Tintsman also said there has not been a firm decision yet, but they may be backing off their election goal date of May 2001.
Other – The board discussed potential candidates for new board members. There were about 5 names mentioned, and LM asked board members to encourage these and anyone else interested to come to the 4/3/01 meeting. The Bylaws were also talked about. LM said there is currently not an official set of Bylaws that can be located in the records, and he would like to formalize a set.
ACS asked that SM, and other board members if interested, look at the sign for Comanche Trail to consider putting a similar sign at Bullick Hollow and FM 2769 for VNA. SM was not in favor of that, but said she would look at it, and the board is to further discuss this next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.