June 1, 2010

Subject: Avalon Place

Information is now posted on Public Works’ website regarding the new Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (includes speed humps): http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/traffic/ntmp.htm including the new application (attached). For information on the program, please call Gary Drabek: 713-837-0552. If you had an application in for a Neighborhood Traffic Project, please call Gary Drabek to confirm it is still being worked on. If you had an application simply requesting Speed Humps (or cushions), you will need to resubmit a new application—the sooner the better, as your priority will be determined from the new filing date.

Mark F. Kirschke
Director of Communications
Oliver Pennington, Houston City Council Member District G

Attachments:
Neighborhood Traffic Management Program - Application

May 26, 2010

Subject: Avalon Place

Last Wednesday, City Council voted to amend Article XV of Chapter 45 of the Houston Code of Ordinances (Section 45-361 et. seq.). The new ordinance creates the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (Gary Drabek will be the Director) and creates new criteria for the placement of traffic mitigating devices (speed cushions). While we are waiting for the final word, new applications and information sheets should be posted on the Public Works website after the Memorial Day break. At this moment, we are operating under the belief that everyone who has submitted a request for Speed Humps will have to basically start over and resubmit a new application. There are new notice requirements, new requirements regarding the level of neighborhood support, two mandated public hearings, and a consideration of each request by the full City Council. As soon as we are alerted that the new requirements are online, I will send around an additional email with the link.

Mark F. Kirschke
Director of Communications
Oliver Pennington, Houston City Council Member District G

April 2, 2010

AVALON PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING – APRIL 1, 2010

The annual meeting of Avalon Property Owners' Association was held on Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria of River Oaks Elementary School. Directors Russ Worley, Jay Barksdale and Tom Hutcheson were present, as well as approximately 60 homeowners

Mr. Barksdale called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. He called on Councilman Oliver Pennington to make a few remarks. Mr. Pennington addressed efforts to expedite commencement and completion of the resurfacing of Kirby Drive running through Avalon Place. It appears at the present time that the project will be delayed until 2016. He commented on the Mayor's appointment of a new police chief which he viewed as a positive development. He reported on the contemplated construction of a new soccer stadium and the proposed sale of Lakewood Church for $7.5 million. It looks like there will be a $100 million budget deficit next year.

TIRZ has a portion of the money necessary to reconstruct Kirby Drive from San Felipe to Westheimer but the City doesn't have its share of the money and apparently won't have it until 2016. The City of Houston has no current funding for speed bumps on Avalon, and before any would be installed, a traffic study would have to be conducted.

Mr. Barksdale next called on Susan Shenker, the Principal of River Oaks Elementary School who invited neighbors to visit the school. Traffic has been a problem. The afternoon traffic has been especially bad. The school has decided to reverse the traffic flow by having the 6 buses that regularly service the school pick up and drop off students on the front (Kirby Drive) side of the school and carpools pick up and drop off students on the San Felipe loop. Next year, the school will move all school pick up and drop offs to the San Felipe side of the school, away from Kirby Drive.

Mr. Barksdale next introduced Lieutenant John Marteen and Deputy Davila from Constable Jack Abercia's office. There has been very little crime in our neighborhood, although there was an armed robbery in River Oaks approximately 10 days ago. The Constable's office warned residents to not leave valuables in sight in their cars and to lock their cars. The phone number for Constable Abercia's office is 713-755-7628.

Mr. Barksdale has been serving as interim Treasurer of the Association. As of the end of February, the balance of our Property Owners' Association bank account was approximately $55,000. Annual dues statements have recently been mailed out. Max Shilstone volunteered to serve as Treasurer of the Association. On motion duly made, seconded and unanimously passed, Mr. Shilstone was elected to serve as Treasurer of the Association.

Mr. Barksdale next discussed the possibility of amending deed restrictions. The current plan is for block captains to schedule a meeting with members of their blocks and discuss the last draft of the deed restrictions that was previously circulated. The Board will then meet and discuss the restrictions. (See Attachments Below.)

The next subject discussed was the Bellmeade/Avalon storm sewer construction project. This project is proceeding smoothly at the present time and a number of residents complimented the contractor on both the speed and quality of the work and the politeness of the construction workers..

Mr. Barksdale reported that state legislators passed a law suspending the installation of speed bumps. A new law has been proposed that will permit resumption of the installation of speed bumps.

Mr. Barksdale next addressed the street light issue. The City is changing street lights to yellow mercury vapor lights as its standard replacement lights. Yellow lights distort colors. White light bulbs are more expensive, but are better for the neighborhood. The City imposes a surcharge for using white lights – roughly $35 per lamp post. The neighborhood has 52 light posts. Mr. Barksdale reported that the Board has decided to enter into a contract with the City to ensure the continuation of the use of white street light bulbs throughout the subdivision.

Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously passed, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

Thomas T. Hutcheson
Secretary of the Meeting

Attachments:
Condensed Summary - May 2009
Draft of Proposed Ammendments - May 2009

March 12, 2010

Dear Avalon Residents,

I would like to take this opportunity to announce our annual meeting and provide you with an update on a number of issues/projects that affect Avalon residents. As I mentioned during the last couple of annual meetings, our by-laws state that the annual meeting shall be held on the first Thursday in April at 8:00PM (4/01/10). We have made every effort to meet the date requirement, but we will plan to meet at a slightly earlier hour due to limited availability of meeting sites at 8PM. We have reserved the cafeteria at 6PM in River Oaks Elementary for this year’s meeting and the school’s new principle, Ms. Susan Shenker, has graciously agreed to attend so that you may have a chance to, not only meet our new neighbor, but also hear about the school’s continuing evolution. I have also invited our new City Council Member, Oliver Pennington. His office is checking to see if he is available that evening.

Those residents that live on the west side of Kirby are already painfully aware of the current storm sewer replacement program, but I am pleased to report that the project is still on schedule and should meet it’s August 15 deadline. As part of this process, I have requested that traffic calming devices a/k/a speed bumps be installed along Avalon west and Bellmeade between Ella Lee and Westheimer. We will not have a final answer from the City before mid-summer, at the earliest, but the request has been made. The director of ROPO, Mr. Gary Mangold, the director of the Upper Kirby TIRZ, and I attended last week’s District "G" CIP hearing. All three of us spoke to the issue of the stalled construction efforts along our section of Kirby Drive, and as a result, we appear to have the full support of our new City Councilmember. Several meetings have been chaired by Councilmember Pennington’s office since last week’s CIP hearing, and we seem to be moving forward again with the plan to preserve the existing trees, keep the roadway within it’s existing footprint and add a center median. I am in the process of scheduling a meeting with the project engineers to determine just how much green space will be allowed by traffic control within the boundaries of the center median. I am pushing for street cut-outs that are similar to those in River Oaks, but we may have to settle for some left turn queuing at certain intersections. In addition to the re-development of Kirby Drive, Mr. Mangold has submitted a CIP request for the renovation of Westheimer from Kirby Drive (2900 Block) to the 3900 Block of Westheimer. Given that the CIP budget is a rolling five year program, the work request is now in the system, but it will be sometime before any work may transpire. I plan to submit a CIP request for the replacement of the water main along the 2900 and 3000 blocks of Ella Lee due to repeated line ruptures. If any other sections of Avalon are experiencing similar problems, please let me know and your Board will work to get the request into this year’s CIP budget.

Some of you may have noticed that certain City street lights give off a "white" light appearance while others give off a dull "yellow" light. This is due to the fact that the existing street lights such as those that are located in Avalon and River Oaks are obsolete, and must be changed out. Please do not be concerned about the street light pole. There is no plan to change the green, cast iron poles. The change concerns the bulb and fixture. ROPO has recently completed negotiations with the City to preserve a bright, white light bulb versus the City’s plans to switch all lights to a mercury vapor technology that emits a yellow light. I have requested that the same "white" lights be installed in Avalon. My reasoning for such a request is first and foremost, safety. The "yellow" light is documented to distort colors such that a green vehicle may look blue and vice versa. The same can occur with clothing and skin coloring can be difficult to properly identify. All of these things will make it difficult to positively ID a criminal suspect. Because the bulb technology that creates the "white" light does not have as long a useful life as the "yellow" light bulb, the City will charge Avalon a nominal fee per street lamp to utilize a white light bulb. The proposed fee is small enough that we can accommodate it within the current dues structure. In addition to the potential for more accurate identification, the "white" light technology will put far more light on the ground than either the current set-up or the alternative technology. Given that that is the real purpose behind street lights, it seems foolish to miss out on the opportunity to work toward an agreement with the City that will provide Avalon residents with a superior technology.

I am pleased to also introduce our newest director and secretary. Mr. Tom Hutcheson has agreed to fill both roles. As with each annual meeting, the Association is obligated to hold an election if a qualified resident wishes to seek a place on the existing Board. Please let me know if you are desirous of such a position so that we may attempt to obtain the requisite quorum that is required to hold elections.

I apologize for the length of this letter, but fewer letters tends to lend itself to more information to convey per communique. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our annual meeting.

Jay Barksdale
Directors

Reply to:
Avalon Property Owners Association
3035 Ella Lee
Houston, Texas, 77019
832-435-7602 (tel)
713-526-3347 (fax)

email: jhb.apoa@gmail.com
website: www.avalonpropertyowners.org

November 5 , 2009

Dear Avalon Neighbors,

The storm sewer construction has been started for awhile now in River Oaks (Inwwod and Bellmeade) and will be headed our way after the next year starts....This 'underground' work will affect our neighborhood streets along 'Bellmeade' (from San Felipe south to Westheimer ) and the street & sidewalks along Avalon Place (from Bellmeade east to Kirby)....The traffic & parking will obviously be limited during this very necessary construction and hopefully will be completed before ROES starts in mid August 2010. The work along 'Avalon Place' is scheduled to begin in Summer 2010 (est. 30 days of work) and the work along our section of Bellmeade will begin sooner and take longer...The construction will also be along River Oaks Blvd. and along Huntingdon Place. The entire storm drainage project is scheduled for completion in September 2010. The below link shows the projected storm sewer work... If necessary you can communicate with Jody Craze, City of Houston Senior Project Manager for Storm Sewer Construction, (jody.craze@cityofhouston.org) for more specifics.

FYI: The proposed (non storm sewer related) traffic / esplanade improvements scheduled for Kirby Drive (from San Felipe south to Westheimer) are on hold until 2013-2015 due to city budget restraints (per Upper Kirby District).

link to storm sewer map:

Jay Barksdale & Russell Worley
Directors

Reply to:
Avalon Property Owners Association
3035 Ella Lee
Houston, Texas, 77019
832-435-7602 (tel)
713-526-3347 (fax)

email: jhb.apoa@gmail.com
website: www.avalonpropertyowners.org