Please join the Dawson Elementary PTA this Saturday, February 18, 2023 11am – 1pm for our first campus beautification day of 2023. If you can’t make it this weekend, no problem! Our Grounds/Beautification committee, led by our newest committee leader Cally Murray, will be announcing more workdays soon.
Walk/Bike/Roll Plans Available for Review
Three draft plans now available for review as part of ATX Walk Bike Roll.
Austin Public Works and Austin Transportation have released three draft plans that will guide how the City of Austin builds sidewalks, crosswalks, urban trails, and bikeways for years to come.
Community members can review and comment on the Sidewalks, Crossings, and Shared Streets; Urban Trail; and/or Bicycle draft plans now through March 20, 2023. All three draft plans can be found online at https://www.publicinput.com/ATXWBR.
Residents can also hear presentations and share feedback on any of these draft plans by attending or speaking at any of these boards and commissions meetings:
- Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 pm – Zoning and Platting Commission
- Wednesday, February 22, 3:00 pm – Joint Inclusion Committee
- Wednesday, February 22, 6:00 pm – Joint Sustainability Committee
See https://www.austintexas.gov/ATXWBR-GetInvolved for details.
After public input is received, the three plans will be revised. Finally, a public hearing at City Council will be held, and Council will vote on whether to adopt the final plans. An official notice will be posted before the Council hearing date.
The plans were developed as part of ATX Walk Bike Roll, a coordinated initiative to update three separate but related active transportation plans through an equity centered planning process. Each new plan builds upon past planning efforts, with updated goals, strategies, and action items. Most notably, each plan factors equity into all aspects of the plan.
The plans also build upon the vision of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan and the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan to move Austin toward the goal where 50 percent of trips to work are made by walking, biking, transit, or any other non-drive-alone mode by 2039.
February, 2023 Ice Storm
We’ve placed some useful resoures on storm recovery on this page.
Next Meeting
Monday, April 10, 6:30PM
The South Austin Neighborhood Center
(on Durwood near Gillis Park
We meet on the 2nd Monday of February, April, June, August, October, and December. Next meeting: Monday, April 10 2023.
DNA email distribution: GroupIO page (sign up!)
Agenda: Neighborhood Association
- Approval of minutes
- Storm debris removal and safety concerns
- ANC news
- Neighborhood projects update
Agenda: Plan Contact Team
- Approval of December meeting notes
- Austin City Planner reached out to DNA/DNPCT for informational update
- Austin Marathon next week, February 19th
Newsletter Editor:
Eliot Kimber, drmacro@gmail.com
Thanks to our sponsor!
Dawson Elementary serves children ages 3 to 12 years.
Please contact Dawson’s principal, Tania Jedele, at 512-698-9151, to set
up a time for a tour.
MINUTES OF DAWSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Decmber 12, 2022
In-person meeting at the South Austin Rec Center.
Julie Woods, President, called the meeting to order.
- Minutes approved.
- The new director of the South Austin Neighborhood Center, Jane Prince MacLean, introduced herself and briefly described the services offered.
- Officers for 2023 were elected: Julie Woods-President; Andrew McCann-Vice President; Eliot Kimber- Newsletter Editor; Rebecca Sheller-Secretary
- DNA meeting signs were offered for sale at cost, $9.30 each.
Meeting adjourned.
Minutes of Dawson Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, December 12, 2022
In-person meeting at the South Austin Rec Center
Meeting called to order by Marty Harris
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The October Minutes approved.
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Officers for the DNPCT Board was held and Martin Harris was re-elected for a staggered two year term.
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Updates on neighborhood mentions:
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New traffic light at East Alpine and Pickle
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Music late on Fontana complaint
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Mention was made of person arrested in neighborhood trying to break into house.
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Voting for Mayor and Council Member Place 3 tomorrow.
- And Marty mention again of Rain to River, a city storm water project.
Meeting adjourned. Meeting was brief to allow time for annual DNA Pot Luck Dinner.
Alpacas working on Wilson Street
Increasing Urban Housing Density does NOT Increase Affordability
Critics often accuse neighborhood associations of reflexively opposing developments that would serve to make housing more affordable in their area. In simple economic terms, increasing the supply of any economic resource theoretically decreases the price! Neighborhoods that oppose multistory, multifamily developments in their area are standing in the way of affordable housing.
But the Cato Institute has determined otherwise, noting the increased cost per square foot of buildings taller than three stories due to engineering issues:
https://www.cato.org/commentary/density-makes-housing-less-affordable-not-more
High housing costs in the city of Austin is a complicated problem that requires multifaceted solutions. We here in Dawson want to be part of the solution and look forward to continuing these conversations further.
