"The plan uses a number of new bus transit services in the area stretching
broadly north of Austin to include Round Rock, Georgetown and Pflugerville. The corridor is one of the Austin region's fastest growing segments, with more than half of the population of Williamson and Travis County expected to live in the area by 2035. When completed the plan will also complement Project Connect's central corridor transit plan, which is expected to include a light rail line in downtown Austin."

read more:

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2014/04/17/project-connect-unveils-north-corridor-areatransit.html

larger map here:
http://media.bizj.us/view/img/2475891/north-corridor-lpa-map-final.pdf

"As long as anyone in this city is denied housing, none of us will truly
prosper," said a leader with Austin Interfaith.

 Thursday morning Cruz stood with members of the religious group as they
encouraged city Council to pass a resolution aimed at further prohibiting
housing discrimination. It states landlords would no longer be able to screen
out candidates just because they pay rent with vouchers.

 ...But this group wasn't the only one pleading with the Council.

 The Austin Board of Realtors, Austin Apartment Association and some property
owners spoke out against the resolution.

 Bob Thompson was one of them. He owns a small rental property and said while he supports having more options for people, accepting vouchers puts a burden on land lords.

  "We would have additional hurdles that we would have to jump through to
satisfy the HUD requirements. There are inspections," said Thompson.

 ...Thursday's vote is just the first step. Now City Manager Marc Ott will
meet with stakeholders and get public opinion, and then write the ordinance. It
should be complete by Aug. 1.
 
www.kvue.com/news/local/Austin-Counil-approves-resolution-to-create-housing-voucher-ordinance-255726141.html

...But demand has shown no signs of slackening. And as long as there are
plenty of upper-income renters looking for apartments, there is little incentive
to build anything other than expensive units. As a result, there are in effect
two separate rental markets that are so far apart in price that they have little
impact on each other. In one extreme case, a glut of new luxury apartments in
Washington has pushed high-end rents down, even while midrange rents continue to rise. 

  . "Increasing the supply is not going to increase the number of
affordable units; that is a complete and utter fallacy," said Jaimie Ross, the
president of the Florida Housing Coalition "People say if there really was a
great need, the market would provide it;. the market would correct itself Well,
the market has never corrected itself and it's only getting worse ". 

...Moving farther out is cheaper, but the cost savings on housing CAN BE Quickly wiped out by Transportation costs. A 2012 Study by the Center for Housing Policy found Miami That WAS the most expensive area in the Metropolitan Country WHEN HOUSING and Transportation costs Were combined. 

read more:

 www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/business/more-renters-find-30-affordability-ratio-unattainable.html

Please, speak to protect the things that we hold dear, our creeks, water quality, trees and wildlife from 12 ft. concrete trails that will be built in all of the greenbelts and floodplains, according to the Urban Trails Master Plan from the Public Works Connectivity Division.  We support connectivity and trails for walking and biking, but we ask for a balance, for urban trails to be built while minimizing the impact on these sensitive areas.  Imagine Austin calls for a balance, for urban trails to be built while protecting the environment and wildlife, for trails to be built adequately scaled and designed for the site.

UFB meeting, today Wednesday 04.16.14 at 5:30 pm at the Austin Energy Town Lake building, 721 Barton Springs Rd. # 130.  Please, sign up to speak for 3 minutes against (or neutral) on item #F3 Urban Trails Master Plan.  This item will be pulled to the beginning of the meeting.  Ask for the items listed below.  If you can’t attend, please email the UFB:

bc-Christopher.Kite@austintexas.gov  bc-Peggy.Maceo@austintexas.gov
bc-Nicholas.Classen@austintexas.gov  bc-Patrick.Brewer@austintexas.gov
bc-Ryan.Fleming@austintexas.gov  bc-Len.Newsom@austintexas.gov
bc-Keith.Brown@austintexas.gov nclassen@austin.rr.com  maceostudios@aol.com

Then please, come with us to City Hall, council chambers, for the Environmental board that starts at 6 pm.  f you can only attend one meeting, this is the most important one.  You can park for free at the City Hall garage, bring your ticket to be stamped at the Environmental board meeting.  Please, sign up to speak against (or neutral) on item # 5d, which will most likely be around 6:30-7:00 pm.

If you can’t attend, please email the Environmental board:

bc-MaryGay.Maxwell@austintexas.gov  bc-Jennifer.Walker@austintexas.gov 
bc-Marisa.Perales@austintexas.gov  bc-Robert.Deegan@austintexas.gov
bc-James.Schissler@austintexas.gov  bc-MaryAnn.Neely@austintexas.gov
 bc-Brian.Smith@austintexas.gov  marygaymaxwell@sbcglobal.net
marisaperales@hotmail.com  jennifermwalker@earthlink.net

~Zoila Vega-Marchena

The full report is downloadable here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33745611/comments%20on%20UTMP%2004.16.14.pdf

Good afternoon:

 Below, please find a status update on the trail projects that comprise the
overall Walnut Creek Trail System:

Northern Walnut Creek Trail - Phase 1  5261.001

The trail will connect Balcones District Park to Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park.
Construction will consist of a 10' wide concrete trail with 2' shoulders. The
trail will have 9 creek crossings and 4 trail heads.

(click read more)

Bluebonnet Seed Collection - Alderbrook Park (Lamplight/Alderbrook)

 "All the dirt (and flowers) are scheduled to be removed from our park on
Monday, April 21. That means we have until then to collect as many Bluebonnet
seeds as possible for reseeding later.

 We are planning a seed collecting event this Saturday, April 19 from 10
am-noon at "the field" across from the Sonic on Lamplight village.

 I hope to see you all there... It should be fun!"

 need to contact the organizer of this event? please send an email toinfo@lovenorthaustin.com

"Chuck Pace completed his life’s journey on Sunday, April 13, 2014 while
watching a DVD of his Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV.

 Chuck was born in Evanston, IL on November 25, 1957, son of the late Robert
Charles Pace II and the late Barbara Gallagher Pace.  He is survived by his
wife, Jaci Collins, sister Sarah Caire, Sarah’s husband John Caire, 3 nephews, a
niece, and stepmom June Pace

Chuck loved gardening, music, especially Jon Bon Jovi, the New Orleans
Saints, and the Chicago Cubs. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Chuck’s favorite charities; Meals on Wheels, Learning Ally, or Habitat for Humanity.

Friends may come to our home on Friday, April 25, 6 p.m. – 8 pm, 12304 Bar X
Drive"

Our condolences go out to Chuck's family and friends, and to Angus Valley, who has lost a man who was a true leader for his community.

please email info@lovenorthaustin.com for more info.

Austin – A $430,000.00 study on improvements to Airport Boulevard three years in the making was released by the city of Austin’s Transportation Department earlier this month.

A Transportation Department spokesperson made it clear that the study
was not a plan in stone and that millions are still needed to get it off the
ground.

...The study suggests that Airport Boulevard improvements could cost
75-million dollars, the problem is finding a source for the funding.

article:

www.kvue.com/news/local/Three-year-study-on-Airport-Boulevard-improvements-released-255426601.html

survey is available here:

austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Airport_Blvd_Corridor_Report_without_Appendices_-_February_11_2014.pdf

The Austin Independent School District has a new leader.  Starting
Wednesday, Dr. Paul Cruz will serve as the interim superintendent.

read more:

www.kvue.com/news/local/AISD-names-interim-superintendent-255431771.html

The total nine-mile stretch of commuter rail could cost as much as $1 billion
dollars.

"I'm questioning really what difference it will make in commute times
and traffic on the road," Austin voter Ed English said.

The rail line would begin on East Riverside Drive, snake its way past the river, move through the University of Texas and end up at the Mueller Development. - 
http://austin.twcnews.com/content/news/298624/urban-rail-to-carry-a-hefty-pricetag#sthash.yzBGLJ2P.dpuf