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November 2011 edition of The Pemberton Journal for Pemberton Heights
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Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc. The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 1
The Pemberton Journal
Official PublicatiOn Of PembertOn HeigHts neigHbOrHOOd assOciatiOn nOvember 2011, vOl v, issue vi
The Pemberton JournalA Vision for Pease Park
The Austin park system, like Austin itself, began at Shoal Creek. In 1875 Governor E.M. Pease gifted land along Shoal Creek to the City of Austin with specific directions that it be used as a park. These 23 acres of land are now known as Pease Park. Pease Park has remained relatively undeveloped, although the region that borders the park has become broadly urbanized. The park itself has limited recreational facilities, with volleyball pits, basketball courts, a playscape, and a splash pad. The original restroom facility, designed to resemble a Tudor cottage, is now used for storage. Pease Park Conservancy (PPC) volunteers have planted dozens of new trees to replace those lost to park overuse, have installed irrigation in the main commons and have helped maintain the park. In recent years the PPC has started to take the lead in plans for improving the park.
PPC has recognized, however, that Pease Park deserves far more attention and investment than has been contemplated before. The new Austin comprehensive development plan has targeted North Lamar for expanded development, a strategy which will bring additional pressures on the park. Austin deserves a grand park, and Pease, the original Austin park, is an obvious choice. PPC has gathered, and compiled into a strategy, the following recommendations for improving the park. • Add lighting at West 15th and 24th Streets, restore the south entrance (at Parkway),
construct a new north entrance ( at Windsor Road ), improve parking, restore the Tudor cottage restroom building as a multi-use facility, replace prefab restrooms and playscapes with original designs, develop new restroom and water facilities, install a low-water pedestrian crossing over Shoal Creek near volleyball courts, install a pedestrian crossing at MLK, construct an amphitheater south of volleyball courts and install a water feature east of Shoal Creek (near the amphitheater).
• Develop a shaded trail from the south entrance to West 24th, install public art east of Shoal Creek along Lamar Blvd, install play art west of Shoal Creek, install additional interpretive signs along the trail and develop additional interpretive enhancements, restore sustainable flow in Shoal Creek, use water retention ponds as source of water for sustained flow, and investigate the use of water from Lady Bird Lake for return flow.Develop design guidelines for the park, enforce dog ordinances, enforce the curfew,
Please contact the Pease Park Conservancy - http://www.peasepark.org/ for additional information or to provide input. You can also access the following IPhone and Android Apps to access Pease Park and Shoal Creek Information.
Proposed Bylaws UPDATE
A group of past board members and other active volunteers have come together to propose a modified set of bylaws for the Association. Final Voting Details should be posted to the website by mid October.
The precise scheduling for the vote was not available at press time, but is planned for later in October or November. Further information should be available from surveys collected at the October Picnic. For more information, please go to the Pemberton Heights web site:
http://pembertonheights.org/
There you will find the full text of the proposed bylaws, the current bylaws, and details of the voting process. You will also find a discussion board where you can ask questions and share your opinions with other Association members.
If for some reason you are unable to access the web site, you can receive a paper copy of the information by sending an email to [email protected] or calling Susan Pascoe 512.708.9232. We encourage all neighborhood members to join the association and consider running for a position on the board! Expired Permits
Prior to approving a building permit, the City will require a homeowner to clear up any expired permits which might exist for a property address. These expired permits may go back to 1940 and may have expired prior to a new owner’s occupancy. Regardless, they will be required to be closed out and the procedure to do so may be costly and require delays. It is advisable for a homeowner looking to do any remodeling or additions to research any expired permits at your address before you want to do any construction.
2 The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.
The Pemberton Journal
CRITICAL CONTACTS
NEWSLETTER INFO
Jeff Minch ......................................... [email protected] Pascoe .................................... [email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR Editor, Betty Trent .............. [email protected] Fax ..................................................................... 478-0920
PUBLISHER Peel, Inc. .....................www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Advertising............................... [email protected]
PERSONAL CLASSIFIEDS (one time sell items, such as a used bike...) run at no charge to Pemberton Heights residents, limit 30 words, please e-mail [email protected].
BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS (offering a service or product line for profit) are $50, limit 40 words, please contact Peel, Inc. Sales Office @ 512-263-9181 or [email protected].
OTHER CONTACTS
Advertise Your Business Here
888-687-6444
VIRTUAL PRESIDENT .............................................. [email protected] OF CRIME Jeff Minch ...................................... [email protected] Kathryn Miller Anderson [email protected] .............................................. [email protected] Candace Volz........................... [email protected]
PHNA Balance Sheet /Income Statement
Description YTD - Comments Sept. 30 -2011Assets Security Fund $36,076 Wells Fargo General Fund $10,101 Wells Fargo Carriage/Guides $185 Wells FargoTotal Wells Fargo $46,362 Triangle Fund $22,000 Keep Austin BeautifulTotal Assets $68,362 Income August
Security Fund $1,550 $40,163
General Fund (Dues) $1,900 Carriage/Guides $210 Triangle Fund $390 $490 Total Income $1,940 $42,763 Expenses Security $2,590 $19,076 APD / Insurance Fall Picnic Food, Entertainment, Tables, etc. Winter Carriage Rides Carriage rentals Triangle Transfer to KAB, Landscaping and Maintenance Insurance Liability for PHNA Officers Misc $63 $1,274 Website, PayPal fees, PO Box, etc.
Total Expenses $2,653 $20,350 Surplus / (Deficit) $(713) $22,413
DECEMBER 11
Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc. The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 3
The Pemberton JournalThe FUSS over LED Light Bulbs
Betty Trent, AIA LEED AP
A lot of political hay has been made in the past year about government’s overreaching regulations, including the issue of banning incandescent bulbs in private homes. Although some would tar this issue with the “nanny state”, perhaps some facts are in order to determine what this is really all about. Incandescent lighting has become a mainstay of the American lifestyle since the late 1880’s, when it was invented by Thomas Edison. In the past 100 years a race by manufacturers to improve the efficiency of lighting, both in the light level and the life of the bulb has resulted in the recent marketing of two vastly superior lighting products.
Compact fluorescent ( CFL) bulbs provide up to 4 times the light level for the electric power used, while LED bulbs can provide up to 6 times the same light level. This means you pay less to use these bulbs, often by a wide margin, and therefore you can save quite a bit on your electrical bills over the years.
Incandescent light is very inefficient, converting less than 10% of the electric power used by the bulb into light while the remainder is converted to heat. You can prove this to yourself if you touch a bulb that has been on for even a few minutes. This means in our Austin cooling season, whenever you use these bulbs, you are also using more air conditioning to offset the heat generated by your lighting. This is also adding to your electric bill. Fluorescent lighting and LED lighting generate very little heat for the light level provided. This is why incandescent bulbs are rarely used in commercial projects, and have been relegated to residential use for years.
If you have shopped for these new bulbs, you will have noticed they cost substantially more. However, compact fluorescent bulbs should last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and LED bulbs should last up to 50 times longer than your standard bulb. This means you may never need to change your light bulbs while you occupy your home. This is a huge advance for LED bulbs when looking at hard to reach recessed ceiling lights or high chandeliers.
All of this has contributed to the death of the incandescent bulb, and with the new energy code, the inefficient 100 watt bulb will not be allowed to be installed after 2012. Lower wattage bulbs are targeted to be phased out by 2014. The function and look of these new bulbs does vary, CFLs don’t come on at full brightness, can “flicker”, are difficult to dim, and come in a variety of shapes to fit residential lamps. LEDs are dimmable, but brighter, and can be difficult to use for general illumination. LED bulb shapes look the closest to the standard incandescent bulb.
Both bulbs produce much whiter, “colder” light that may be perceived as harsh by homeowners. But improvements are being made constantly to the LED color range and cost, so expect these bulbs to become the typical lighting bulbs in the future. Replace your incandescent bulbs as they burn out and see your electric bill go down.
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4 The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.
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Pemberton_bw.indd 1 10/6/11 7:17:59 PM
AUSTIN ACE PROGRAMIS LOOKING FOR STUDENTS TO MENTOR THIS YEAR
ACE is a national mentoring program for juniors and seniors in high school who are interested in learning about Architecture, E n g i n e e r i n g a n d Construction. This semester long program introduces students to local firms practicing in Austin and allows them the opportunity to work with professionals on a project. If you have a student interested in architecture, engineering or construction, who might be interested in being a part of the program, please go to www.acementor.org for further information. Students can sign up on line or contact Betty Trent at [email protected].
OPERATIONCHRISTMAS CHILD
Epiphany Lutheran Church and School is giving thanks for the chance to play an important role in providing needy children with a simple gift this Christmas season. Last year was Epiphany’s first time participating in Operation Christmas Child, a ministry devoted to providing needy children shoe boxes full of toys, hygiene items, school supplies, candy, etc. The congregation collected over 80 boxes to send overseas. “We were strongly moved by this particular ministry” commented one member.
The church members felt that the increased visibility of the new location this year made it a prime spot to become a “drop-off” location for OCC. This means that during “Collection Week” (Nov. 14th-21st) they will be accepting shoe box donations from the general public. «We are so excited to serve our community in this way. What a wonderful beginning to the Christmas season.» remarks Lauren Thom, an Epiphany Member and OCC volunteer.
For more information about Operation Christmas Childand where you can donate your items go to
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/.
Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc. The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 5
The Pemberton Journal
Hey UT Fans, Longhorn Networkis now available on Grande!
You live in Texas. We live in Texas. And we’re excited to announce the launch of Longhorn Network.
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Or visit us online atwww.mygrande.com
Service not available in all areas. Please contact Grande Communications for details. Minimum Expanded or Preferred Video service in order to view Longhorn Network. ©2011 Grande Communications Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.
6 The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.
The Pemberton Journal
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NATURE WATCH - THE FUNGUS AMONG USby Jim and Lynne Weber
Frequently upstaged by the brightly colored autumn leaves and hidden among the leaf litter on the forest floor are several types of interesting fungi. Separated from the plant kingdom because they do not contain chlorophyll, fungi also do not make their own food through photosynthesis but obtain it by breaking down other organic matter and sometimes other plants. Mycology, from the Greek meaning ‘fungus’, is the branch of biology dedicated to the study of these organisms, and is most often associated with mushrooms.
While mushrooms are the most common form of fungi, some of the more interesting forms that occur in the fall after sufficient rains include puffballs, earthstars, earthballs, and bird’s nests. These forms are grouped based on the shape of their fruiting body, or structure that produces the spores needed for reproduction.
Puffballs (Lycoperdon pyriforme and perlatum) and earthstars (Geastrum saccatum) are characterized by fruiting bodies that look like a small ball, unlike a mushroom have no stalk, and are normally found growing on wood or directly on the ground. They can range in size from small marbles to baseballs, with the spores produced inside. Once mature, the spongy inside darkens and dries to a fine powder, and the spores are emitted out of a hole on top of the ball.
Often found around the drip line of trees, this strategic placement serves the dual purpose of providing sufficient moisture until they
are grown as well as sufficient force from the water droplets to act as a dispersal agent for the spores. When one translates the genus from Greek to English, ‘lyco’ meaning wolf and ‘perdon’ meaning to break wind, it isn’t hard to guess that a common name for a puffball is wolf-fart! With a somewhat less flamboyant name but a more elaborate display, earthstars get their common name from their thicker outer membrane, which when fully developed splits into rays that curve backward to form a distinctly star-like structure.
Earthballs (Astraeus hygrometricus) are often found wholly or partly underground, and have a fruiting body that simulates a ball with a thick, rind-like skin. Their spores are produced in the center of the ball, but unlike earthstars, they are extruded not via a pore at the top but when the entire inner spore sac splits open. Often called a ‘false earthstar’ the outer rind of this fungus splits into seven to fifteen pointed rays that open when it rains or when humidity is high, and close again during drier periods. This repeated action relates to its species name, as if it were nature’s hygrometer, measuring the changes in humidity.
Birds’ nests fungi (Cyathus stercoreus) have fruiting bodies that resemble clusters of very small cup-shaped structures filled with tiny eggs. Stercoreus literally means ‘growing on dung’, and that is where
(Continued on Page 7)
Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc. The Pemberton Journal - November 2011 7
The Pemberton JournalAt no time will any source be allowed to use The Pemberton Journal's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the Pemberton Journal is exclusively for the private use of the Pemberton Heights HOA and Peel, Inc.
DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser.* The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising.* Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction.* Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.
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you are most likely to find this fungi. Also commonly found on woody mulch, each cup is only large enough to hold a drop of water, and the egg-like structures which contain the spores, are delicately attached to the cup by a finely coiled thread. When splashed out of the cup by raindrops, this thread-like structure uncoils, catches on to a chip of wood, blade of grass, or other organic matter, and the ‘egg’ splits open to release the spores inside.
The next time you take a walk in the woods to admire the colors and changes that define the fall, don’t forget to look down at your feet, where you can discover the smaller mysteries of the forest, and appreciate its beauty from the ground up!Send your nature-related questions to [email protected] and we’ll
do our best to answer them.
Puffball
Earthstar
Earthball
Bird’s Nest
Nature Watch- (Continued from Page 6)
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