WNA Minutes

March 11, 2024 NA Minutes

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Contact Team Update

  • Pink Gorilla/Hobby Lobby/Planet Fitness Tract coming up for rezoning in April
  • Strip mall where emerald  tavern is at might also be getting rezoned. 

Park Update

  • Had a successful park day, 28 people showed up which was way more than last time

Living Streets Program 

Jonathan Schuster and Matt Macioge from the City some to speak about the Living Streets program. 

  • 3 activations
    • Neighborhood block parties
      • Closes one block for one day for an event, people need to monitor barricades to allow local traffic in. 
    • Healthy streets
      • Narrowing streets and posting that it’s for local traffic only using devices that are not bolted to the ground (cones for now)to slow down and reduce traffic
    • Play Streets
      • Reoccuring block parties

Came out of healthy streets which occurred during the pandemic to help get people out. Used soft closures (not bolted to the ground)

68ish% are happy with the program.18 streets have been implemented around the City, Wooten has the most interest in it.  

Lots of learning and adjustments happening on the fly. 

New version is resident led, requires 60% signature of residents(not property owners) from street to be impacted. 3-6 months in duration. 

Targeting equity analysis zones put together by Transportation and Public Works Dept. 

Will have a advertising campaign over the summer to promote the program. 

Viability & Street analysis. Only occur on Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Class 1 street. Streets that are not too wide or too skinny, mostly residential, not disqualifying multifamily.

Application is graded over different criteria (connectivity, near parks etc.). Then multiplied by the percent of people who signed the petition. 

On average 73% of people approve. 

Soft launch

  • 37th street christmas lights
  • Ave G. has had it for 4 years
  • Fisher Garden
    • Big family living in multiple homes on the block 

They are looking for alternatives to the loud yellow cones. Maybe planters.

There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 20th, at 10 am. You’re invited: Living Streets program ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wooten Drive (mailchi.mp)

Resident Questions

Over flow traffic from healthy streets nearby?

  • Study shows 200 cars a day 
  • Thinks that about 50 will get diverted to neighboring streets 

What are they looking for?

  • Is there someone who wants this?
    • Looking for local leaders
  • Low residential traffic zones
  • Might want to expand program to commercial areas, think about 6th street, or using it for restaurant week on 7th street. 

Pompton Comment

Has lots of cars parked on it, makes it hard to see when kids do come out to play. 

Is the idea to long term use data from this program to get permanent street improvements?

  • Yes
  • If they get renewed and have high interest, they might be more likely to get those permanent streets.
  • Still not getting to that point, but they are seeing alignment between users of living streets and the official plans to improve streets. 

Mobility Hub

  • Mixed combination of different transit options, buses, ev charging, scooter rental, parking etc. Asking that dept to make a mobile mobility hub to use at living streets activations.  

New Business

  • Weekly posting on Wooten website.
  • March 22nd 3-4:30 Community meeting for Wooten Elementary 
  • Property on Ohlen with the dumping problem has been resolved