Travis County Commissioners Court

March 27, 2012 (Agenda)
Item 1

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Item number 1 is a public hearing to receive comments regarding two street name assignments for private easements off hamilton pool road to be known as imagine way and fox trot lane in precinct 3.

>> move the public hearing be open.

>> second.

>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
of those present.

>> good morning, judge and Commissioners, steve manila, trn.
t.n.r.
we received a request to have names assigned to an easement that currently has no name to it.
easement that provides access to nine properties off hamilton pool road about halfway between 71 and

>> [inaudible] I believe it is.
in your backup, under item 21, which will be the action item for this, will you find a map and also a copy of that petition.
we did poll the property owners.
we received eight responses.
one did not respond.
they were in favor of naming the easement, the piece that runs off hamilton pool road, imagine way.
then another easement that runs off of that as foxtrot lane.
this will help with emergency response if in the event there is a need for emergency responders on those roads in the future.
and also it just clarifies that these roads do exist out there and the names are assigned.
gala did some processes for us.
you should be aware that we did receive word that there is one of the property owners who objects to this.
and gala is here to answer those questions if you would like to invite them up now to discuss their concerns.

>> this is a public hearing.
would that one property owner please come forward.
and if you would give us your name, we would be happy to get your comment.

>> larry wood.

>> have a seat there, mr. Wood.
make yourself at home.

>> okay.
thank you, judge.
my concern is I've been out there for almost 40 years and I know 40 years my family and friends have learned my address.
by osmosis or somebody telling them.
and I'm glad to change all that.
if the street signs were numbered and posted as they should be just like they are on the front of this building out here where the fire truck or the e.m.s.
could see it, it wouldn't be any problem.
last year I developed a severe heart problem, and e.m.s.
had to come.
well, my house is right on the corner and I understand there's two streets, but still at the same time if those street numbers and addresses were put out there where they are supposed to be to where the people could see them, there wouldn't be a problem because somebody could see a letter that high.
you can see it from 120 feet.
and 2, the county never accepted those streets for maintenance or ownership of the streets to take care of them and myself and a couple other people throughout the last 35-plus years have been doing that.
so if the county is saying that if they authorize a street name change going to approve and take that subdivision as it's owned to take care of those streets and roads?

>> no, we're not saying that at all.

>> it would remain private easement.
the main reason for this is that it would assist emergency vehicles to find a location if there is a name.

>> right.
we're not asking to accept the road in any way, shape or form.
under the city system.

>> but if each one of those street numbers were visible from the street like they are on any other street in any other city in the united states, then it wouldn't be a problem.
I'd be the first to say I don't want to impede, I want to help e.m.s.
or fire or any emergency.

>> well, do we want to touch base with the emergency responders and see what they say?

>> we can -- well, go ahead, gala, explain the process.

>> well, currently everybody has the same number address on hamilton pool road.
they are assigned a, b, c, d, e, f, h, i, j, k.
mr. Woods has front age on hamilton pool road and I'm wondering because I can't say right now what the 911 addressing would say, I think he may be able to keep his address that he wants with the a and b, c and d.
he claims there's four property owners out there or four lots.

>> she has to consult the addressing committee and that may not be able to be done very quickly.
at least not today.
so perhaps if the court would like, complete the public hearing and delay the action item until we've had a chance to check with them to see if they can accommodate that suggestion.

>> it's still back to the same question of visibility.
it don't matter what you name it.
if you can't see the street when you get to that house, you can't identify it, you've still got a problem.

>> I'd like to get back with the property owners and ask if they were to display the a, b, c, all the way through k, that would certainly assist, but they don't currently have any of that.
it's an intersection that needs to be better defined in case of an emergency.
because if there's only one person at a house that need an emergency and there's a person that can wave down a anambulance or fire truck, have I to check with the city of Austin 911 addressing because they are fully in charge of making the last decision.

>> I think she's absolutely correct, but still it's a visibility problem, not a name problem.

>> so how did this issue come to our attention?

>> some of the property owners out there decided it would be better to have individual location addresses, which would require a street name be assigned to these unnamed easements.
and so they started it.
I found out that the property owner of the easement hadn't been involved.
which they now are aware of who owns the easement and they just thought it was just a road to get to their house.
so everybody came together to make up these street names that would work.
they were approved by 911 addressing.
it doesn't change the status of the road.
they are private.

>> does the owner of the easement approve of the name change?

>>

>> [inaudible].

>> if you would give us your name, we would be happy to get your comments.

>> lisa roden, r-o-d-e-n.
my husband and I own the easement.
one comment -- and we do approve of the name change.
some of the homeowners who live on that road came and asked about it and I thought it made sense for ambulance, delivers, packages get delivered to the wrong place and they are lost and I've heard neighbors say they've had to flag ambulances.
but one problem with the letters that I think should be mentioned is the letters are not sequential.
the letters were assigned when people bought property.
a is here, b there, c over there, then g, k.
they aren't sequential and that's somewhat of a problem if they are visible they aren't going in order.
and that's what I wanted to say unless you have questions for me.

>> how many property owners are out there?

>> eight.

>> eight.
and how many -- there was a petition, correct?
and how many signed the petition supporting the name change?

>> seven.

>> and mr. Woods' wife did sign the petition so --

>> she did.
until two weeks after I found out about it.

>> [laughter]

>> I didn't mean to get you in trouble.

>> we've been married too long for that.

>> we'll take that out of the record, mr. Woods.

>> [laughter]

>> anybody else here on this item, public hearing number 1?

>> move the public hearing be closed.

>> second.

>> discussion?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
now, what about action?
do we -- you said it would take some time for the --

>> could consult with the addressing committee.

>> sometime a week or two or a month or two?

>> within the week, I bet.

>> if we could postpone it until next week.

>> let's at least do that.
then contact mr. Woods and let him know what the outcome of that is.
on one hand we have emergency vehicles on who expressed some concern about their ability to reach a certain location in an emergency situation, and we understand your concern also.
so if we can satisfy both, fine; otherwise, I'm afraid that we would have to yield to emergency medical -- emergency notification issue.
that's what we typically do, but if we can accommodate a homeowner's concern, then we try to.

>> judge Biscoe, is it still back to the same thing of visibility, if we changed the name -- and I don't care what you call it.
never have.
that's what I do for a living.
I'm a developer.
and if you name it blue bird way, okay, you still got to have a number and that number still has to be visible with that ambulance pulls up there or that fire truck pulls up there.
I have a 10,000-gallon holding system on my property and I have a connection on it, about 22 years ago it was very well needed, they didn't have any point finding it, but my point is it's still got to be visible.
if people don't put the number on their house where that e.m.s.
vehicle gets there and they can see it and know they are at, hopefully they can read english, they can read a, b, c, d, e, f, so it doesn't matter what you name it, it's a visibility problem and it's going to be problem until everybody on those streets have the address where we can see it.

>> do we normally recommend a certain size?

>> yes, sir, you have a criteria for e.m.s., emergency services have criteria set down for size, display and visibility.
that would enforce -- if that was enforced, then you are right, you wouldn't have a problem.

>> on the road at the intersection you will see our street name sign if it's approved.
once you get into the subdivision, you've got the issue she had just described still exists.

>> lisa was asking me what the appropriate signage would be, and it just doesn't need to be a Travis County looking sign.
it will be red.

>> or blue.

>> and that just, you know, reiterates that this is not a county maintained road, 90s a county road, but it will have the sign up.
and we have in the past bought the reflective numbers to put on houses to assist because, yes, the number will need to be displayed.

>> well, the residents there would appreciate any advice, encouragement we can give.
right, mr. Woods?

>> yes.

>> so if we can facilitate this, I think we ought to.

>> okay.

>> so on 21 we take action next week?

>> I'll second.

>> thank you all very much.

>> thank you.

>> appreciate it.

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