(Disclaimer: All opinions stated here are my own and do not imply any official endorsement by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association)
This month's column is devoted to listing some things going on or soon to be going on in and near the neighborhood.

Road Work on North Lamar between 45th and Nort Guadalupe Street

We have received a letter from Dennis Crabill, a project manager for the City of Austin Public Works Department, warning that Lamar Boulevard will be reconstructed from 45th Street north to where Lamar joins Guadalupe Street just south of 51st Street. This is the western side of the "Triangle" formed by Lamar, Guadalupe and 45th. The term "reconstructed" probably means the pavement will be redone all the way down to the road base, as opposed to just resurfacing the face of the pavement. This will take seven months and will be in three phases. 1. Reconstruction of the the northbound lanes. All traffic will be shifted temporarily to the west side of the road. Pecan Press The Pecan Press is published monthly by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association in Austin, Texas. Editor Grant Thomas   454-7284   <hgthomas@palnet.org> Associate Editor Sarah Sitton   459-4530   307 E. 39th St. Poetry Editor Nancy Taylor Day   892-0127   <NancyLTD@aol.com> Crime Reporter Bruce Nadig   323-0779   <motorbruce@hotmail.com> Advertising Director Mike Capochiano   4904 Avenue H   467-9198 Production Manager Robert M. Farr   731-0617   <bobfarr@austin.rr.com> Mail Ads to: Print Deluxe 7500 Chelmsford Dr. Austin, TX 78736 Note: Each month's ad and editorial deadline is the 15th of month preceding publication. Distribution Coordinator Herb Dickson   4401 Avenue D   458-4335 Area Coordinators North of 45th/West of Duval - Pam Dozler 458-8927 North of 45th/East of Duval - Sarah Heather 452-8486 South of 45th/West of Speedway - The Gossetts 452-3654 South of 45th/East of Speedway - Martha Campbell 452-2815 Contributors Bruce Banner,Candy Gray Becker,Cynthia Beeman,Laurence Becker, Mary Collins Blackmon,George Bristol,Lewis Brownlow,Katherine Bryn,Mark Burkhardt,Amon Burtoe,Martha Campbell,Inga Maric Carmel,Josephine Casey, Nicole Caspers,Kitty Clark,Carol Cohen Burton,Mike Capochiano,Susan Crites-Krumm,Celeste Cromack,Rob D'Amico,Herb Dickson,Avis Davis,Don Davis,Lynn Denton,Pam Dozler,Cathy Echols,Jordan Erdos,Jack Evins,Patricia Florence,Merle Franke,Gregory Free,Larry Frelich,Robert Garrett,Mary Carolyn George,Larry Gilg,Susan Gilg,Ann S. Graham,Carolyn E. Grimes,Ben Heimsath,John Kerr,Susan Kerr,Bo Kersey,Deanna King,Susan Kirk,Anna Kotecki,Karen McGraw,Sharon Majors,Barbara Manson,Alan Marburger,Peter Maxon,Brook Meggs,Fred Meredith,Susan Moffat,Catherine Moore,Jill Nokes,Wanda Penn,Cecil Pennington,Linda Pennington,Peter Pfeiffer,Dorothy Richter,Walter Richter,Margie Sanford,Sheree Scarborough,Cathy Short,Sarah Sitton,Thad Sitton,Julie Strong,Kathleen Strong,Lao Tzu,Jennifer Vickers,Katie Vignery,Sandra Villalaz-Dickson,Lorre Weidlich,Joe Wiseman

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2. Reconstruction of two of the three southbound lanes. Northbound traffic will resume on the newly reworked lanes on the south side while southbound traffic will make do on the unreconstructed center lane on the west side. 3. Reconstruction of the center southbound lane while traffic flows on the two newly redone lanes on either side. This project is scheduled to begin in mid-November; however, as of this writing, work had not yet begun.     Meanwhile, the previously announced project to make improvements to Guadalupe Street south of the neighborhood has been indefinitely postponed due to problems with utility lines in the right of way.     In other infrastructure news, Austin Energy's plan to upgrade and move electric power transmission lines in our area, with a new substation at the north end of the Austin State Hospital grounds replacing the very old one just south of 38th Street, calls for work to begin in July of next year. Fortunately, the City's program of sewer line spot upgrades will not get around to the Hyde Park area until the 2004/ 2005 period.     The code enforcement issue that was discussed at the September General Meeting concerning a property on Avenue H has now been resolved, since the owner reduced the impervious cover on the property down to the maximum allowed for the zoning, as requested by the City. Other code enforcement issues surrounding new construction and remodeling projects, particularly north of 45th Street, remain pending. It seems to some that the City is not much inclined to aggressively pursue zoning and building code violations, possibly because the penalties of the violations are less than the cost of collecting them. Note: Due to space limitations, Hyde Park's own Lorre Weidlich's Adventures in India series will continue next month.

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The mixed use residential and commercial use project proposed for 51st Street that was discussed at the October General Meeting was withdrawn from the Planning Commission agenda by the owner. This is almost certainly because neighbor Lisa Hoffman, who spoke against the project at the HPNA meeting, had collected a petition signed by enough adjacent property owners to require six votes on the City Council to enact the requested zoning change. This produced a disapproving letter to the Austin Chronicle from someone who evidently favored the project. One of the certainties of getting involved in planning and zoning issues is that someone will not like the stand you take, regardless of what that stand may be.     While it is less recent, it is perhaps worth mentioning that a demolition request that had been filed for a 1940's vintage duplex on Duval near 38th Street has also been withdrawn. Plans for that property reportedly were for a new, much larger duplex. However, since the demolition Continued on page 3 Hyde Park Neighborhood Association P.O.Box 49427 - Austin, TX 78765 http://www.hydepark-na.org --- HPNA Officers --- Co-Pres. -Gary Penn 3913 Ave G 452-3850 Co-Pres. -Bruce Nadig 615 E 48th 452-0781 Sec. -Glenn Coleman 207B E. 43rd 407-9357 Trea. -Mike Capochiano 4904 Ave H 467-9198 Trea. Emerita - Josephine Casey HPNA Committee/Task Forces AISD     Ann Graham 3815 Ave H 458-8096 Alley Coordinator -Volunteer needed Beautification     Margot Thomas 4106 Ave F 454-7284     Merle Franke 4102 Ave D 452-0414 Children's Programs     Anne Graham 3815 Ave H 458-8096 Church Liasion     Niyanta Spelman 3802 Ave F 459-8349 Communications/Web     Mark Fishman 3905 Ave G 371-7920 Crime and Safety     Bruce Nadig 615 E 48th 452-0781 Development Review     Stan Kozinsky 4604 Ave G 451-4455 Homes Tour 2003 -Volunteer needed Membership     Wanda Penn 3913 Ave G 451-3978 Neighborhood Planning     Karen McGraw 4315 Ave C 459-2261 Mueller Task Force     John Kerr 4209 Ave F 451-3931 Shipe Park     Suzee Brooks 4900 Ave H 459-5115 Sidewalks -Volunteer needed 38th Street Taskforce -Volunteer needed Triangle Development     Cathy Echols 4002 Ave C 206-0726 Zoning     Dorothy Richter 3901 Ave G 452-5117 Austin Neighborhoods Council Rep.     Volunteer needed