Davenport Ranch
Volume 8, Number 7 Davenport Ranch Neighborhood Association
July 2012 www.DavenportRanch.org
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER
GATES IN DAVENPORT?
NO VACANCY
From time to time members raise the question of gating Davenport Ranch. The primary force behind this is the constant flow of traffic from drivers using Davenport Ranch streets to avoid the traffic build-up on Loop 360.
It seems that some vacant lot owners and their neighbors believe that a vacant lot is some kind of “non” property which can be neglected until needed or dumped on at will. Absentee owners of vacant lots need to arrange for regular maintenance, especially during the summer months. Vacant lots should be kept mowed to 15 feet back from the curb. Vacant lots with vegetation encroaching on neighbors’ lots need to also keep a 5 foot area cleared along fence lines. You will receive a warning when your lot needs to be maintained. If the warning does not result in attention to the lot, the next step will be fines and/or a “forced mow” at your expense. Some owners maintain their lots, but their neighbors, particularly during construction or moving, treat the lots as local dumps. If we can identify the person responsible for the dumping, we will send a warning letter, fines and clean up expenses to them. Otherwise, we have no choice but to hold the lot owner responsible for what other owners have done to their lot. No lot in Davenport Ranch is truly “vacant”. Each one is owned by someone who should be responsible for it and whose neighbors should treat it with the same respect as if it were a front yard.
There are several things to consider when discussing gates for Davenport Ranch. • What are the major considerations? The streets and sidewalks belong to the City of Austin. In order to gate the community, the streets would have to be dedicated to Davenport Ranch. In the past, the City has not expressed any interest in doing this. But assuming that it could be done, upon dedication, Davenport Ranch would become responsible for all street maintenance including potholes, paving, sweeping, trash. • Where would the gates be located? It would be unreasonable to plan gates that would block Westlake Drive because it is a feeder street that goes all the way to the City of Westlake. Long Champ would also be difficult to gate because it serves Davenport Village and Austin Country Club. Bold Ruler, Waymaker Way and Riva Ridge have been suggested because most of the cut-through traffic uses those streets. Some of the proposed locations would not have common area available to anchor the gates. There would need to be some negotiation with private property owners. • What would be the cost? The plain utilitarian gate that was installed at the Hidden Park road cost around $25,000. That does not include the cost of electricity, Wi-Fi or phone connection, maintaining a supply of cards or the ongoing maintenance. Properly gating Davenport Ranch would require anywhere from two to five gates. That would be the least of the costs because maintaining the streets year after year would be by far the greater cost. Resurfacing the circle at the Waymaker, Riva Ridge mailboxes cost just under $5000. Dues increases and special assessments could be necessary. It also raises the question that if only part of the neighborhood could be gated, should all the residents bear the cost? Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.
Earline J. Wakefield, Property Manager
HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Davenport Ranch Neighborhood Association - July 2012
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