SimplySanAntonio NUMBER 10
FOR RESIDENTS, VISITORS, OR ANYONE PASSING THROUGH
New City Budget focuses on neighborhood protection and plans for population growth by Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio City Council District 8 San Antonio’s City Council recently approved a $2.5 billion budget, with no increase in the property tax rate. This budget continues to focus on basic infrastructure improvements like road and drainage projects while also placing a significant down payment on the comprehensive plan known as SA Tomorrow. As a community-driven plan, SA Tomorrow is a blueprint for the city’s future intended to help us prepare for the additional 1.1 million new people that will call San Antonio home by 2040. Imagine another 500,000 vehicles, another 500,000 housing units and another 500,000 jobs in our city. That’s what’s in store for us over the next three decades. Implementation of SA Tomorrow begins with creating land use plans for growing areas of the city, such as the Medical Center and Brooks City Base, where development and redevelopment is occurring rapidly. In all, 13 areas were identified as centers of economic activity throughout San Antonio. The detailed land use plans that follow will create guide-
In this issue of
Simply SanAntonio
• New City Budget focus... • Creating Sustainable Subdivisions • Getting Ready for Fall Gardening • When the Pressure is ON Prototype Commuter Rail Platform Station. An advanced commuter rail system could be part of SA Tomorrow’s planned transportation expansion.
lines for new growth and the protection of existing neighborhoods. In addition to establishing strong standards for development, SA Tomorrow preserves neighborhood integrity by emphasizing compatible Continued next page
• The Best Way to Organize Your Refrigerator • Reflecting on the Power of Philanthropy
New City Budget...
Continued from front cover
land use and paves the way for better access to public places and transportation options through strategic planning. Neighborhoods are the backbone of San Antonio, and we can strengthen them by providing stability and certainty in growth policies. The FY2017 budget also includes funding to continue our push to improve air quality — an economic and public health imperative for San Antonio. Our city faces a federal non attainment designation for the first time next year, meaning that we are expected to fail air quality standards set by the federal government to protect the public. The designation not only has health implications but will also carry additional regulation and economic penalties, which could make it more expensive to live and do business here. An economic impact study is already underway, and the FY2017 budget will fund a public health component to assess the impact of worsening air quality in Bexar County. As a parent, there is no issue more important to me than helping to create a sustainable future, for my children and yours. A preponderance of medical research shows that poor air quality impacts the most vulnerable among us, including children, the elderly and those living with respiratory issues. These next steps will help us to focus our limited resources on data-driven solutions. In this budget, we’ve also taken strides to better connect you with city services by getting smarter about technology. For instance, through our new BuildSA program, neighbors and businesses will be able to access and file permits online, providing for a more transparent development process that is open to everyone. Once this program is fully operational, we will have a streamlined permitting process that also lets neighbors see ahead of time what kind of development is coming to their neighborhoods. We are piloting a series of Smart City community kiosks, which will allow residents to charge their smart phones, access Wi-fi and check the area bus schedule, among other things. And this year, we’re testing a new mobile app that will allow parks users to map out nearby amenities and quickly connect with law enforcement and park stewards in case of an emergency. This is all part of a park safety infrastructure plan I initiated in 2015, in the wake of several high profile crimes in our parks system. Trailhead cameras, call boxes and other crucial public safety features have now become standard operating procedure for all linear parks and greenway trails. While the budget process is certainly an exercise in compromise among the varying priorities and limited resources in our city, it’s not the only way we work to achieve the goals of our neighbors. Especially in a place
The River Walk, which includes part of the Mission Hiking Trail, continues to be one of the major attractions for visitors and residents. Many of the city’s development plans include River Walk expansion.
like District 8, where the population is growing almost twice as fast as the rest of the city, we have an opportunity to focus on policies that improve quality of life. Over the past two years, I have advocated for and voted to approve a program by which neighborhoods can accelerate sidewalk repairs – usually the responsibility of individual homeowners – by accessing a city matching fund dedicated for the purpose. This is an issue of maintaining property values and improving safety and walkability throughout your community. During zoning cases, while current ordinance only requires notification of residents within 200 feet of an applicant’s property, my office has ensured that all neighborhoods with proximity of a land use change are notified proactively for input. We have pledged to work collaboratively with all parties involved in land use issues, and that starts with ensuring residents have a seat at the table. Finally, through social media, on the web, by mail and even going door-to-door, I have worked to ensure that we are listening to all residents and that your concerns are reflected in the work of my office and the conduct of City Hall. Active, informed and engaged communities are healthy communities, and I am privileged and grateful to serve you.
Creating
Sustainable Subdivisions
by re-imagining and re-identifying them as communities and neighborhoods According to the Bexar County Appraisal District on a piece of vacant land in the subdivision, the property (BCAD), there are a lot of subdivisions in the metro San An- having lain bare for years. A short time after my suggestion tonio area, in fact at least 3,495 flung out in many directions. went public, the owner of the property protested, suggesting And with most, if not all, there is a Homeowner Association they were considering building a house on the land. Two (HOA), more often than not run by an outside management years later, with ample enough time to do the garden and company, or to a lesser extent, self-managed, but both with draw neighbors together, no house has been built, nor land a governing board of residents applying the rules that help cleared. residents understand what can and can’t be done while liv From personal experience, it appears neighborhood ing within its “borders.” HOAs are generally not set up to bring residents together, To my way of thinking, however, the BCAD needs rather, as mentioned earlier, to administer the rules and to refer to these subdivisions by a more pleasant, interesting regulations set forth in the communities’ bylaws, making moniker, say “neighborhood”, or “community”. The word sure residents live comfortably within the neighborhood. “subdivision” is too harsh, too impersonal, too builder-like; If residents need reason to come together, they themselves promoting a place with little or no personality, just a group of houses near each other, say folks I’ve spoken with recently. But “community” or “neighborhood”, ah, there is a more pleasing reference provoking a vision of neighbors exercising together, mingling with friends or getting together to do special things. It just seems a more neighborly thing to say. In fact, and sadly so, it’s rare indeed to see a Neighborhood July 4th parades like this one in Churchill Estates, as well as other holiday celebrations, are meaningful “congregation” making a comeback in neighborhood communities all over the city. of residents in most subdivisions come together for an occasion other than, perhaps, a Sunday around the pool, a should find that reason and implement it. garage sale or a July 4th parade. That’s why I’ve jumped on a In the internet blog, Turning a Residence into a bandwagon to promote places to congregate – even a porch Community, Josh Hurst of Kuester Management Group, a in front of a house. As I wrote a while ago, folks were walkproperty management company with offices in North Caroing on the sidewalk (what’s a sidewalk, you say), waving, lina, South Carolina and Georgia, says that is beyond the getting a wave back and moseying up to the porch where a scope of an HOA. “The community association is meant to conversation commenced, and ensued. And, besides places preserve the value of common properties; that is its primary to meet, what are often lacking are reasons to meet. For function. With that said,” he goes on, “a secondary role of instance, neighborhood activities could include a book club, the HOA is to ensure that community members are enjoying square dance classes, a night at the movies, or a cooking a high quality of living. That doesn’t mean the HOA board class. members must also don the hat of the cruise ship director, With homes nowadays not including, for the most or the activities planners. Having a shared HOA Calenpart, those porches, and searching for ways for residents to dar of events, however, can go a long way toward bringing have meaningful gatherings, two years ago I suggested to the residents together and ensuring everyone is enjoying a high officers of a subdivision that they start a community garden quality of life.” Continued next page
Getting together for a neighborhood pool party. Events like this are common sights all over San Antonio
Many subdivisions in the San Antonio metro area will never be confused with a community or a neighborhood because they just don’t provide the gathering spots to implement this. For instance, subdivisions generally have a pool, perhaps tennis courts, but by no means, with certainty, a clubhouse, where neighbors can come together. But they do often have grassy areas or small sitting areas where benches and / or tables and chairs can be provided for playing checkers, Pokémon or for a small, quick gathering. How simple is that? In many neighborhoods throughout the region, including cities like Alamo Heights, community gardens exist, where folks gather at their leisure or at a scheduled time, to admire the vegetables in the garden, harvest their own or help their neighbors grow or harvest theirs. Many other neighborhoods can claim the “community” moniker based on what they actually do, so it helps to examine what those that have it, have done. Susie Barlow who is the office manager with the self-managed Hidden Forest HOA, responded in an email, “A rundown of what is done here in the Forest includes: the Garden Club which is a very active organization. They take care of all of our flower beds in the neighborhood. They also sell holiday bows for the mailboxes to fund the flowers. They usually meet monthly and have seminars, field trips and flower shows. Empty nesters meet periodi-
cally for drinks and mingling. Adult men’s and women’s tennis leagues run throughout the Spring and Fall seasons. A children’s swim team competes during the summer. We host an egg hunt during the Easter holiday. And we host a Fall Festival. Finally, we keep the residents involved with a Facebook page as well as a neighborhood website.” In Bluffview, Jane Welch says, “There is a walking group, a dinner group and a movie night in the park. The HOA board has tried to be very active in the last couple of years to establish groups and activities to get homeowners involved. We also have our homeowners’ annual meeting that is a catered dinner and drinks on a Friday night.” Big Springs hosts an Easter egg hunt, a Halloween Bash, an annual garage sale, and other events. According to Julie Schafer, who resides in Vintage Oak at The Vineyard near New Braunfels, “The HOA offers Spring and Fall concerts in the park (at least 6 a year), pool parties, a Summer opening, a back-to-school gathering, wine socials, a holiday bazaar, various classes, holiday baking and cooking from the garden, gardening for the area, home maintenance clinics, movies at the pool, and other events.” In The Dominion, Ann Jones says ,“The HOA hosts Bark-in-the-Park, a semi-annual gathering with your pet, ice cream socials, a semi-annual turkey trot 5K race through the subdivision, food truck nights, an an-
nual Thanksgiving bonfire, and Golf Cart parades at Easter, Christmas and Fourth of July.” So, let me throw down the gauntlet I hope others will grab onto. Let’s challenge our metro area city and county leaders, the Bexar County Appraisal District, Realtors, and homeowner associations into changing their ways and spirit by referring to the places they / we live as “neighborhoods” or “communities”. Further, a challenge to homeowners to bring harmony and friendship to your area of residence by re-imagining and re-identifying it, bringing activity to your neighborhood or community, and making it a friendly place to live. Alamo Heights Community Vegetable Garden
Getting Ready for Fall Gardening Tom Harris, Ph.D., “The Hill Country Gardener”
As Dr. Jerry Parsons says, “Spring gardening is just practice for fall gardening”. It took me several years to discover why he had said that and what it meant. What happens is that it gets a lot cooler at night in the fall than it is in the spring and summer around here… this allows the plants to rest at night whereas in the spring/summer season, the plants are growing 24/7. When it cools off at night, the plants rest, just like we do. Getting ready for fall gardening actually starts in the mid to late-summer time here. It starts with getting the beds ready for the coming season. This means adding compost, fertilizer, and moisture to the bed(s). You’ll need about 1-3 inches of compost on every bed you plan to use in the fall whether it is for flowers, herbs, vegetables or whatever. This is how Mother Nature does it every year; i.e., when the leaves fall off each year, they decompose and add the nutrients found in the leaves back to the soil. These will be mostly the micronutrients that the plants need; the nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen in their natural state are gasses, so they evaporate into the air. Continued next page
Getting Ready for Fall Gardening
Continued from previous page
Speaking of the beds, did you know that 4-6 feel it. If it’s dry, water. If it’s moist, don’t; can’t make it any inches is all the depth it takes for most of the plants you’ll simpler than that. be growing? This includes veggies. That’s right. I don’t Once the soil, fertilizer, and moisture are taken lie (much). The reason behind this is that the roots grow care of, it’s time to go get the plants. Be sure to go to a prisideways – laterally – rather than downwards – vertically. vate nursery to get your plants (they can’t afford to sell you If you’ve ever pulled up a plant, you know what I mean. something you don’t really need or want. They want you The exception to this might be a weed; many of them to come back next time.) Buy them the same day you plan seem to put down a tap root several inches long. to plant them – not on Monday or Tuesday to be planted In fact, one of the jokes among gardeners is: next weekend. “How do you tell a good plant from a weed? You pull When you look at the plants, be sure to buy the on it. If it comes up easily, it was a good plant. If not, it’s a best ones you can afford; i.e., get the best looking one of weed.” the bunch. If you want to check on the health of the plant, Next comes the fertilizer. You add it now and waturn it upside down and lift the pot off. The roots should ter it in so that is can dissolve and move out into the soil be nice and white. If they’re not, try another one but be to saturate it well before you plant. What kind of fertilizer? sure to tell the proprietor on the way out. Almost any kind will do. Personally I use 19-5-9 slow The picture is of my veggie beds here in San Antorelease lawn fertilizer at the rate of about 1-2 cups per 10 nio. They’re 6” deep and raised up on a stack of 3 concrete square feet. It doesn’t make any difference to the plants as blocks making them 30 inches tall at the top. I don’t have long as it’s there. to bend over to garden now—I’m too old for that. Those It matters not whether it’s organic or non-organic are cucumbers growing up the trellis; 4 tomatoes in the fertilizer – the chemicals are the same. There’s only one left bed, cucumbers, cantaloupes and water melons in the kind of nitrogen (the first number on the bag or containback one and banana peppers on the right. I had to cut er) and it MUST be available from day one on. down a tree to get full sunlight on the beds. In addition, you’ll need to keep adding fertilizer If you’d like more information on how I built to the plants all during their life span. For vegetables, them, just write me at gardener1935@att.net and I can it’s about every 3-4 weeks, for flowers, it’s about every send more pictures or details. 4-5 weeks to keep them in bloom. For bushes and trees, it’s only once per year and FALL (late-September/ October) is the best time for that. Add about 1 cupful per inch of trunk diameter spread throughout the drip area of the plant. From the moisture standpoint, the goal is to keep the roots moist – not sloppy wet, just moist. That’s why drip irrigation works so well; i.e., it only wets the soil where the roots are. This also means that the soil needs to be loose and infused with lots of vegetative matter (compost) so that the moisture moves freely in the soil. I’ve actually written a book all about drip irrigation; Dr. Calvin Finch wrote the foreword and he says it’s the best thing to come down the pike. One of the best ways to tell if the soil is moist is to stick your finger into it down to about the second joint (these are God’s moisture meters and you have 5 free ones on each hand). If The author’s veggie beds here in San Antonio. They’re 6” deep and raised up on concrete blocks it’s moist, you’ll feel it. If it’s dry, you’ll making them easier to tend.
When the Pressure is
ON
Gene More
Alamo Inspection Service
When taking a shower, aren’t we prone to ask, ”is that all there is?” And who among us knows exactly what “is” is, anyway? The fact of the matter is, City Public Service (CPS) knows and they recommend, in fact strongly suggest, our water pressure should be 40 – 80 pounds per square inch (psi.) Did you know that your water pressure can vary throughout the day? At peak hours of usage like early in the morning, between 7 - 9 am, you and your neighbors are up and getting ready for school or work. You, and they, are taking baths and cooking breakfast. They may be running a load of clothes through the washer or cleaning dishes. And oh, lest we forget, there generally is toilet use or brushing of teeth. All of this use, at the same time, will put a strain on the water pressure in the main lines and the overall pressure in your neighborhood will go down. The same thing may happen later in the day when most folks arrive home from school, or work. If you want more water pressure the simple solution is to avoid using water at these peak times. You should have your water pressure checked, typically by a plumber or inspector with a pressure gauge. Just because CPS recommends 40 – 80 psi does not mean that it is what it is. Be sure they check it at a time when water usage is not high and this will give you a more accurate reading. If your water pressure is low, you can always raise it to the recommended high of 80psi. If the pressure is set too high, say 90 – 100, the stress on your home’s joints and fittings will become stressed, which eventually can cause the joints and fittings to burst. The consequences, if nothing else, are costly water leaks and pipe damage, if not sidewalk repair. So how can you increase or lower your water pressure? Near the street, you will find a water meter box just like the one shown in the picture. Everything on the street side is controlled and regulated by CPS and everything between the meter and house is your responsibility. Beside your water meter you may also find two boxes that contain: 1. a water pressure regulator and 2. a water cut-off. The pressure regulator is how you can regulate the pressure coming into your house. It requires only about a quarter turn to increase or decrease the pressure. The cut-off is a quick shut off for your water if a leak should occur. It requires no special tool; just reach in and pull the lever up so it is perpendicular to the pipe. This will shut the water off to your entire house.
Roadside water meter together with a water pressure regulator and cut-off.
The Best Way to Organize Your Refrigerator If you’ve taken on the daunting task of cleaning out your refrigerator, you should give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. But once all the expired condiments have been tossed and the shelves wiped clean, what’s the best way to put everything in again? When organizing the refrigerator, we like to use professional and restaurant kitchens as models since they organize their fridges with food safety in mind. Their way of doing it is to organize based on the temperature the foods need to be cooked to. Things that need no cooking and are safe to eat (like prepared foods or leftovers) are placed at the top, then everything else is organized downward based on the temperature it needs to be cooked to, with the foods needing to be cooked to the highest temperature (like chicken) being at the bottom. When organized this way, any cross contamination that occurs won’t be a problem because the food that’s contaminated has to be cooked to a higher temperature than the food sitting above it that dripped down.
Strategy • Upper Shelves: Leftovers, drinks and readyto-eat foods (like yogurt, cheese and deli meats). • Lower Shelves: Raw ingredients slated for cooked dishes. • Door: The refrigerator door is the warmest part of the fridge, so only condiments should go there. Don’t put eggs or milk in the door, as they should be placed in a colder part of the refrigerator. • Drawers: These can be tricky. Since they’re designed to hold produce at specific temperature or humidity, it makes sense to store fruits and veggies there. But they’re usually at the bottom of the fridge, so we risk contaminating our fresh vegetables if we put meat on the shelf above. Some Solutions • If you have two drawers, make one of them exclusively for veggies and the other exclusively for raw meat. • If one drawer is above the other, use the lowest drawer for meat. If they’re side-by-side, either drawer would be fine. Clean the drawer you’re using for meat often. • Need both drawers for fruits and veggies? If it’s unavoidable to put raw meat above other foods, improvise your own meat drawer by using a clear plastic bin that will catch any accidental drips and keep the meat safely away from everything else. Source: www.thekitchn.com
Reflecting on the Power of Philanthropy When most people hear the word ”philanthropist” names like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and locally Red McCombs and Bill Greehey, come immediately to mind. Certainly, high-wealth individuals contribute enormously to the success of American philanthropy. But the spirit of doing good is not just restricted to the wealthiest among us. People from all walks of life can add their voices through gifts of varying amounts and gifts of time. American philanthropy is a vast and robust enterprise of $360 billion a year. There are more than 6,000 non-profits registered with the IRS in the San Antonio alone. This is a good time to consider how you can raise more money for your favorite causes. Here are a few lessons to keep in mind.
fashion a distinctive case for support, and then commit to connecting with the heads and hearts of donors.
3. More contact = more money: The more quality contact we have with donor prospects, the more money we’re going to raise. This means intentional interactions, not randomly bumping into people at a banquet or other large events. In fundraising, the essential ingredient for success is cultivation — forging a personal and emotional bond with the donor prospect. Needless to say, getting time with people — especially those who give larger gifts — isn’t easy and requires tact and plenty of persistence.
1. Gifts from individuals rule:
4. Ask in person:
As has been the case since data on charitable donations was first collected nearly six decades ago, individuals accounted for the vast majority of gifts — 72% of total giving. Other categories are foundations, 15%; bequests, 8%; and corporations, 5%. When you add bequests (from individuals who have passed), and money from family foundations, the share from individuals is 87%. Sure, we want to pay attention to gifts from corporations and foundations, but a winning major gifts strategy emphasizes gifts from individuals because that’s where the money is.
The most successful solicitations are made face-to-face.
2. The giving environment is competitive and growing fiercer by the day: There are 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the U.S. Donors aren’t choosing between the good and the bad, but face the dilemma of choosing between the good and the good. Religion is the sector that receives the largest share (32%), followed by education (15%), foundations (12%) and human services (12%). To compete, organizations must
This is especially critical for larger gifts. Fundraising expert Jerold Panas likes the analogy that you don’t get milk from a cow by sending it a letter. Consider these findings from the Foundation Center: • When asked face-to-face, 70% will give at a rate of 50% the amount requested. • When asked during a phone call, 25% will give at a rate of 25% the amount requested. • When asked by mail, about 2% will give gifts of $10 to $25.
5. Volunteers are a fundraiser’s best friend: Gifts of money follow gifts of time (which is the most precious gift of all since it can never be replaced). Harris Interactive data shows that 40% of Americans volunteered in the past year and: • People donate 10 times more money if they have volunteered in the past year. Continued next page
• Two-thirds of volunteers said they give money to the same groups to which they donate time.
6. The only truly bad ask is the ask never made: American philanthropy has been amazingly resilient over the past decade, during good times and bad. Professional and volunteer fundraisers must remain resolute in the commitment to tell their stories and cultivate donor prospects — and then ask. There’s never a perfect time so don’t delay. Countless gifts are forfeited because organizations waited too long and death, divorce, financial setbacks, relocation and other factors closed the door of opportunity. Are you involved in a non-profit, and proud of its mission and potential to make the world a better place? If so, thank you. If not, there couldn’t be a better time to get started. By combining the art and science of fundraising best practices, you can ask for and raise money so more lives can be touched and improved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jim Eskin’s leadership roles span more than 30 years in fundraising, public affairs and communication including at The University of Texas at San Antonio, Our Lady of the Lake University and the Alamo Colleges Foundation. He also publishes Stratogems, a monthly e-newsletter exploring timely issues and trends in philanthropy advocacy and image. He can be contacted at jeskin@aol.com.
© Copyright 2016 by Jim Eskin. All rights reserved.
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In this fast-changing city and metro area in which we live, it behooves us to stay in touch with the old as well as the new. Change touches all of us. Thus the mission of SimplySanAntonio is to highlight change and how it affects us, as homeowners, so that we can make the most of the present and keep a watchful eye on the future.