Wood Glen - December 2011 by Peel, Inc.

Wood Glen

Official Publication of the Wood Glen Property Owners Association

As of this writing, we are winding up counting ballots and proxies for your opportunity to amend or not amend the CC&R to allow portable basketball goals left out and/or to allow for construction of permanent basketball goals in front yards. This has been an interesting process and some questions have arisen regarding quorum at annual meeting, second meeting and gathering of ballots. First, let me assure you that I have worked with the board members who got involved in this project, with Goodwin Management and with a qualified real estate lawyer to ensure that this was handled according to our bylaws and in compliance with new state legislation. We are not finished so that I can report the results here; however, I am certain that I will have sent an eblast with the results before your receive this message. Regardless the outcome, do you realize that this has been an exercise in THIS IS YOUR ASSOCIATION? Some really negative attitudes toward the board (the volunteers who serve you to keep the amenity center, landscaping, greenbelt, finances, insurance and taxes in good order and to work with property management to reasonably enforce deed restrictions and collect association members dues to pay the bills, etc.) came out and were addressed during the process. Wood Glen needs association members who will commit some time and energy to serve the whole neighborhood. The goal of all should be what is best for Wood Glen. Over the three years plus that I have served you as president of the board of directors, I

Dear All,

have noticed some trends. The responsibility of the whole association is to reasonably enforce deed restrictions to keep Wood Glen safe and beautiful to protect your property values. Property management drives through to identify some of the violations and notify you. Please don’t take offense or think that someone on the board is targeting you. Some of the violations are such that they are not easily identified by a drive through during the business week. One of those is the man-cave or storage in garages that mean more cars on the streets causing inconvenience to hazards for neighbors. Businesses run from a home is another one of those activities listed as not allowed in the CC&R. (Searchable PDFs at www.woodglen.org for your convenience.) If YOU are not willing to get involved, take timed and dated pictures showing the infraction and send them to the property management who can then notify the violator without identifying you because you don’t want to “make your neighbor mad” then why do so many of you think that board members should do it and make your neighbor mad at us? We on the board are volunteers trying to impartially serve all of you. As I said this year at the annual meeting, since I have worked as board president, I have learned a lot about our neighborhood

December 2011 - Volume 5, Issue 12

and a passion has developed in me. Why do I think Wood Glen is a neighborhood like no other in Round Rock? We have 55 acres of greenbelt that is unique and beautiful that is dedicated drainage easement. We do not have to worry about a developer coming back and putting a multi-family project or shopping center in the middle of our neighborhood! So, I am appealing to you as a group to do your part. Wood Glen has the potential of being a fantastic old neighborhood but in order for it to age gracefully; we must maintain it. I heard Mayor McGraw speak to an association organization recently and he reported the top three things that make great neighborhoods as identified in a Gallop poll: 1. Socials – thank you Cynthia Maguire for three years of great socials! 2. Integration of new members – thank you David and Elaine Lloyd for starting the welcome committee! 3. Aesthetics: Two items here – maintaining common property and maintaining private property. If the board does a fantastic job of taking care of greenbelt, landscaping, common area fences and amenity center, but members can park boats and RVs in their driveways to grow mold, let their wood fences rot down, etc. then the neighborhood still looks shabby. We need board members and committee members. The Park needs a section representative and our Social Chair is resigning after the wine tasting social in February. Please call me if you want to discuss the potential. Let’s make the holidays a wonderful and safe time for all in Wood Glen and may you all be blest beyond belief in 2012! - Donna

Holidays Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011 1

Wood Glen BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Donna Tucker........................donnactucker@att.net Vice President: ............................................................. OPEN Treasurer: Ken Stites................................ kstites@austin.rr.com Secretary: Lela Solum.........................lelasolum@austin.rr.com Section 1: Eric Boren........................ eric_boren@sbcglobal.net Section 2: ..................................................................... OPEN Section 3: Julie Cowan................................julie.cowan@att.net Section 4: Mark Murray.................. murray.markd@gmail.com Section 5: Donna Tucker............... donnatucker@austin.rr.com Section 6: Rod Kerr......................................rod_kerr@shi.com Section 7: Christopher Loft.........................chrival22@aol.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS Modifications: Sam Myers ................. slmyers58@earthlink.net Pool/Amenity Center Co-Chairs: Julie Cowan............................................. julie.cowan@att.net Landscaping / Greenbelt: Karen Fischer.................................... kfischer4@austin.rr.com Capital Improvements: .................................................................................... OPEN Social Activities: Cynthia McGuire....................cynthia.maguire@sbcglobal.net Communications: Donna Tucker.......................................donnactucker@att.net ...........................................................donnate@austin.rr.com Ant Bait Control Program Co-Chairs: Leslie Myers..........................................myersls@earthlink.net Sue Kernan.......................................... ladysue2007@aol.com Safety/Security ............................................................................................... Care Calendar: Denise Ferguson.............................. dferguson@austin.rr.com Welcome Committee: David & Elaine Lloyd.............................Lloyd1111@aol.com

MANAGEMENT CO.

At no time will any source be allowed to use The Wood Glen Newsletter's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the Wood Glen Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the Wood Glen HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

Goodwin Management, Inc. 11149 Research Blvd. Suite 100 Austin, TX 78759-5227, Tel: (512) 502-7509 Fax: (512) 346-4873, Cell: (512) 750-2883

NEWSLETTER INFO Editor Donna Tucker....................................donnactucker@att.net Publisher Peel, Inc........................ www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Advertising........advertising@PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 2 Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011

Wood Glen tara KNight

Keller Williams Realty

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512-751-4834 Direct

n de d Re a

R to

Denise Ferguson

I Live Where You Live.

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We Care Calendar for Wood Glen. What is it: The Care Calendar is an online calendar. If you have a special need (for example, you have a new baby and few meals would be very helpful) you would contact me either by phone (671-8467) or my email dferguson@austin.rr.com. I would then set up the calendar with your needs (meals) and the times/dates that the meals would be needed. Families in our neighborhood would be made aware of your need. Families who are able to help would then go online, pull up the calendar and fill in the date and the meal they would be providing. Or you could call me with the information and I would be happy to fill in the calendar with the information. Very easy! If you have any questions please call me.

Neighborhood SpecialiSt We ll

Wood Glen Cares!

vi la s s s eR

512-439-3652 Office

www.TaraKnightHomes.com

Advertise Your Business Here 888-687-6444

Let us make sure your biggest investment is structurally sound. TUCKER ENGINEERING 1311 Chisholm Trail, Suite 303 Round Rock, TX 78681 Phone (512) 255-7477 Fax (512) 244-3366 www.tuckerengineering.net

Serving Central Texas Since 1979

STRUCTURAL REPORTS Structural reports can be furnished in any of the following areas: • Structural design of houses and apartments including superstructure, foundation and drainage. • Structural inspections of houses and apartments including drainage, foundation, superstructure, as well as decks, pools and other structures. • Identification of problems • Recommended Solutions • Estimated Costs • Inspection and Certification for structural repairs Our reports are concise, easy to read. We keep your information confidential. Fees for services are based on the type of structure to be inspected and where it is located Jeffrey L. Tucker, P.E., a registered professional engineer in Texas, has been involved in structural design, inspection and repair of houses and apartments since 1965. He is uniquely qualified to perform structural analyses of wood frame structures and slab foundations; to inspect and offer assurance of structural integrity and/or repair recommendations and details. Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011 3

Wood Glen Taking A Ride Through Our Neighborhood - 30 Years Ago! It may have been through your very back yard that a Halloween Hayride once roamed. Before the days of privacy fences, paved streets, and swimming pools, Wood Glen was literally just plain “woods.” A mere 20 years ago I was enjoying a church hayride through this area before developers came in and construction workers totally changed the landscape we call home today. What was it like back then? Have there always been feral hogs, coyotes, and fire ants? What were the native plants? Were there caves, Indian arrowheads, or other relics? To get my history lesson, I visited with the previous owners of this property. Leroy and Ruth Lange are a delightful couple who still live on a 40 acre corner of the original 400 acres Leroy’s father bought in 1938. I visited with them recently and was rewarded with a personal history lesson about this land. Try to imagine this area without streets and houses. Imagine Leroy and Ruth riding their horses across Plantation Drive and rounding beneath the trees that still stand guard in your back yard. The Langes hosted picnics with friends in these woods. Usually they would meet in a shady area across the street from the current amenity center, near Falkirk Dr.--not far from where families gather for picnics today. What did it look like before being tamed by developers? It was truly the woods, crowded with Live Oaks, Post Oaks, Cedar Elm, and Juniper (Cedar) trees. There were some clearings, where Prickly Pear and native grasses grew and provided shelter for Cottontail and Jack Rabbits, along with an occasional Rattle Snake. The native Mexican Hat flower was prolific, but presented a problem for ranching since this plant would tend to chock the growth of grasses. So farmers were forced to spray them to control their spread. Mostly, though, this area was thick with trees, hardly room for vehicles. The name, “Wood Glen” is very appropriate. In the next issue we’ll take a look at the surprising geology of Wood Glen. Until then, back to 2011, and watch for traffic!

COATS FOR KIDS As a recipient of a gift, have you ever turned around to immediately give a gift back to the giver? Many who have received coats for their children and grandchildren at the annual Coats For Kids distribution day have returned the same day to volunteer. They gave their gifts right back to the community‚ a circle of service truly indicative of a successful program. Coats for Kids is a program in its 25th year that provides warm winter coats each December to disadvantaged children and teenagers in Central Texas through a community-wide collection and distribution process. Each year, The Junior League of Austin, Jack Brown Cleaners, KASE 101 and KVUE partner with the community to ensure the children of Central Texas stay warm. On average, 30,000 coats are distributed per year with the help of over 2,600 community volunteers. So how can you participate? Donate a new or gently-used coat to your nearest Jack Brown Cleaners, organize a coat drive through many outlets in your community (schools, places of worship, offices, neighborhoods), volunteer during sorting days or distribution days or spread the word. FACTS • Distribution Day: Saturday, December 10th from 8AM - 3PM • Distribution Site: Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road • Community Coat Drive: Monday, November 14th through Wednesday, December 7th. Please drop your coats off at any local Jack Brown Cleaners. • School & Business Coat Drive Competition: Monday, November 14th through Friday, November 30th. Please drop your coats off at any local Jack Brown Cleaners. To register, go to the JLA website: www.jlaustin.org/coats. • Volunteer: Please join us to help sort coats December 6 - December 9 and/or to distribute coats to children on December 10. Register at www.jlaustin.org/coats.

Find all details about Coats For Kids at http://www.jlaustin.org/coats

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Wood Glen Seton Care For Your Entire Family As the leading provider of health care services in Central Texas, the Seton Healthcare Family is proud to offer a full continuum of care for your family. Our primary care clinics provide a wide range of medical services to improve the health and wellness of infants, children and adults: • Primary family care • Physicals and sports exams • Well-woman annual exams • Diabetes care and prevention • Blood pressure and cholesterol management • Minor emergency care • Disease management For more information, please visit SetonFamilyofDoctors.com.

Three Convenient Locations In Round Rock & Pflugerville

RR 1431

Chandler Rd.

University Blvd. 1

Round Rock

Gattis School Rd.

To Hutto

130

I-35

Hwy 79

Texas 45 Toll To Austin

1. Seton Family of Doctors at Williamson Family Medicine • Phone: (512) 324-4813 Cardiovascular Care • Phone: (512) 324-4812 Seton Medical Plaza I, 301 Seton Parkway, Suite 302 Round Rock, TX 78665 2. Seton Family of Doctors at Forest Creek Internal Medicine Adults Only • Phone: (512) 324-4870 Forest Creek Medical Center, 4112 Links Lane, Suite 200 Round Rock, TX 78664 3. Seton Family of Doctors at Stone Hill Family Medicine • Phone: (512) 324-4875 Stone Hill Shopping Center 1512 Town Center Drive, Suite 100 Pflugerville, TX 78660

Williamson clinic offers comprehensive cardiac care by the specialists of

For appointments, please call (512) 324-4812. Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011 5

Wood Glen NATUREWATCH - SILENT FLIGHT by Jim and Lynne Weber

One of the most unique adaptations in the natural world is the silent flight of owls. Their primary flight feathers have comb-like leading edges, which break down the turbulence created by air flowing over their wings and allow these birds to fly with great stealth. The Barred Owl (Strix varia) goes by many other common names, but is probably best known as the ‘hoot owl’, due to its call (‘who cooks for you, who cooks for you all’). This owl prefers to live in large blocks of forest, especially near water, and in our area is most often found near the Colorado River and its associated lakes and streams. The only typical owl in the eastern United States with brown eyes instead of yellow, the Barred Owl has a pale face, dark rings around its eyes, and a yellow beak. Its head is round and lacks any ear tufts, and its body is a light gray-brown mottled by horizontal barring on its chest and lengthwise streaks on its belly. A medium-sized owl at 17 to 19 inches tall with a 40-plus inch wingspan, the Barred Owl has been expanding its range westward in the last century. Like the Eastern Screech Owl, its main predator is the Great Horned Owl, and although they often live in the same area, they will avoid overlapping territories. They eat small mammals, birds, and invertebrates, as well as amphibians and reptiles, and often

6 Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011

wade into water to catch crayfish, fish, and turtles. In fact, the belly feathers of some barred owls are tinged pink, most likely due to the amount of crayfish in their diet. Barred Owls typically nest in cavities of deciduous trees, use open nests made by larger animals such as hawks, crows, or squirrels, and even man-made nest boxes. Although they are permanent residents, they may wander after the nesting season, often coming back the following year to reuse the same nesting site. In Central Texas, 2 to 4 eggs are laid in January, with hatching occurring in 4 weeks and the young fledging 4 to 5 weeks later. Hunting occurs largely at dusk and dawn, by waiting on a perch and swooping down on prey. Of all the owls in Texas, however, the Barred Owl is the one most likely to be active during the day, especially when hunting for food to feed hungry chicks. The most widely distributed owl in the world and the most widespread of all birds is the Barn Owl (Tyto alba). With a white or mostly white underside, lightly spotted breast, dark eyes and a heartshaped, white face surrounded by a tawny halo, its scientific name literally means ‘white owl’, but it is also known as ghost owl, death (Continued on Page 7)

Wood Glen Nature Watch- (Continued from Page 6) owl, and demon owl due to its appearance and eerily silent flight. Long legs, a round head with no ear tufts, and drawn-out, hissing scream for a call add to the image conjured up by its common names. Found in open habitats such as grasslands, marshes, and agricultural fields, this owl hunts at night by flying low over the ground, looked for small mammals. While it has excellent low-light vision, it is its ability to locate prey by sound alone that sets it apart from any other animal species. With a 1215 inch length and a 40-50 inch wingspan, the Barn Owl is one of the few bird species where the female is showier than the male. Having a reddish chest marked by more numerous spots, those females that are heavily spotted appear to be more successful at mating, raising chicks, and resisting typical

parasites and diseases. Barn Owls can breed up to few times per year, depending on the food supply. During courtship, both the male and the female screech, and the male will then conduct what is known as a ‘moth flight’, where he hovers in front of the perched female with his long legs dangling, for several seconds. Barn Owl pairs typically remain together as long as both are alive. Their clutch size can vary widely from 2-18 eggs, which are laid in nest cups made from shredded owl pellets. These owls use both man-made structures such as nest boxes and buildings, or natural cavities in trees and cliffs, for locating their nests. Send your nature-related questions to naturewatch@austin.rr.com and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Barred owl

Barn owl

Thank You TO ALL OUR

2011

ADVERTISERS! PEEL, INC.

www.peelinc.com 512-263-9181

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season! Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011 7

Wood Glen

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8 Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - December 2011