cat mountain villas - june 2016

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc. Cat Mountain View - June 2016 1

CAT MOUNTAIN VIEW

JUNE 2016 VOLUME 4, NUMBER 6

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGECongratulations to all the graduates in the neighborhood. We are

proud of you and hope you enjoy your summer vacation. Now that school is out, many kids will be playing throughout the neighborhood during the day, please slow down and watch for them riding bikes or running around as you drive thru Cat Mountain.

As we approach the hotter and drier months of the year, we need to be cognizant of the increased potential risk of wildfire in the area. As I write this, Canada has been consumed with massive wildfires and it was not too long ago that we had the Bastrop and Steiner Ranch fires in the area. The board monitors information from the state and local government as well as fire departments regarding the risk of wildfires in the area. One board member recently attended the City of Austin seminar on wildfire preparedness. Based on his experience at the seminar, we are taking the correct steps to protect our neighborhood. Since 2011 the board has maintained a program to monitor and remove deadwood from the common area to eliminate fuel and reduce the risk of wildfire. This is in compliance with the best practices put forth at the seminar. In mid-May Austin City Council Member Sheri Gallo put forth at resolution for the City to develop a plan to monitor all at risk areas in the City. We should see more information regarding specifics of the plan as they develop this summer.

It is important that you take responsibility for your own property. You can reduce the risk of wildfire by removing fuel such as dead brush on the ground and trimming dead limbs. It is also recommended to maintain a 30ft area around your home. Especially if you have wooden siding or cedar shingles. The NWACA newsletter has covered much of this information and I would suggest you review what they have published. Also, it is a great idea to create a family emergency plan for scenarios such as fire, tornado, and lightning strikes. Know where to go and what to do in an emergency. Practice your plan. Identify the best areas in your home to shelter in place. Develop an evacuation plan, have everyone exit the house a few times so that

everyone knows where to go. Set a place to meet. It’s also a great idea to have a fireproof safe or file cabinet in your home. No life is worth going back for papers. Another option is to keep your valuables at a bank safe deposit box.

Along the lines of fire safety, if you have landscape debris, please do not dump it in the common area adjacent to your home, we will be monitoring these areas for the safety of all the residents in Cat Mountain Villas. The city will impose a fine of up to $2000 for anyone dumping construction or yard refuse in the common areas. Also, remember that the common areas are for the benefit of all the residents. Modifications in these areas are not allowed and will not be tolerated.

As June winds down, it will soon be safe to prune oaks. After the weather warms up the risk of Oak Wilt disease being transmitted is greatly reduced. Now is a great time to plan your trimming and schedule your tree service for the fall.

Just a reminder that if you plan to do any exterior modifications to your home, please contact the ECC and file a project approval form before you or your contractors begin the work.

Lastly, I’d like to take a moment to thank all the volunteers that head up the HOA Board of Directors, Environmental Control Committee, Social Committee, Welcome Committee, Book Club, Newsletter Committee & Yoga Group. I appreciate everyone taking time out of their life to donate to our neighborhood. I appreciate all of your hard work & dedication. If there is anyone else who would like to donate their time to our community or has other great ideas please do not hesitate to let us know. We are always looking for new creative ideas & suggestions.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer & looking forward to seeing you at the pool!

Bryan HarterCat Mountain HOA | President

2 Cat Mountain View - June 2016 Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

CAT MOUNTAIN VIEW

Richard Schley · Broker, President512.983.0021 · [email protected]

Living in and Selling the Neighborhood with Extraordinary Results!

90 Day Market AnalysisSOLD

ADDRESS # S # Bd # Bth # G/P # POOL YB ACRES SQ.FT. $/SQ.FT. LIST PRICE

6106 Twin Ledge 1 3 2/0 2/0 NO 1980 .077 1,662 $282.79 $470,000

4605 Twin Valley 3 3 2/1 2/0 NO 1979 .115 2,666 $238.18 $635,000

5906 Mount Bonnell 2 4 2/1 2/0 NO 1991 .162 2,699 $237.09 $639,900

5830 Westslope 2 4 3/1 2/0 NO 2015 .230 3,070 $342.02 $1,049,990


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Swimming Pool: The pool is open and in great shape.• Pool Rules: Please treat the area with respect and do not bring

glass or pets anywhere inside the fence. Please refrain from eating and drinking in the pool, it will keep it clean for all to use. Also, remember the pool is for the use of Cat Mountain residents and their accompanied guests only. If you plan on hosting a gathering at the pool please let the HOA Manager know so he can adjust the chemicals appropriately (if necessary). Also, please be respectful of others at the pool who may be there to relax.

• Pool Lifeguard: Remember there is not a lifeguard on site so children should be left unattended. For health reasons, small children should not be allowed in the pool wearing a diaper only.

• Pool Bathroom: We ask that everyone using the pool should use to the restroom located in the back of the clubhouse (not inside) as we do not want wet bodies running thru the clubhouse or sitting on the clubhouse furniture.

• Trash Pick Up: If you bring food or drinks to the pool please make sure to clean up after yourself. Any food crumbs left immediately attracts ants & bugs. Also, remember all trash should be taken home with you and not disposed in the clubhouse receptacles.

• Pool Chairs & Umbrellas: Jesse is in charge of the placement of

JUNE 2016 HOA MANAGER’S REPORTthe umbrellas. If you would like them altered please ask him to help. Also, please put all chairs back to where you found them. Remember this is a community pool and we must all work together to keep it clean and presentable for the entire neighborhood. It should not be our HOA Managers job to clean up after everyone.

• Pool Keys: Are also available from the manager for a $10 deposit.Tennis Court Reminder: Recently, we have noticed the tennis

court has been used by small children to ride their bikes in and a place for people to exercise their dogs. Unfortunately, both damage the asphalt we recently had repaired.

• The tennis court should be used for tennis or basketball only.• If you would like to reserve a court time please go to the sing up

sheet outside of Jesse’s office.• Tennis court keys are available from the manager for a $10

deposit.Exterior Improvement, Modification, and Repairs: When

homeowners are planning on making exterior improvements to their properties, either repairs or modifications, there is a requirement to fill out the Environmental Control Committee's (ECC) Project


CAT MOUNTAIN VIEW(Continued from Page 3)

Approval Form and send the form to the Association's office for the ECC to review the proposed improvements/modification/repairs prior to doing the work. The form is on the Association's website at www.catmountainhoa.com or can be obtained from the Manager at the Association's office.

Dogs: Please remember to scoop the poop. Leaving feces on anyone’s property but your own is a violation of the City of Austin ordinance and can lead to fines of $500.

Barking continues to be a problem during the hours past midnight. Some dogs have been identified and are out of the HOA so I encourage you to call 311 and report the animal at the address. After 3 or more reports, the owner will be contacted and can be fined if the behavior continues. As the weather warms up, please be certain that your dogs have plenty of water if left outside.

Social Media: Don’t forget you can stay updated on happenings in the neighborhood via our “Cat Mountain Community” Facebook Page or by joining our neighborhood on NEXTDOOR.com. There is good local information as well as police related information available to you on the site.

GO Green: If you would like to Go Green and customize how you receive your Cat Mountain View Newsletter. Please go to the www.peelinc.com page where you can customize your newsletter subscription with the following options:

Newsletter Subscription Options• have a newsletter mailed to your residence• have an email sent to you with a link to a PDF of the newsletter• have an email sent to you instead of having a newsletter mailed to you (Go Green!)• have an email sent to you in addition to a newsletter mailed to you• be removed from our lists altogether• read a newsletter on your mobile device (iOS devices currently supported)

By Cat Mountain resident Ken Nirenberg I am very much an advocate of solar as the best clean energy

solution for residences. It utilizes otherwise unused square footage (roof ), has no moving parts, and, given the various rebates, is affordable. As side benefits, the attic area under the solar panels is shaded and much cooler in the summer and the shaded roof shingles will last longer

In my case, we re-roofed our home in 2007 and thought about putting up solar at that time, but didn’t because it was a 20-25 year payback due to the lack of significant rebates. In 2013, I decided to buy an electric car (Tesla), so the idea of installing solar came up again. This time, the federal government was providing a 30% tax credit on the installed cost and Austin Energy was rebating $1.20 per installed watt of solar. As a self-described conservationist, I told the solar company that I wanted to install as many solar panels as possible, and they determined that 42 panels would fit and be rebated by Austin Energy. Note that Austin Energy has rules for whether a panel gets enough sun during the day to qualify for a rebate. The rules are applied on a panel by panel basis.

Eventually, we put up a fairly large system that is rated at 11,130 watts. It is connected to the grid via two inverters. The way the billing works is that Austin Energy charges us normally for each kilowatt hour (kwh) we use, regardless of where it comes from. Then, they give us a credit for each kwh that we produce from our solar panels and feed into the grid. They meter this through a separate electric meter. In 2016, the credit is $.109 (10.9 cents) per kwh produced. We normally produce more than we use.

The original cost of our system was $31,975. After rebates and tax credits, the system wound up costing us $13,033, and I calculated payback at 7.8 years. The only gotcha was that we decided to put up a new roof before adding solar. The shingles that were installed in 2007 were defective, so we re-roofed to avoid having to do so after putting up the solar. A benefit of the re-roofing was that we were able to move some vent stacks to allow for more panels and a cleaner looking roof. The system was turned on mid-June 2014. I have not paid an electric bill since August 2014, and we currently have an almost $400 credit on our AE account; even though I regularly charge my car in my garage. I plan to use up the credit by getting a second electric car as soon as the Tesla Model 3 rolls off the assembly line.

If you are interested in learning more about my experience with solar energy or Tesla vehicles, please contact me thru Jesse at [email protected].

My Experience with Solar Energy in Austin

The Homeowners Association and the Board of Directors would like to welcome the following new neighbors to the Villas! We look forward to meeting you at one of the upcoming social events.

Colleen MartinRyan & Ashley Bruechner

If you would like to join the welcoming committee and assist in meeting new neighbors please contact our co-chairs, Lisa Castillo at [email protected] or Faye Van Haren at [email protected] for more details.

June 2016 Welcoming Committee


CAT MOUNTAIN VIEW

Our next book club date is

Tuesday, June 21 at 6:30 PM

where we will be discussing the book The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyer. Everyone is invited!

The winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, compared by critics to the works of Graham Greene, Denis Johnson, and George Orwell, The Sympathizer is A profound, startling, and beautifully crafted debut novel, The Sympathizer is the story of a man of two minds, someone whose political beliefs clash with his individual loyalties. In dialogue with but diametrically opposed to the

narratives of the Vietnam War that have preceded it, this novel offers an important and unfamiliar new perspective on the war: that of a conflicted communist sympathizer.

Book ClubIt is April 1975, and Saigon is in chaos. At his villa, a

general of the South Vietnamese army is drinking whiskey and, with the help of his trusted captain, drawing up a list of those who will be given passage aboard the last flights out of the country. The general and his compatriots start a new life in Los Angeles, unaware that one among their number, the captain, is secretly observing and reporting on the group to a higher-up in the Viet Cong. The Sympathizer is the story of this captain: a man brought up by an absent French father and a poor Vietnamese mother, a man who went to university in America, but returned to Vietnam to fight for the Communist cause. Viet Thanh Nguyen’s astonishing novel takes us inside the mind of this double agent, a man whose lofty ideals necessitate his betrayal of the people closest to him. A gripping spy novel, an astute exploration of extreme politics, and a moving love story, The Sympathizer explores a life between two worlds and examines the legacy of the Vietnam War in literature, film, and the wars we fight today ~ from the publisher

For more information go to: www.vietnguyen.com


CAT MOUNTAIN VIEW

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.

At no time will any source be allowed to use The Cat Mountain View Newsletter 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 Cat Mountain View Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc.

Explore Texas!Summer Camp 2016

Julie DePalma and Amy Hajdu

Get ready to celebrate Independence Day with your neighbors at the 44th Annual July 4th Parade. Due to water main work being done in the neighborhood this summer we cannot march our normal route down Far West. But not to be deterred, the parade route will just be moved! This year's parade kicks off at 9am on Monday, July 4th, 2016 at the corner of Farhills Drive and N Hills (North Hills) Drive. Angie and Gary Huels have graciously agreed to host our opening ceremonies at 4302 N Hills Drive. They and their children, Zoe and Owen, are very excited about celebrating this amazing neighborhood event with all of us! Pedestrians will line up along Farhills Drive and motorized vehicles will line up on the small section of Far West Boulevard, west of W Rim (West Rim) Drive, and down W Rim. The parade will march down N Hills Drive, and will again culminate at Doss Elementary on Northledge Drive.

Now that we all know where to be the morning of July 4th, it is time to start thinking about how to decorate those wagons, trucks, bikes, kids and pets! This year marks the 3rd annual Float Contest, and competition is getting stronger every year, so start planning your awesome float design now! There is a small entry fee and the Winner takes home prize money, bragging rights, and the coveted NWACA Float Trophy to keep and display for one year.

And then of course there is the super fun Freedom Festival on the Doss blacktop where the petting zoo and train will be making a return appearance. You can also sample snacks from our generous neighborhood sponsors, play games, and rock out to the talented School of Rock band!

If you love our parade tradition and would like to help, please email [email protected] to get in touch with Parade Chair, Julie DePalma. Many volunteers and sponsors are needed to make this time honored tradition a reality every year, and no contribution of time, talent, or money is too small! For sponsorship details, starting at just $100, see http://nwaca.org/how-to-be-a-sponsor/

Watch our website (www.nwaca.org) for detailed information about the float contest, t-shirts, and all things parade related and keep an eye on your mailbox (snail and virtual) and our Facebook page (NWACA - Northwest Austin Civic Association) for updates along the way. We look forward to seeing and celebrating with each and every one of you on July 4th.

4th of July Parade

is Just Around the Corner (literally!)


CAT MOUNTAIN VIEW

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Yoga GroupDue to the busy month of June, our resident certified yogi,

Charley Devany, will not be holding his weekly free yoga class on the clubhouse patio.

Depending on the weather, he may start up again in July. Please look to our next newsletter for more information.

JUNE 2016 SOCIAL COMMITTEE NEWS & EVENTS

Cat Mountain Neighbors are invited to join us for our next wine social where we will be kicking off summer by highlighting Texas

Wines!

Saturday, June 11, 2016 7:00 - 9:00 PM

At the beautiful home of new neighbors Annie Prasad & Anand KruttiventiEveryone is invited to bring their

favorite Texas wine along with an appetizer or dessert to share. Hope to see you all there!

To receive the email invitation for this gathering (with home address & other details), or future wine social events or if you are interested in hosting (either in your home or at the

clubhouse) please email Charlene at [email protected]

Wine Group


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cat mountain villas - june 2016

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