Mueller Austin Task Force to Review Neighborhood Guidelines

The Mueller Austin home owners for the first phase will be moving in this winter. Both new and potential residents have expressed concerns with their home owner association guidelines. It's not that the guidelines aren't fair. They're just "boring" and seen as "standard" rules that can be found in any subdivision in Greater Austin.

Mueller Austin is a new community with it's own unique feel. Residents want a little more freedom on the fence types and customization of their lawns. The neighborhood already has great features:

• It's green. Green built homes will have at least a 3-star rating by Austin's Green Building Program. Even the new Seton Children's Hospital and other commercial buildings on the site are green built.
• It's mixed-use. Residents will have access to a variety of product types, including national and local retail shops as well as live-work lofts in the town center.
• It's pedestrian and bike friendly. There are miles of hike-and-bike trails and the community is planned to accommodate walking or riding bikes to shopping areas and amenities.

The hope is that the final recommendations reflect the unique culture of East Central Austin instead of relegating the new owners to restrictions that aren't representative of their wants or needs.The task force will meet 4-5 times during the fourth quarter this year to finalize the guidelines before the covenants are sent for implementation.

Stay tuned...

Read more about Mueller Austin in previous articles.

Comments

[Prentiss Riddle]

I'm very glad that this is going to happen. I believe that Homeowners Associations and restrictive covenants need reform throughout the city and the state, and Mueller should be a model. Many HOAs go way too far in requiring unsustainable landscaping practices, in banning freedom of expression, and in conferring excessive enforcement powers (and liabilities!) to their boards.

What I'd like to know is, who is on the task force? When and where will they meet? Thanks.

[Dee Copeland]

Update: I learned that the group will be formed in September, possibly before the next Mueller Commission meeting.

[Tiffany]

It's never that the covenants themselves are unfair, or are boring or standard. It's the potential for abusive interpretation and revision of any covenant by megalomaniacal people (and let's face it, everybody knows a person who has an inflated sense of self, usually due to deep-seated insecurity), that's the problem. I am happy to see a task force emerge, but my advice is to take out as many enforceable restrictions--especially those that are most subjective to people's tastes and those that are vaguely worded--as possible. Make it *only* about safety and the care of common areas. Don't legislate paint colors or landscaping or fence types, etc.

HOAs gone wrong can be monstrous, but if they must exist, pull out as many teeth as possible before they can start doing mortal damage to individuals and the community.

Like the old saw about guns, it's not HOAs that hurt people, it's people who hurt other people.

You have to be realistic about the worst of human nature, and prepare for it as a possibility.

[Administrator]

If you guys would like to find more information about what people are saying, feel free to pull content from http://www.muellercommunity.com

It's a free bulletin board site with user related comments, questions, etc. about the current status of things in Mueller.