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Welcome to the neighborhood!
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BVNA is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving quality of life in our South Austin neighborhood, which sits upon the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, and borders Barton Creek. Built in the late 1950's (reportedly the first all-electric neighborhood in Austin!), we have approximately 130 homes, and a few small businesses on the feeder to Hwy 290. We're located adjacent to a roughly triangle-shaped area of mostly undeveloped land, 80+ acres, called the Brodie Tract, bordered by Mopac, 360, and 290. |
Our neighborhood has fought hard to keep the Brodie Tract in its pristine state. Nearly five years ago, in May of 1998, we were very happy to see Proposition 2 pass, when the voters of Austin agreed to a 65 million dollar bond for the purpose of watershed protection, purchasing some 15,000 acres of land in the Austin area, including the environmentally sensitive Brodie Tract.
Today, members of our Neighborhood Association are part of a Stakeholder group drafting recommendations to City of Austin on how best to use the land. Being on the Recharge Zone of the Edwards Aquifer, development would of course be out of the question - water entering the Brodie Tract has been documented at times reaching Barton Springs in a matter of hours. Besides there being caves and sinkholes on the tract, which would undoubtedly make the foundation of any large-scale building unsafe, the area is also known as a nesting ground for the endangered Golden Cheeked Warbler, as well as a habitat for deer.
While you may not live in our neighborhood, we're sure water quality is a prime concern for all Austin and area residents. Besides natural beauty - Barton Creek, winding downtown to the Springs, the many trees which line its meandering path, and the hike'n'bike trail appreciated by enthusiasts year-round - the fact remains that the Brodie Tract lies on some very environmentally sensitive land, and has been called the most fragile portion of the entire aquifer. BVNA knows that future development of this land will only result in a steady degradation of water quality, and we are dedicated to protecting that most vital of all resources.
We encourage anyone who wants to see green space preserved in Austin to write to your city council representative, and express your concerns. Check our links section for contacts to all council members.
We'd like to hear from you, too! Click on the logo above to send us email, or check out our Contact page.
Last update: Tuesday, June 24, 2003