INS IDE TH IS

I S SUE :

City Council Highlights

2

Matter of Balance

2

Light Pollution (continued)

3

Chief’s Corner

Police Blotter

4

City Calendar Things to Do

5

The Valley Newsletter J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 C I T Y O F S U N S E T V A L L E Y

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Planning and Environmental to Address Light Pollution For many years the City of Sunset Valley has been adhering to the principles of a Dark Sky City. The

Planning and Environmental Commi ee is currently inves!ga!ng the requirements to becoming a

Cer!fied Dark Sky City and rebates for ligh!ng as described in this ar!cle are available. For more in-

forma!on please contact Carolyn Meredith in the Public Works Department.

In 2011, a master plan for the city was adopted and Sec!on 311 of the plan addresses noise and light

pollu!on. This sec!on states that residences, commercial establishments, and city facili!es should

direct outdoor ligh!ng to stay within property boundaries, not exceed brightness indices, and not

interfere with neighbors’ enjoyment and tranquility of their own proper!es, and yet maintain an ac-

ceptable level of safety. Light pollu!on is defined as excessive or intrusive ar!ficial ligh!ng. Below is

informa!on, from the Interna!onal Dark Sky Associa!on (IDA) on how you can help reduce outdoor

light pollu!on. For more informa!on— www.darksky.org

Outdoor Ligh�ng Basics. Modern society requires outdoor ligh!ng for a variety of needs, including

safety and commerce. IDA recognizes this but advocates that any required ligh!ng be used wisely. To

minimize the harmful effects of light pollu!on, ligh!ng should: only be on when needed; only light the

area that needs it; be no brighter than necessary; minimize blue light emissions and be fully shielded

(poin!ng downward). The illustra!ons on page 3 provide an easy visual guide to understand the

differences between unacceptable, unshielded light fixtures and those fully shielded fixtures that min-

imize sky glow, glare and light trespass.

Types of Light. Most people are familiar with incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs for indoor

ligh!ng, but outdoor ligh!ng usually makes use of different, more industrial, sources of light. Com-

mon light sources include low-pressure sodium (“LPS”), high-pressure sodium (“HPS”), metal halide

and light emi?ng diodes (“LEDs”). LPS is very energy efficient, but emits only a narrow spectrum of

pumpkin-colored light that some find to be undesirable. Yet, LPS is an excellent choice for ligh!ng

near astronomical observatories and in some environmentally sensi!ve areas. HPS is commonly used

for street ligh!ng in many ci!es. Although it s!ll emits an orange-colored light, its coloring is more

“true to life” than that of LPS.

In areas where it’s necessary to use white light, two common choices are metal halide and LEDs. One

of the advantages of LED ligh!ng is that it can be dimmed. Thus, instead of always ligh!ng an empty

street or parking lot at full brightness, LEDs can be turned down, or even off, when they aren’t needed

and then brought back to full brightness as necessary. This feature both saves on energy and reduces

light pollu!on during the night.

Because of their reported long life and energy efficiency, LEDs are rapidly coming into widespread

use, replacing the exis!ng ligh!ng in many ci!es. However, there are important issues to consider

when making such a conversion. See our LED Prac!cal Guide for more informa!on. (con�nued pg. 3)

P A G E 2

Council Highlights from the January 12, 2016 Mee�ng

The City Council rescheduled its March City Council mee�ngs and will meet March 8th and March 22nd. The

first Tuesday in March when the City Council would normally meet is March 1st which is the Joint Primary Elec-

!on Day. No City mee!ngs may be scheduled on an elec!on day.

The City Council authorized the Arts Commission to seek grant funding from the Texas Arts Commission to

support ArtFest The Texas Arts Commission provides funding to local governments to support touring Texas

ar!sts. For the past three years, the City has leveraged its funds and requested grant money from the state for

ArtFest. This year, ArtFest is celebra!ng 10 years and again will be featuring music on two stages. The grant re-

quest would support the following ar!sts: the Warren Hood Band, Kupria Marimba, Beto and the Fairlanes, Joe

McDermo and the Biscuit Brothers. The final line up for ArtFest will be released by the Art Commission at a

later date.

The City Council approved amendments to Chapter 30 of the Code of Ordinances related to Council Proce-

dures. Each year following the City Council elec!on, the City Council reviews the rules related to Council pro-

cedures. The amendments approved at this mee!ng were first discussed at the December 1st mee!ng. The

changes, by sec!on are:

• Amend Subsec!on 30.01 (A) to provide greater flexibility for the Council to cancel or reschedule regular

mee!ngs;

• Amend Sec!on 30.02 to provide that the Mayor shall call a Special Council mee!ng upon request of two

Council members (rather than upon request of three Councilmembers) because a request of three members

could be interpreted as a viola!on of the Open Mee!ngs Act;

• Amend Subsec!on 30.03 (B) to insert the word “be” for clarity;

• Amend Subsec!on 30.03 (G) to clarify electronic submission requirements; and,

• Amend Sec!on 30.34 to combine A(3) and A(4) into a single factor.

City Council Highlights

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Matter of Balance A MATTER OF BALANCE is an award-winning program designed to

manage falls and increase ac!vity levels of older adults. The pro-

gram emphasizes prac!cal strategies to manage falls and is prov-

en to maintain independence for seniors.

In December, the Community and Economic Development Com-

mi ee teamed with the Capital Area Agency on Aging to host the

Ma er of Balance class in Sunset Valley. The class met for eight

days in City Hall and by all accounts the informa!on and course-

work was well worth their !me. At the last mee!ng, all par!ci-

pants reported different benefits from the course, but consistent-

ly all reported improved strength in their bodies and awareness

of their surroundings.

The class was taught by cer!fied instructors from the area.

Through her par!cipa!on in this class, Penny Cedel earned her

cer!fica!on to teach and is planning to lead another class in the

summer. More informa!on about the summer class and dates

will be announced when scheduled.

Ma er of Balance Class (right to leI): Elizabeth Salinas

(instructor), Lauren Ide, Mickie Powers, Hilary McVay

(instructor), Charles Burton, Eleanor Connerly, Sandi

Williams and Penny Cedel. Not Pictured: Helen Besse,

Susan Cassano, Mary Jo Powell and Cindy Nelson.

P A G E 3

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

(Con!nued Light Pollu!on from cover page)

Color Ma.ers

It is crucial to have fully shielded ligh!ng, but we now know that the color of light is also very important. Both LED and metal

halide fixtures contain large amounts of blue light in their spectrum. Because blue light brightens the night sky more than any

other color of light, it’s important to minimize the amount emi ed. Exposure to blue light at night has also been shown to

harm human health and endanger wildlife. IDA recommends using ligh!ng that has a color temperature of no more than 3000

Kelvins.

Ligh!ng with lower color temperatures has less blue in its spectrum and is referred to as being “warm.” Higher color tempera-

ture sources of light are rich in blue light. IDA recommends that only warm light sources be used for outdoor ligh!ng. This in-

cludes LPS, HPS and low-color-temperature LEDs. In some areas, the white light of even a low-color-temperature LED can be a

CHIEF ’ S CORNER S . M . F O R D , M P A

I hope everyone’s year is going well and that everyone has recovered from the holidays. With this month’s ar!cle, I want- to

update the community on some changes within the Department related to procedures and protocols, based on state and

na!onal legisla!ve changes, best prac!ces, or case law. Although these changes do not significantly impact the community

every day, I believe it is always be er to provide informa!on to those vested in the success of an organiza!on. We value the

community support for our Department and the transparency of our protocols and policies are an intricate part of maintain-

ing that support.

The police department is working to improve our emergency management response under the Na!onal Incident Manage-

ment System (NIMS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines. The Department will coordinate train-

ing for employees and City officials to ensure the consistent response to emergencies in the City.

Sunset Valley, and law enforcement agencies across the state are adap!ng to new state legisla!on related to racial profiling

repor!ng, open carry legaliza!on, and an increase in peace officer training and requirements. The racial profiling laws were

first established in the late 90’s, and con!nually change. The repor!ng process

changed to whom the informa!on is reported and what data is reported to the

State . Open Carry legisla!on is another legal movement that the law enforce-

ment agencies have quickly prepared and adapted. Within the past 4-5 months,

the Texas law enforcement communi!es have trained their officers and the

public on both expecta!ons and process. Finally, the regulatory commission

for Peace Officers changed many of the training requirements to acquire cer-

tain levels of licensing. More class instruc!on, commission regula!on, and en-

forcement inves!ga!ons were all part of the changes in 2015. Many of the

changes to a peace officer’s commission requirements were in response to na-

!onal changes on immigra!on and racial profiling statutes. The impact on local

law enforcement agencies is an increase in financial responsibility and !me allo-

ca!on for staffing related to training.

Na!onally, law enforcement agencies are adap!ng to new requirements regu-

la!ng and requiring the use of body cameras This topic is nothing new to the

Sunset Valley Police Department, as we have been effec!vely using body cam-

era technology since the City Council adopted the policy in 2013. At that !me,

there were three agencies in the Aus!n area using body worn cameras. Expec-

ta!ons since 2013 have quickly grown with the na!onal spotlight on incidents

related to the use of force between police and ci!zens. Technology changes in

equipment have assisted this agency in streamlining the camera systems, re-

cording ability, and overall efficiency of the program.

Prior to the use of body cameras, complaints on police officers were inves!gat-

ed which ul!mately led to a “he said, she said” scenario. These inves!ga!ons

were exhaus!ve for the Department and those directly involved in the inves!-

ga!on. With the implementa!on of the body worn cameras, we have seen an

increase in effec!ve and efficient conclusions of reported complaints, less !me

taken to inves!gate and a drama!c decrease in officer related complaints. The

body cameras allow for Officer professionalism to be on display during interac-

!ons with the public. Finally, in addi!on to using the video to either substan!-

ate or abrogate a complaint, supervisors are required to review videos week-

ly. This review has assisted the agency in gearing towards a more professional

approach to public service and self-corrected training.

As always, should anyone wish to speak to me, feel free to contact me via email

@ sford@sunsetvalley.org or call 512-892-1384, to schedule an appointment.

P A G E 4 T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

December 2015

Police Blotter

Abandoned Vehicle 1 Accidents 17 Alarms 19 Animal Related 5 Assault with Injury 1 Assist Others 48 Burglary of Vehicle 2 Community Policing 516 Criminal Mischief 1 Criminal Trespass 1 Disturbance/Other 4 Disorderly Conduct/Noise 2 DWI/PI/Drugs 3 DWLI 6 Failure to Stop/Provide Info. 1 Family Disturbance 1 Found Property 1 Nature Unknown 2 Open Door / Window 2 Reckless/Aggressive Driving 4 Robbery/Assault 1 Suspicious/Check Welfare 38 Thefts 13 Traffic Related 127 Violation of City Ord./Parking 21 Warrant Arrest 3 Criminal Investigation Unit (CID)

Action New Cases 12 Active Cases 71 Closed Case 7

P A G E 5 T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

T H E V A L L E Y N E W S L E T T E R

Tuesday, February 2nd 6:00 PM

City Council Meeting City Hall

Wednesday, February 3rd 6:00 P.M.

Community and Economic Development Committee Meeting City Hall

Thursday, February 4th 6:00 P.M.

Planning and Environmental Committee Meeting City Hall

Wednesday, February 10th 7:00 P.M.

Board of Adjustment (if needed) City Hall

Monday, February 15th City Offices Closed

Tuesday, February 16th 6:00 P.M.

City Council Meeting City Hall

Thursday, February 18th 6:00 P.M.

Arts Commission Meeting City Hall Conference Room

Thursday, February 18th 7:00 P.M.

Public Works Committee City Hall

Wednesday, February 24th 7:00 P.M.

Zoning Commission Meeting (if needed) City Hall

Thursday, February 25th 7:00 P.M.

Budget, Finance and Administrative Committee Meeting City Hall

Monday, February 29th 6:00 P.M.

Public Safety Committee City Hall

Meeting Dates and Time May Change.

Please check the City’s Website

SunsetValley.org for updates.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Women’s Self Defense Seminar

This is a free class (dona!ons accepted) hosted and located at the

Tradi!onal Mar!al Arts Academy in the Brodie Oaks Shopping Center

at 4220 South Lamar Blvd. Suite 400. Par!cipants must be at least 18

years old. For more informa!on please call (512)535-4404.

SATURDAY , MARCH 5TH 9:30 A.M. -Noon Sunset Valley City Hall, 3205 Jones Road FREE SPRING CLEANING GIFTS!!

Drought Tolerant Plants, Cleaning Supplies, Light bulbs and more!

City of Sunset Valley Newsletter 3205 Jones Road Sunset Valley, TX 78745

Board of Adjustment

Commi.ee Members

Robert Browning Alternates

Randall Rosengarten Wade Buckner

Jennifer Fadal Thomas Cedel

Richard Hayes Sandy Cox

Marshall McHone

************************************

Budget, Finance & Administra�ve

Commi.ee Members

Marc Bruner, Council Representa!ve

Rudi Rosengarten, Chair

John Bellanca, Vice Chair

Patricia Murphy

J.R. Esquivel

Michael Francis Melissa Gonzales, alternate

Ketan Kharod Wanda Reetz, alternate

************************************

Community & Economic

Development Commi.ee Members

Mickie Powers, Council Representa!ve, Chair

Karen Flournoy, Vice Chair

Penny Cedel Robert Reetz

Sandi Williams

************************************

Zoning Commission

Commi.ee Members

Robert Skewis, Chair

Miguel Huerta, Vice Chair Cynthia Nelson

Susan Durso John Frick

Bridget Robinson—alternate

Brant Boozer—alternate

Rose Cardona, Mayor

rcardona@sunetvalley.org

Jeff Burde., Mayor Pro tem

jburde @sunsetvalley.org

Marc Bruner Council Member

mbruner@sunsetvalley.org

Walter Jenkins, Council Member

wjenkins@sunsetvalley.org

Mickie Powers, Council Member

mpowers@sunsetvalley.org

Rudi Rosengarten, Council Member

rrosengarten@sunsetvalley.org

************************************

Arts Commission

Commi.ee Members

Walter Jenkins, Council Representa!ve

John Frick, Chair

Ma Young, Vice Chair

Karen Medicus, Secretary

James Hart

Erika Montero

Wanda Reetz

Sasha Russell

Be y Dunn- alternate

Kim Moncus—Honorary—SV Elementary

Planning & Environmental

Commi.ee Members

Walter Jenkins, Council Representa!ve,

Vice Chair

Helen Besse, Chair

Forrest Arnold

Terry Cowan

Edward Grimes

Lucy Hairston

Karen Medicus

Zoe Treiff

***********************************

Public Safety Commi.ee Members

Jeff Burde , Council Representa!ve, Chair

Art Williams, Vice Chair

Pam Bellanca

Rob Case

Ruth Dawson

Erwin Haddon

Ketan Kharod

Frank Williams

John Bellanca—alternate

***********************************

Public Works Commi.ee Members

Rudi Rosengarten, Council Representa!ve

Randy Machemehl, Chair

John Bellanca, Vice Chair

Mary Black

Melissa Gonzales

Walter Jenkins

Ken Schroeder

Richard Leigh —alternate