February 2001

Beautification plans for spring are laid out in detail by new committee chair Barbara McAlister. Initial emphasis will be on maintaining what's already in place. Page 2. Members are urged to invite new families into NHHA. Brisk home sales bring new neighbors who need to know benefits of membership. See page 2. Home sales in our neighborhoods keep going strong. Cris Murrey's real estate update appears on page 3. Albertsons is coming after all, as plan for old Holly Tree property gets back on track. NHHA president Fred Williams reports on meeting with developer of shopping center planned for northwest corner of Spring Valley and Coit. Page 3. Clip and save dates of bulk trash pick-up for balance of 2001. This could save you big bucks in city fines. Story on page 4.

President's Message By Fred Williams Our Annual Meeting was held Monday evening, January 29, 2001, at Northwood Hills Elementary School. A big thank you to Dr. Everett Williams for making his school such a focal point of our community. About 125 people attended to hear reports on how we did in 2000 and what our plans are for this year. Our Treasurer presented the results of 2000 and the budget for 2001. Read all about it on page 7. Equally important was the election of Board Members for coming years and recognition of those out-going who served so well. Allen Rudy, representing Area 5, was re-elected to another two-year term. Barbara McAlister was elected a new Board Member from Area 3, as was Jack Wahlquist from Area 2. Mark Carlton was elected for a two-year term as Member-At-Large. The Board has chosen to increase its size from seven to nine members, and now has eight. Valerie Collins received special recognition for her excellent service as Board Member and beautification chairperson. More than 300 member homes now get regular crime activity and other important neighborhood alerts via e-mail. If you aren't among them, sign up here on the website.. Attendees responded with enthusiasm to the idea of holding two or more town hall-type meetings during the coming year. An article appears inside on how you can participate in this activity. All told, 2000 was a good year, but we need your help to make 2001 even better. Please read and make use of the application inside to enlist new members in your area. A strong, growing association benefits us all!

Beautification report ...

Priority #1 for Spring 2001: take care of what's there

Before launching any new projects, my first duty as Chairperson for Beautification was getting acquainted with installations already in place. I discovered that the long, dry summer -- compounded by sprinkler system problems -- had taken its toll. We have done much-needed thinning, trimming and cleaning up of plantings on Meadowcreek east and west and Meandering Way from Belt Line to Cliffbrook. We replaced 73 plants and a great deal of Asian jasmine ground cover that was totally wiped out.

In addition, we made a substantial contribution to the group headed by Bruce Jamieson that maintains the beautiful entrance at Elmridge and Hillcrest.

More recently we launched a total clean-up of medians on Spring Valley between Hillcrest and Coit Road.These had become quite unsightly. All crape myrtles have been trimmed, and three large dead magnolias removed along with eight clumps of shabby, trash-littered shrubs.

Presently we're planning at least two new Northwood Hills entrance markers at Hillcrest-Spring Valley and Belt Line at Meandering Way. They will be similar in design to those on Meadowcreek.

Long-term, we visualize trees in our medians and more Northwood Hills markers at key neighborhood entrances. All of this depends on you and the new members we can generate. Your ideas, comments, and suggestions are invited and will be greatly appreciated.

Specifically, it would be a great help if you would keep an eye out for problems like broken sprinkler heads or dying plants in the currently landscaped areas, and call me (972-387-8994) to report such things. Thanks -- and have a beautiful spring!

Tell neighbors new and old about benefits of NHHA

About half of the homes in Northwood Hills are members of NHHA. We see this as a glass half full, and we need your help to fill it up. Talk to your neighbors. Welcome new families moving in. Invite them all to join us in making our great neighborhood an even better place to live.

Use this handy membership form:

BE A LITTER-GITTER!

ADOPT YOUR BLOCK AND KEEP IT LITTER-FREE.

Added hours prove timely …

New daytime hours for NHHA Patrol fit members' needs

You may have read in our last newsletter that NHHA Patrol was adding five week days of five daytime hours beginning in November, 2000. That very month, a series of daytime break-in burglaries took place in multiple locations throughout central Northwood Hills. Our own Patrol leader, Sergeant Frank Rivera, along with plain-clothes detectives called in on the case, tracked down and arrested the prime suspect in early December.

It may surprise many to learn that 44% of all the crimes reported in the DPD North Central Division take place on week days between the hours of 7am and 7pm. This is largely attributed to homeowners being away at work during the day.

Developing good security habits is essential, and one of the best is to keep your garage door down and locked at all times, day and night. Another is to advise NHHA Patrol when you are going to be away from home on a trip or vacation, giving them your address, dates, and a local telephone number of someone who can act for you in an emergency.

This special surveillance service and other Patrol benefits are available only to members of NHHA. In his closing remarks at our January meeting, Sgt. Rivera urged members to call NHHA Patrol to report suspicious activities such as strange vehicles cruising, or someone trying your neighbor's doors.

For families and folks of all ages …

Programs at Fretz Park Rec Center include new raves, old faves

There's something for everyone this year at Fretz Park Recreation Center. Come by for Winter/Spring Program brochure at the Center -- or call us at 214-670-6203.

NEW PROGRAMS

Basic Automotive Skills for Women

April 12-26, Thurs. 7-8pm, ages 16+, cost: $27 for three weeks.

Beginning & Intermediate Spanish

Thurs. 7-8pm beginners, 8-9pm intermed. Ages 18+, $80+books/12 weeks. Register with Maria Luisa Garth 972-991-5731.

Build Your Own Radio

Feb. 22-Mar.8,Thurs. 6-7pm, ages 8-14, cost: $7 plus supplies.

New Dads Class

May 1-22, Tues.12n-1:30pm, ages 18+, cost: $28 for four weeks.

Skyhawks Minihawk Class

Mar.26-Apr.16, Mon. 4-5pm, ages 4-7, soccer, baseball, basketball. Cost: $30 for four weeks. Call Fretz to register.

Skyhawks Soccer Class

Mar.26-Apr.16, Mon. 5:15-6:15pm, ages 7-12. Teach basics of soccer. Cost $30 for four weeks. Call Fretz to register.

OLD FAVORITES

Little Ballers Basketball League

Begins Mar.27, boys/girls 5-7, $12 each.

Biddy Basketball League

Begins Apr.11, boys/girls 8-12, $15 each.

Spring Break Discovery Camp

March 12-16, Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5:30pm, ages 7-14, cost: $110 for the week.

Albertsons project back on track …

Will this be a happy ending to Holly Tree saga? Stay tuned.

Last year I reported to you that plans for an expanded shopping center at the northwest corner of Coit and Spring Valley, anchored by a major Albertsons store, had been put on hold and appeared in danger of being abandoned. I'm happy now to tell you the project is back on track.

Groundbreaking on the 20-acre site that once included the notorious Holly Tree apartment complex is scheduled for early summer.

This good news was revealed at a meeting of developers, architects and concerned citizens which I attended with Sandy Greyson, our District 12 Dallas City Councilwoman. CenterAmerica Property Trust will own and manage the development, which will include redesign of Sunnyland Furniture and adjoining retail shops. Albertsons is planning a really big store -- 63,000+ square feet.

The CenterAmerica firm specializes in redevelopment of neighborhood retail centers, and currently manages over two million square feet of such property in the Metroplex. You can visit an example of their work at Webb Royal Plaza shopping center, Royal Lane at Webb Chapel. Callaway Architects of Dallas will design the new project.

I expect we will all be happy with the new look given this old problem site next to our neighborhood. Look for future reports as new tenants sign on for space.

Northwood Hills real estate report…

73 homes sold last year averaged just 44 days on market

Home buyers found our neighborhood highly desirable in 2000. Average number of days on the market for the 73 homes sold was 44, compared with 88 days just two years ago in 1998. Average sales price was $376,841; average price per square foot $103.71. These numbers compare with $331,651 and $90.86 for 1998. Details of transactions are as follows:

The above information is from the Greater Dallas Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.

When new neighbors move in near you, please inform Jack Wahlquist.

About that bulk trash…

If you don't get it by now, you may get fined up to $200!

I made a point to drive our neighborhood the last week of January and was frankly dumbfounded by the amount of bulk trash in front of homes more than two weeks before it is permitted to be at curbside. Putting bulk trash out early is a violation of City Code. You can be fined as much as $200 per violation. And besides, it's ugly. So, the following paragraphs are important enough to clip and save.

The City of Dallas has decreed that bulk trash pick-up for all of Northwood Hills will be done during the week of the second Monday of each month. Further, it is a violation to place your bulk trash at curbside sooner than the Thursday before the second Monday of the month. Here are pick-up dates for coming months in 2001:

3. March 12
4. April 9
5. May 14
6. June 11
7. July 9
8. August 13
9. September 10
10. October 8
11. November 12
12. December 10

Thanks for your compliance!

Webmaster's note: this is also shown on the rolling quarterly NHHA calendar.

Give us your input…

Help us pick top priority issues for town hall meeting

Should we call it a "neighborhood hall" instead of a town hall meeting? That's essentially what you asked for at our January membership gathering. The purpose is to get city leaders to answer questions about issues of specific concern to Northwood Hills homeowners.

The first such meeting will be held this spring at Northwood Hills Elementary School on Monday, April 23rd a date yet to be determined. We'd like to ask our two City Councilpersons, Sandy Greyson and Lois Finkelman to be with us. Another likely participant would be Deputy Chief McClain from North Central DPD. But we want you to decide what issues should be addressed and who else should address them. Are you most concerned about crime, traffic, taxes, city government, streets and alleyways, or what? Your choice of issues will dictate our choice of city leaders to invite. So send us your ideas -- by using the form below, or via our NHHA NeighborLine.

webmaster note: the printed version of this newsletter includes several pages of advertisements. The NHHA Board voted not to include those advertisements here on the website.

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