Photographs from Lost Creek's participation in Community Character in a Box exercise, part of Austin's CodeNEXT project.

1. Lost Creek Neighborhood
Photographs Taken for
CodeNEXT
Character in a Box Exercise
Paul Schumann
September 25, 2014

2. Community Character in a Box Project
Photographs and Workshop
Ann McCormick
Chuck McCormick
Wayne Whitney
Paul Schumann
Workshop
Deborah Castro
Barbara Gaston
Mathew Vaughn

3. Community Character in a Box
Workshop
● Two Maps of the Area
● Identify on the Maps (sticker and writing)
– Things that are assets (strengths)
– Things that are constraints (weaknesses)
– Opportunities for improvement (things that have potential)
● Follow-up with photographs that characterize the
neighborhood
● Turn all of that in to the City

4. Neighborhood Schools
● Having two public
schools just across
Loop 360 and a high
school a short
distance away are
real assets to the
community
● Not having a safe
way for students to
walk to a
neighborhood school
is a potential for
improvement

5. View
● The view of the city
from Loop 360 is an
asset
● The presence of power
lines along Loop 360 is
a potential for
improvement

6. Office Buildings
The office buildings on the
east side of Loop 360 fit
into the environment
better than any other
buildings near Lost Creek.
These are in the city of
West Lake Hills. Power
lines are still a distraction.

7. Lost Creek Commercial Area
● All are clustered around
the entrance
● Most fit reasonably well
into the environment
● One is way to large for
the environment
● Too high
● Required lawsuit to
control
● Changed some of its
use from office to
medical over
objections from
neighborhood

11. Entrance Into Lost Creek
● The entrance is an
asset
● Power lines are not
● Boulevard has been
improved since
these pictures
● Some recent
condominium
development is not
an asset

14. Condo Project
● The condo project was
approved even though
70 residents wrote
letters opposing it
● It has essentially zero
set back
● Not enough parking
● Commanding views of
residential neighbors
across the street
● Property is too small
for size of project
● Construction quality is
suspect

16. Sidewalks
● Sidewalks are an
asset
● Sidewalk stopping
before Loop 360 is not
● Lack of safe crossing
across and along
Loop 360 is not
● Not all neighborhood
sidewalks have been
completed

17. Vistas
● Vistas, hills and
curved roads are
assets
● Trees are an asset

29. Neighborhood Parks
● Neighborhood
parks are an
asset
● But we don't have
enough parkland
● We do have
access to
greenbelt

34. Greenbelt

37. MUD Building
● A well functioning
MUD is an asset
● MUD board room
and community
room is an asset

38. Housing
● Housing is an asset
● About 1,200 homes
● Wide variety of designs
● Quality construction
● Most 20 to 30 years old
● Average value
~$500,000
● Utilities under ground

59. Marshall Tract
● Largest potential (good
or bad)
● 37.4 acres undeveloped
● Zoned residential (SF2)
● Historical land
● Fronted on two sides by
residential
● Environmentally
sensitive
● Ecologically valuable
● Important cemetery
● Highest point in Lost
Creek (1003 ft)
● On Lost Creek Blvd near
entrance
● Planned PUD is not
compatible with Lost
Creek

66. CodeNEXT Project