Kestrel Landing Strip

Transcription

1 Kestrel Landing Strip Kestrel - In the beginning As we begin a new year, it seems a fitting time to consider how our little Kestrel community began. It s not like most other airparks. Anyone hoping to live in an airpark Before Kestrel generally has to look in the outskirts, or at a rough/short runway, or at apartment units above hangars. Kestrel is a rare find - nice homes, proximity to good schools, a major city and shopping nearby, good climate, and low taxes. Clearly someone had a vision in creating Kestrel Air Park. These 192 acres were originally owned by Scott Knowlton, son of V.K. Knowlton, founder of the multi-million dollar V.K. Knowlton Construction & Utilities, Inc. Scott is a vice-president in this sitepreparation company and wanted to develop his land into an airpark for both residential and commercial use. He shared his ideas with friends Jack Wallace, Casey Rubey, Peter Schwartz, and Corky Bell. Jack told Knowlton that the area planned for the runway was too steep for takeoffs and landings, that no more than a 2% grade was permissible. Refusing to have his dream denied, Knowlton had the hillside, at what is now the turnaround near the intersection of Stealth and Flightline, plowed to the other end of the field where a retention pond existed (the white area in the first picture). The resulting runway is the 1% grade that now exists from the highest point at the turnaround to the lowest point, or a 30-foot difference over the length of the 3,000-foot runway. Peter, Casey and Corky bought the 13 acres that became Unit 2, the commercial side of Kestrel. Jack bought the first residential lot, and was the first person to fly into the new airpark in his Cessna 310. Early pictures document the rural hillsides with runways, taxiways, and streets in place. Cessna 310 Above Dirt Runway Spring 2014 Volume 3, Issue 1 Reporter: Emily Sutter Design: Joyce Allen Inside this issue: Kestrel-In the beginning 1-2 Neighborhood News 3-6 Pet Personality 7 Developments 8-9 Calendar of Events 9 Have suggestions or items for the newsletter? Contact Emily Sutter Page 1

2 Kestrel - In the beginning (cont.) The By-Laws have been completely re-written and the Master Plan is undergoing change. Our boundaries have increased with the new easement and we re looking at adding a pavilion. Kestrel was and is a hot property. Here s to many great New Years Runway and Streets Built By the end of the 20th century (August, 1998), Knowlton had drawn up a Master Plan for how Kestrel was to operate. It was a plan borrowed from another airpark, and it did not come highly recommended. But it got the airpark off the ground (so to speak). Development occurred in the blink of an eye, but probably no feat for someone in the construction business. Over roughly a 2-year time span the airfield and streets were in place. Peter Schwartz s Jet Aviation and the first dozen houses followed. Knowlton s mansion at the top of Flightline hill was one of the first houses built. Houses in the Stealth, Creek Landing, and Navigation cul-de-sacs were next along with those currently owned by the Wilkes, Luthers, Speers, and McFarlanes. Many changes have occurred in the 15 years since our beginning. Of the approximately 100 lots in our residential Unit 1, about 2/3rds now contain homes. Our BOD has gone from 3 people (2 of them non-residents) to 5 residents. Kestrel Gets an Entry Flightline to Ahern Creek (Special thanks to Jack Wallace, Floyd and Brenda Wilkes for their pictures and memories.) Page 2

3 Neighborhood News The Kestrel holiday season started in high spirits at the Halloween party in Gary and Terresa Watson s beautiful backyard living area. Balmy weather made for a perfect trick or treat evening. Gail Digman s Social Committee outdid themselves with food planning and decorations. The Pennington haunted house was a masterpiece with children s shrieks heard all over the neighborhood. Costume prizes went to Klyne Ingram (Minnie Mouse Cheerleader), Jake Naughton (Zombie), friend of Jake Hooker, and Joey, Chas, and Charlie Whelan (SWAT family). Klyne Ingram Joey, Chas and Charlie Whelan Watson s Backyard Halloween Party Jake Nauhton, Lisa and Jake Hooker Southers Decorated Yard Claiborne s Door Christmas was celebrated with lights, decorations, and parties. Kestrel neighbors gathered to festoon our entrance with garlands and color, while yards and doors displayed the season s favorite symbols. Chas and Joey Whelan kicked off the holiday with a dinner party for all the Kestrel B u n c o B e l l e s a n d Bachelors. Carolers gathered at Vic and Connie White s to eat and make merry before and after their musical t o u r o f t h e neighborhood. Finally, 2014 was welcomed in traditional gatherings. These were just a few of the many, many parties and get-togethers with families and friends celebrating the joys and blessings of our lives. Page 3 Beswick s Door Tim and Gail Digman s Flying Santa Norm and Joan William s Polar Express

4 Neighborhood News (cont.) G r a c i n g t h e N o v e m b e r, cover of Professional Pilot magazine is our own J.B. Sutter along with the flight crew at MUY The company was featured in an article on corporate aviation. MUY is a franchisee of some n a t i o n a l l y branded restaurants across the USA, such as Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Wendy s. The crew flies mostly Hawker 800A and Citation 501 aircraft, and there are plans to add a longer-range jet to support additional travel requirements. J.B. Sutter First we have drought, then downpours. It makes for a true landscaping dilemma. Xeriscaping and drainage ditches must co-exist somehow. This is a particular challenge for the folks who live at the intersection of Flightline and Navigator Crossing where heavy rains come rushing down the surrounding hills to form an unexpected lake. Being responsible homeowners, the DeWinds, Beswicks, and Ben Hudspeth took it upon themselves to solve the problem. They have purchased and installed extensive drainage landscaping, and even received some free labor help from neighbor, Mike Foster. Let s hope this renovation does the trick. It s certainly a f i n e e x a m p l e o f neighborly cooperation KUDOS New Drainage The holiday season is traditionally a time for giving, although many of Kestrel s residents give of their time, talent, and money throughout the year. Among the many, we recognize both Nolan and Willie Blank for knitting caps for children with cancer. The Caps are delivered to many sites including h o s p i t a l s, R o n a l d McDonald House and states as far away as Ohio and California. The Willie and Nolan Blank Blanks invite others to join them in this work that brings smiles to children facing difficult times. Page 4 Terresa Watson and Barbara McFarlane both donate days every week to local food pantries, Barbara in Bulverde and Terresa to the Hope Center on Hwy 281 N. The food pantries report an increase in needy families because of the federal cutbacks in food stamps and benefits. However, educational programs are being i n s t i t u t e d t o h e l p families learn about b u d g e t i n g a n d stretching food dollars. Terresa Watson and Barbara McFarlane

5 Neighborhood News (cont.) Despite a newly replaced knee, BOD Landscape Committee Chair, Misty Blocker, has been very active. Not only did she coordinate the Christmas decorating at the main gate, but during the fall Clean-Up Day she directed and assisted neighbors replacing rocks that had been washed out by the heavy Halloween rain. Misty can often be spotted working alone to tame the bushes along the entrance. Way to go, Misty The entrance really looks nice Misty Blocker Allen s help take down Christmas lights The Kestrel committee charged with drafting amendments to our Master Plan is beginning its work. The Master Plan, available for review on the Kestrel website, governs Kestrel s operations. The major goals of a revised Master Plan involve making the document comply with current law, be readable, provide for resident consensus in policy development, and contain only the minimal governance essential to competent operation. Membership on this committee continues to be invited and anyone interested should contact the committee chair, Wade Lively. Mark your calendars for another Kestrel yard sale - Saturday April 5, from 8 AM to 1 PM. Clean out your clutter and make some money As you begin your spring-cleaning, identify items that you no longer use and drop them in a few storage bins or bags. That way when April comes, you ll have items all ready to mark for the sale. Consider pooling your items with neighbors closer to the entrance. Big collections draw more customers. Terresa Watson is coordinating this year s event should you have any questions. We re getting a new post office. But don t hold your breath. It may be 6 months before a decision is made about the location. On January 9, the US Postal Service sent a representative from its Dallas office to address the public at our local library. The representative said the postal service was looking for an existing building, about 6,000 to 8,000 square feet, on no less than about 2 acres of land, north of Hwy 46, in Spring Branch. They don t plan to combine with the Bulverde Post Office, although they don t rule this out, either. It may take 6 months to review all the options and comply with public notices and comment periods. If building is required, this time frame will be longer. Page 5

6 Neighborhood News (cont.) K e s t r e l s Board of Directors ( B O D ) m e t Thursday night, January 16, and discussed a number of interesting topics. Doug Hooker has been looking into pavilion options and will present his findings at the April POA meeting. The speed bumps/humps concern is being thoroughly investigated from cost, effectiveness, and design points of view. This matter also will be brought to POA members in April. There have been continuing discussions about a 2nd entrance gate that would offer added security to Unit 1, the runway and the commercial operations at night. Unit 2 has approached our BOD with a proposal to completely pay for the 2nd gate and ongoing maintenance. Our clickers and codes will operate this second gate in synchrony with our present gate. This, too, will be addressed at the April meeting. On a new note, Misty Blocker, who coordinates the Christmas decorations at the entrance, is proposing the formation of a committee that will explore and possibly conduct the delivery of Christmas decorating assistance to Kestrel residents who might need extra help because of mobility or strength or balancing challenges. Those interested in exploring this new volunteer service please Misty at her Kestrel Directory address. Exotic travel this year was taken by at least two of our neighbors. Ed and Rhonda Dhalke traveled to Croatia Italy, the Dolomite Mountains that border Italy and Austria, and several spots in Greece including the Acropolis. Ed and Rhonda Dhalke on the way to the Dolomites and at the Acropolis Maaisi Mara Safari in Kenya Cliff and Barbara McFarlane were invited to a wedding in Kenya and took an African safari on the way, getting up close and personal with s o m e o f A f r i c a s magnificent animals. In August they cruised to Alaska, and enjoyed viewing the beautiful backcountry. Page 6 Cliff and Barbara McFarlane in Alaska

7 Pet Personality - Kestrel s Kestrels We should b e s e e i n g i n c r e a s i n g numbers of our namesake bird soon. Kestrels migrate south in winter and breed around March. Then again, maybe we won t see them. They t e n d t o b e solitary creatures most of the year and are seen perched on power lines or hovering like helicopters above open fields, neither of which are plentiful in Kestrel. The best place to spot them is probably down by our entrance. What do we really know about these little predators and why are we named after them? The Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America. The males average 8 inches long and weigh about 3 oz. Females are slightly larger. They have short legs and toes, pointed wings and a little curved beak. Sometimes called Sparrow Hawk because of their small size, they are also nicknamed Grasshopper Hawk reflecting their diet. Preferred foods are grasshoppers, lizards, insects, and small rodents. When hunting, the Kestrel takes a position high above ground where it can spot prey with it s acute eyesight, then make a swift dive. Its flight is characteristically light and bouncy with lots of hovering. Its tail is often fanned out in flight. Its calls resemble a high-pitched screeching like a seabird. Kestrels are cavity nesters. They prefer cliffs or big trees but have adapted to nest boxes as well. Smart birds, they tend to hang around where there is plenty of food and are in no danger of extinction. Some Kestrels are used in falconry, although larger birds are usually preferred for this sport. Why are we named after the Kestrel? Naming credits belong to Peter Schwartz, an aeronautical engineer and one of the original owners of Unit 2. Peter convinced the other original owners, including Scott Knowlton, owner of Unit 1, that his (Peter s) favorite bird, the Kestrel, was the perfect name for our little air park. Peter, an avid birder and Audubon Society member, loved the Kestrel for its beautiful plumage and its feisty nature. He died in 2009, but his widow, Elizabeth, proudly displays in their home a statue and a painting of the Kestrel given to Peter in recognition of his love for this fascinating bird. Thank you, Peter, we are aptly named Page 7

8 Developments If you build it they will come Apparently everyone wants to live in the hill country. Families are moving steadily north of San Antonio. They re coming, and developers are platting new communities with more gusto than kids with candy. Take a gander at what s headed this way: Johnson Ranch. You can t miss this one. It s huge. Construction of one of its main roads just north of FM 1863, on the east side U.S. 281 has been going on for months. Johnson Ranch is a 767- a c r e m i x e d - c o m m u n i t y development that will eventually contain 955 homes. Developing this project is DH Investment Co., the same group responsible for the 8,700-acre Cordillera Ranch on Texas 46 near Boerne. Reportedly, a quarter of Johnson Ranch is reserved for parks, trails, and open spaces for residents and another 100 acres will be commercial and retail space. Some 70 homes around Johnson Elementary School are already underway and 160 acres in the southern quarter of the tract come next. Diamante Ranch. Next to Johnson Ranch on Stahl Lane l i e a c r e s w h e r e preliminary plans call for a subdivision of about 342 homes. Home-sites will be about 1/5 of an acre each. W h i l e t h e p l a n n e d development complies with Bulverde regulations concerning water retention and drainage, the city has no authority over the planned density of the project. Park Village. About 7 miles west on Hwy Blanco Rd., some 277 acres are being turned into a 647 cluster-style single-home development called Park Village. Homes will range between $250,000 and $400,000. While plans are still preliminary, any denser development is apparently prohibited by the amount of water serving the area. Of note is that Blanco Rd. probably offers a better commute into town for these residents than coming across to 281. Kinder Ranch, Willis Ranch and Cibolo Creek Estates. In the vast acreage northwest of the intersection of Borgfeld and Bulverde Roads lie Willis Ranch a n d i t s a d j o i n i n g Kinder Ranch. The Willis Ranch website describes it as an incredibly affordable enclave for 320 families on 52 lots. Kinder Ranch covers 1000 acres from Borgfeld north to Cibolo Creek. Its site plan shows several phases of development but gives no idea of the number of homes planned. Cibolo Creek Estates is a ranch that is being divided into ten-acre parcels basically configured in a row along a north south access road off of Amman Rd. Page 8

9 Developments (cont.) Singing Hills. L e t t h e adventure begin In early January, , C o m a l County approved D J L s l o n g awaited tax abatement arrangement for Singing Hills and construction followed immediately. Previous newsletters have extensively covered this 250-acre commercial & residential development slated for Kestrel s southern border (see We re now seeing the yellow machines clearing the hillsides in preparation for the roads through the development. At the January 14 meeting of the Bulverde City Council, DJL, owners of Singing Hills, unveiled a landscaping tree plan for the commercial side of the build. It s very upscale, comes highly recommended, and is designed to create a hill country atmosphere to the commercial area. The City Council hopes this will set the standard for other developments in the area. Another item on the City Council agenda was a presentation by Palladium (USA) International, Inc. to build the multi-family unit in Singing Hills. In a nutshell, the first phase will be an 80 unit building located between the commercial and residential areas (near our entrance). It's going to be mostly for "diversified income" residents with rent slightly below market rate. Palladium is well reputed and has a good track record with its other housing developments. The company stays and manages the buildings as opposed to selling them off or "flipping" them. And they "vet" or screen residents from age 13 up for criminal records. Is Walmart the anchor store? While still unannounced officially, Walmart is mentioned by both Bulverde and Comal County in other Singing Hills negotiations so the likelihood of Walmart being the anchor store seems high. Whataburger and Cracker Barrel may also be appearing. Once the commercial area is developed, the residential side will be the focus. Kestrel s participation in the buffer fencing decisions is anticipated to take place in a few months, once the residential portion of Singing Hills gets underway. Kestrel POA members are invited to send questions or comments about Singing Hills to Emily Sutter (for the newsletter) or Mari Brown (for the Board of Directors). Contact information is in the Kestrel Directory. We plan to keep you informed and involved. Calendar of Events Date/Time Description Location Sat. Feb. 15 POA Dues Due Barbara s Bookkeeping or POA Mon. Fri. March Spring Break Comal ISD Thurs. April 3, 6:00 PM BOD meeting Mari Brown (121 Creek Landing) Sat. April 5, 8 AM-1 PM Yard Sale Kestrel Driveways Sat. April 26, 10:30 AM POA Meeting Bulverde/Spring Branch Library Page 9