Healthy Waterways / Storm Water Pollution Prevention
Date posted: 1/10/2012 link
Now that the leaves are falling and we are actually getting some rain, it is time to think about how we, as residents of the Ranch at Cypress Creek, can ensure our waterways stay clean, healthy and pollutant free. We need to understand how to control our storm water runoff. Storm water comes from the precipitation that flows across the ground or pavement when it rains. The water flows into our storm drains; these are the drains that you see at street corners or low points on the sides of your streets.
Up to 70% of the pollution in our streams and waterways is carried there by storm water and about half of the pollution that storm water carries comes from things we do in our yards and gardens. Storm water is not treated before being discharged into our surrounding water bodies.
You can help protect our water by understanding how you may be contributing and how you can help prevent pollution.
- Do not blow leaves or grass clippings off your property into the street. This debris can clog culverts and storm water drains causing flooding. Piles of leaves and grass clippings will overload a stream’s ability to process leaf litter, causing nutrient pollution and oxygen depletion.
- Properly dispose of harmful chemicals such as motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides and herbicides. Chemicals can harm fish and other aquatic wildlife, kill native vegetation, and destroy aquatic habitats.
The M.U.D. is working hard to communicate storm water pollution prevention. They have placed stickers on all the neighborhood storm drains to educate the public about where the water on their streets drains to.
Learn more about the M.U.D.’s storm water program here.
Wilco Declaration of Disaster Terminated - July 19 Burn Order Still In Effect
Date posted: 9/9/2011 link
Update: 10/18/11 - the burn ban has been extended for another 90 days
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Williamson County Judge Dan Gattis has lifted the declaration of disaster for that county based on improved weather conditions (no Red Flag Warning posted or forecast).
The Burn Ban Order of July 19 is now back in effect. This prohibits outdoor burning outside of an enclosure which contains all flames and/or sparks. For most people, the key difference is that outdoor cooking or grilling using a fully contained grill with sides and a top is now permitted.
The full news release from Williamson County is available on their website.
Emergency Preparedness Information
Date posted: 9/8/2011 link
The Capital Area Council of Governments has an emergency alert system that will notify you via telephone if there is an emergency in your area. You can find all of the information and instructions for signing up at http://wireless.capcog.org/ENS/Intro.aspx.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has published an excellent checklist for stocking a "grab and go" bag in case an evacuation is necessary: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/releases/20110906.shtm.
Wildfire Safety Precautions from Texas DPS
Date posted: 9/6/2011 link
The Texas Department of Public Safety has published some great information that all residents should take to heart in the emergency wildfire conditions that we are experiencing.
They point out that 80% of wildfires occur within two miles of residential neighborhoods and suburbs. The recent Bois d'Arc, Moonglow, and Steiner Ranch fires are examples of how residential areas can be involved very quickly. Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the DPS's information.
Mandatory Stage 2 Water Restrictions Begin August 25!
Date posted: 8/24/2011 link
Effective Thursday, August 25*, and continuing until further notice, the City of Cedar Park and Ranch at Cypress Creek MUD will be in Stage 2 of the Drought Contingency Plan, which calls for mandatory compliance with this watering schedule for residential customers:
- even-numbered street addresses: Thursday and Sunday
- odd-numbered street addresses: Wednesday and Saturday
Residents are prohibited from watering between the hours of 10 AM and 7 PM.
Commercial watering is permitted on Tuesday and Friday.
Under the provisions of its water supply contract with the City of Cedar Park, the District is required, at a minimum, to establish for its residents any voluntary or mandatory restrictions established by the City for its customers.
Stage 2 also imposes additional restrictions on non-essential water use. The following are excerpted for your information:
- Washing vehicles is prohibited except on designated watering days
- Operation of ponds and fountains is prohibited
- Washing sidewalks or allowing water to run off property is prohibited
The City has also confirmed the following exception:
Customers may water if using a handheld hose with a positive pistol grip nozzle or other device which automatically shuts off water flow at any time, on any day.
The complete list of restrictions can be found in this document from the City of Cedar Park.
* The City originally announced August 22 and then August 29 as the beginning of Stage 2, but has now changed the effective date to August 25.
Burn Ban Information
Date posted: 5/4/2011 link
Update: The Williamson County Commissioners Court approved extending the burn ban for another 30 days for all of Williamson County beginning June 21, 2011.
Update: On Tuesday, June 7, the Williamson County Commissioners Court approved an order prohibiting the sale and use of restricted fireworks in unincorporated areas of the county. You can read the news release from Williamson County here: http://www.wilco.org/Default.aspx?tabid=36&EntryID=877
The Williamson County Commissioners Court has extended the burn ban for all of Williamson County through June 24, 2011.
Things to remember:
- Burn ban violators are subject to fines up to $2000 in Williamson County.
- Residents are urged to IMMEDIATELY report violators to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department.
- If you see smoke or fire, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. Do not waste valuable response time by attempting to investigate the source before calling emergency responders.
- Citizens are urged to register their cell phone number(s) with the City of Cedar Park's Emergency Notification System (go to the Cedar Park Office of Emergency Management website then follow the "Cedar Park ALERT" link in their menu bar).
You can read more about the burn ban and information regarding wildfire preparedness on the part of every resident at these links to
the Williamson County website:
Protect your Trees and Property Values from Oak Wilt
Date posted: 2/1/2011 link
Oak Wilt has unfortunately been detected within the Ranch at Cypress Creek. The M.U.D. has worked
very hard to control this outbreak in the common areas; however, we must all work together to keep this aggressive
disease at bay. Trees not only provide shade to our properties, but they provide beauty and value to our neighborhood.
If you have discovered that any of your trees have Oak Wilt, please contact the Austin branch of the Texas Forest Service at
(512) 339-4118 or Texas Forest Services Headquarters at (979) 458-6650 by phone or by email.
Protect the value of your property by learning about Oak Wilt, and become aware of the ways to detect, correct and stop the spread of this terrible blight.
The following tips are recommended by the Texas Forest Service - prevention is the key. Remember:
- Do NOT prune oaks from February through June. This is the Oak Wilt carrier beetle’s peak season.
- Immediately paint cuts or wounds on oaks, regardless of season, to help prevent the bark beetle from spreading the disease
through the pruned surface of a tree. It is strongly recommended that you employ only certified arborists to prune your valuable oaks.
For more information please refer to the following:
Amenities to the District Residents
Date posted: 1/1/2010 link
As a part of our Fire Contract, all residents of the District
are able to use the City of Cedar Park library and parks and recreational facilities
and programs for the same rates as residents of the City!
City of Cedar Park links:
Property Tax Exemptions
Date posted: 1/1/2010 link
The District allows $15,000 of your property's appraised
value to be exempted from property taxes assessed by the District if you
are over 65 or disabled. To qualify for this exemption, please file an
application with the Appraisal District for the county in which you own
property. This form must be filed by April 30 or within one year of the
date you became qualified for the exemption. Please see the appropriate
application form for additional information:
Fences and Columns
Date posted: 1/1/2010 link
The concrete fence and columns along Cypress Creek Rd,
Anderson Mill Rd, Zeppelin Dr, Sunchase Blvd, and adjacent to the Austin
Community College campus are the property of the Ranch at Cypress Creek
Municipal Utility District No 1 (the "District"). Any removal of
the fence or columns to allow access to private property must be done
by the District. Please contact one
of your board members if you need to arrange to have work done.
Please do not do any work involving the fence or columns yourself.