Forest Creek Update (Austin: HOA, house, neighborhood)

[UKjay]

Does anyone have any additional information on the Forest Creek HOA issues? We are thinking of making an offer on a home in the old section of FC. The realtor is somewhat dismissive of the issue and my phone inquiry to the management company, well, uninformative.
Thanks for any info.

[jwb123]

Which specific issues?

I wouldn't tell you not to make an offer on a house here. At the heart of it, it's a great community, with an awesome neighborhood school, in a good location.

I don't think that any neighborhood is perfect, and right now our flaw is that our HOA carries some negative baggage. I anticipate, somehow, it will get worked out and with election of new members to the board - things will eventually change.

[UKjay]

Thanks Jenbar. Do you think the HOA "baggage" will clear up soon? We will probably make an offer on the house. Our kids & grandkids live in Forest Ridge and my husband loves the golf course.

[jwb123]

Do you think the HOA "baggage" will clear up soon?

We can only hope!! Honestly, I would think that it should - but that's not based on any specific info.

[UKjay]

Our offer was accepted and we close June 4, so Forest Creek will be our new abode.
Does Forest Creek recycle, and if so what items? We are moving back to the states after living overseas where recycling is mandatory (there are even "bin police") and we would like to continue. It really isn't much trouble to sort and recycle, just a habit that seems worth the time.

[jwb123]

Welcome!

We moved here from Seattle, and recycling is not mandatory there, but everyone does it. That was a big change for us here - Williamson county doesn't push it that much, and is picky on what they take. You will have a small bin, and they come on Tuesdays.

I think it's cans, #2 plastic and newspaper...

[Rose Red]

We take ours to the recycling center on Deepwood because they also take cans. You can also get free mulch which is great.

[UKjay]

We are in the UK and recycle everything we can, including green (garden) waste. Most people also have a food "bin" for recycling waste food (it goes to the borough compost).

What about glass? Surely they recycle glass!

Sigh. Everyone talks big about the environment, but no one seems to want to recycle. Really recycle, not just what's convenient or makes money. I guess it's because the US is so big it's just easier to bury everything.

[jwb123]

Sadly no, the home pick up does not currently include glass. They don't even have yard waste here (which, in Seattle, had it's own extra large bin!!)!! All of that just goes out with your regular trash pick up. It's odd, there are people here with bags upon bags of trash each pick up day piling up on the curb (there are 2 days of pick up, Tues and Fri) - but most don't recycle.

In Seattle (here I go comparing the place I came from to here) we had one trash pick up day with an average size can, one extra large recycling can for recycle day and they took just about everything - which was every other week, and one large yard waste can, which I think was also every other week in peak times. Once a month in winter.

There are places you can drive to, that will take your items - which seems, to me, counter-productive, with the emissions pollution you are creating to drive to the location, and back.

You can take your phone books, and other paper products (maybe? like newpaper, magazines) to the elementary school - and the school profits from it.

[Trainwreck20]

I suspect that the suburbs will start recycling more in the near future. Currently, Austin is switching from a small bin to a full size cart. I know that they recycle plastic except for 5 or 7, and pretty much any paper, cardboard, glass, or metal. Yard waste is picked up in biodegradable bags that you buy for ~$1 each? Not sure, we bought a bunch a year or so ago and don't use that many (mostly mulch in place instead). I think when the city is completely converted to carts from bins, then the recycle pick-up may drop to once every other week.

Anyway, if there is some ability to process all these materials, then I don't see why other areas don't/can't do it. I understand that it may not all be profitable, but it can't be that expensive, and the 'pay as you go' (i.e. the yard bags) would certainly offset the cost.