WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF RECEIVING E-NOTICES?

  1. This organization-specific email address can be auto-forwarded to two or more people in the organization, providing an automatic back-up for the Primary Contact. If the Primary Contact is on vacation, for example, the other members who receive these forwarded emails will be able to take action, if needed.
  2. Emails are the easiest/fastest method for sharing news with others. No scanning or transcribing paper notices into an email for sharing - you can just forward it to your listserv, as-is. The ability to easily share City news within your organization may raise members' awareness and increase involvement in the organization.
  3. E-Notices will often arrive to your inbox before paper notice arrive to your mailbox, thus allowing more time to discuss and respond.

WHAT DOES PARTICIPATION ENTAIL?

Opting-in to receive E-Notices will require your group to have an "organization-specific" email address. This email address may be used to receive all official email communications on behalf of the organization; therefore we encourage all organizations to participate.

Once this email account is established and starts receiving E-Notices, the E-Notices can be forwarded to the entire organization's listserv, with or without additional comments from the forwarding individual.

TERMS & AGREEMENT

To receive E-Notices, the organization's representative must acknowledge the following by checking the "Opt-In" box:

WHAT KINDS OF CASES WILL BE INCLUDED?

For the pilot program, E-Notices will be sent for the following:

The subject line of each E-Notice will include the Case Type: "Subdivision"; "Site Plan"; "Zoning Variance". These case numbers begin with C8-, SP-, and C15-, respectively.

The body of the message will include a link to the case in the online permit database ("AMANDA") at www.austintexas.gov/devreview/index.jsp .

After evaluating this pilot program, additional case types may be added to the E-Notice process.

E-NOTICES WILL NOT REPLACE PAPER NOTIFICATIONS

E-Notices, in addition to mailed notices, will go out each time an application is received or a public hearing is scheduled for one of these land-development cases inside your organization's boundaries or within 500 feet of its boundaries.

The Comment Form and Site Map will remain part of the paper notice, but will not be included in the E-Notice. The E-Notices will not have attachments.

You may receive an "E-Notice of an Application Received" before the Case Manager receives the case file for that application. For that reason, please refer to the link in the E-Notice for the initial case information online before contacting the case manager.

CREATING THE E-NOTICE EMAIL ADDRESS

NOTE: If your organization already has an email address that will accomplish this purpose and you want to continue using it, you may proceed to Step #4

  1. You may use any service provider you choose. However, if you intend to forward E-Notices from this email address to others, be sure to investigate the auto-forwarding capabilities of your service provider. For example, Gmail provides free forwarding to multiple addresses, but some service providers do not.
  2. Examples of suggested formats, copied from current Community Registry records:

    - BlacklandNA@gmail.com
    - BalconesCivicAssociation@yahoo.com
    - GreatHills.HOA@gmail.com
    - MockingbirdHillNA@hotmail.com

  3. Once you have created the email account and auto-forwarding rules (if any) - or if you already have an email account that meets these standards - please read the remainder of these instructions and click OK to return to your Community Registry record.
  4. If you DO want to receive E-Notices, simply check the box next to "I understand how this will work and my organization wants to participate". This will pop up a field where you will enter your organization's email address to receive these E-Notices and other email communications.
  5. If you choose to NOT receive E-Notices, do not check the box.
  6. Continue entering or modifying the rest of your organization's record, making sure you click on SUBMIT at the end, so your edits will be saved.
  7. It will be your organization's responsibility to maintain the new email account.
  8. It will remain your organization's responsibility to maintain your Community Registry record, including updating the Primary and Secondary Contacts as new officers are elected, etc.
  9. If your organization needs to discuss "E-Notices" before opting-in, there is no hurry. This option will remain a part of the Community Registry update process, and you may opt-in at any time.
  10. If you are a contact person for more than one organization in the Community Registry, be sure you follow this process for each organization that wants to receive E-Notices.

OPTING OUT

If your organization does not wish to receive these email notifications, simply do not check the "Email Notification Opt-In" box.

If your organization opts in, but decides later to opt out, simply return to the update page www.austintexas.gov/neighborhoodservices and un-check the "Email Notification Opt-In" box.

You must click on "Submit" at the bottom of the page to save any changes made in your record.