Austin Ranch Review - Yelp.com

Five years ago when I first moved into Austin Ranch I would have suggested it as a wonderful place to live for anyone moving into the area. Sadly, much of the care and "extras" that once abounded here are gone, especially in the north side due to the expansion of the south side. There are areas that have not been taken care of the way they once were. Resident activities, the brunches, the socials, jazz nights, movies nights, etc. have all but disappeared unless they are just not being promoted anymore. The pools are such an attraction that people will steal your access card, as mine was stolen. Now I can't use the gym, and it is $50 to replace the card! My building, and several other residents I know, have had severe leaks and water damage that has taken repair after repair to fix. My neighbor downstairs had crickets all over her new apartment when she moved in. Her carpet was not clean. There was paint on the blinds. The worst situation right now is the trash removal system.There are currently too many residents and too few trash areas. There are a few dumpsters around the property, and AR has done their best after some complaints to "hide" the dumpsters. When I first moved in, AR had curb-side pick-up. Then, for a year or so, all of the areas had curb-side except Phase I, my phase of course. I have heard from a maintenance man that all of the phases will no longer have curbside pick-up. What this means to me is that more people have to take their garbage out when it is convenient for them and annoying to me. Also, it creates a great deal of garbage setting out at trash deposit spots for an extended time, and with the skunks, coyotes, and the bob cat that live nearby it becomes a dangerous situation. I have seen all but the bob cat in my area! The dumpster by my building is a compactor, and is the largest dumpster on property. People come by and throw trash in at all times of the day and night, often waking me and my neighbors above and below. The compacting part is terribly loud and makes sleeping a nightmare, mornings annoying and afternoons relentless. When the dumpster removal truck picks up the dumpster and brings it back the task in extremely loud. After asking AR to remove the dumpster and relocate it to an area not so near residents I have been told that they can't move it. Even the dumpster company truck driver I talked to said his company had suggested to AR that they move the dumpster. I have been told that the dumpster will be shut off at night and not used until absolutely needed in the mornings, but so far, I am still be annoyed by this noisy, smelly, eyesore.

Austin Ranch Complaint

Austin Ranch:

To Whom It May Concern,

I have been a resident of Austin Ranch for five years. Upon first arriving here I was impressed by the way the grounds and gardens were cared for and the obvious care of the management for the residents. There were many resident events, and Austin Ranch felt more like a community than just a place to live. Over the last few years as progress has been made on the south side I have felt like the north side where I live has been somewhat neglected. In areas where plants used to thrive, after many storms and a bad slope, the area remains simply dirt. However, my main concerns have been the internal problems in my apartment created mainly by a water leak. I must thank Cassandra for her assistance, and more importantly, Chad Stone who oversaw the entire job on my apartment. His dedication helped make my apartment more live-able.

My biggest complaint though is definitely the compactor dumpster just outside my window. If I had seen it when I was shown my apartment I would not have taken this unit. Sadly, the original plans for this area placed a noisy, smelly and unsightly dumpster within feet of resident walls, with no thought to any resident dissatisfaction with the eyesore. Cassandra has taken steps to help me with the problems of ongoing noise, particularly in the early mornings and in the middle of the night by having the evening staff turn off the dumpster in the evenings and turn it on as late as possible in the mornings. This has helped with residents who dump their trash and push the compactor in the middle of the night. Yes, strangely, as I have learned, people throw away their garbage at all times of the day and night. It is particularly annoying when they open their car doors with music blasting with no thought about the residents sleeping within mere feet of the contraption.

This Sunday, like many Sunday mornings in the past, a crew consisting of several men, women, teenagers and more disturbingly, an infant daughter, began throwing out garbage at 8:39 AM. An Austin Ranch maintenance man came by to talk to me after I questioned the workers. He explained that they weren’t supposed to turn the dumpster on until 9:00 AM. He also explained that they were a third party hired by Austin Ranch. The crew looked very unprofessional, and made me feel that the area has really gone downhill as they carted furniture, cardboard boxes and other debris on their pick-up trucks. The people doing this work are often loud, blasting Tejano music, talking and laughing and usually waking me up or ruining my morning coffee on my patio as I listen to the clanging of trash and the growl of the compactor for hours at a time. This Sunday, the compactor ran almost non-stop for about three hours. I find Sunday morning absolutely inappropriate as a time for this work to be done. This work, should it be handled in this manner, should at least be handled during the work week, and not before 9:00 AM. Honestly, this compactor, since it is mobile, should be relocated to an area that will not affect any residents.

I was further dismayed, as was the other resident, Linda, whom I met outside while questioning the early morning practice, by the news from the workers that the recycle is simply thrown away. She and I both take measures to recycle as much as possible, and it is a real shame that this matter is not recycled. Residents have been asked to pay for special blue bags for this purpose. Not only was the recycle material being thrown away, but two dining room chairs and a cat scratching post were tossed into the compactor as well. A month or so ago, I saw them put in a headboard and push the compactor until it broke. There is a sign posted there expressly forbidding the disposal of furniture. You can only imagine the noise created. When they throw in the cans and beer bottles from the recycle, the clang I hear resonates all the way to my apartment. It has become intolerable.

I am asking that Austin Ranch take measures to move this mobile dumpster to another location. When it is picked up and dropped off there are loud beeps of the moving truck. Again, I hear the beeps when the device is returned as well as the thundering and apartment -shaking noise of the compactor being dropped back into place. Yes, my apartment shudders when this procedure takes place. An ideal situation would be to relocate this device, which mind you, has been having the compactor button pressed over and over for the duration of this composition by a similarly non Austin Ranch attired worker. If not, please consider disallowing this morning crew from working on weekend mornings. My HOME should be a place of relaxation for me on the weekends at least, and at present, my apartment is bombarded by this incessant noise.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Carter