Have stuff? Want stuff?

Oak Hills is having a Multi-Family Garage/Yard Sale!

DATES: Friday and Saturday, October 21-22, 2022

TIME: 9am – 5pm (most locations)

Garage/Yard Sale FAQs

1. Can more homes be added to the community Yard sale?

The more the merrier. As this is our first event we are asking all homes to secure their own permit. A quick way to do this before the event is at your local HEB. More info here https://www.heb.com/static-page/licenses-and-permits or the official city page has more details on hosting a garage sale here https://www.sanantonio.gov/CES/Permits-Licenses/Residential

If you miss the chance to get a permit by this weekend please email myoakhills29@gmail.com to be included in future multi-family garage sale event planning.

2. Where will garage sales be hosted?

Various homes along both sides of Callaghan are participating. Look for yard signs this weekend to guide you!

3. What forms of payment are accepted?

This may vary by home. Assume cash is widely accepted but each garage sale participant may offer check or electronic payment options.

We look forward to seeing our neighbors at the sale!

The Oak Hills neighborhood was initially developed in the mid-1950s by V.F. Buchek and Associates on 170 acres of the T. C. Frost ranch. The neighborhood is divided into units bounded by Fredericksburg Rd./Babcock Rd./Callaghan Rd./Oak Hills Country Club/ N.W. Loop 410. The plats recorded for each subdivision unit include covenants and restrictions for building and development on each of the respective lots.

Oak Hills covenants are continually in effect unless a majority of owners of recorded lots agree to change them in whole or in part. Covenants are enforced by the filing a proceeding in court to restrain the violation of applicable covenants.

Some of the covenants and restrictions common to all lots within the Oak Hills subdivisions include:

• Only single family residential homes may be built on any lot
• No temporary residence (trailer or outbuilding used as a residence) is permitted on any lot;
• Homes must be at least 75% to 90% masonry construction (varies by unit)
• Minimum main residence floor space square footage requirements;
• Building setback requirements;
• Driveways must be surfaced with concrete, asphalt or similar material;
• Activity that is noxious, offensive and generally a nuisance is prohibited;
• Restrictions on walls or fences between the front line of the residence and street

The covenant dealing with the construction of fences has become somewhat controversial in recent years. Often, new homeowners are not aware that there are restrictions on fences. If the homeowner ignores a notice that a fence is out of compliance with covenants, it is then up to neighbors and OHCA to take legal action. This can be expensive all parties involved.

A question before the OHCA Board of Directors is: To what extent do Oak Hills residents feel strongly that covenants, particularly those dealing with fences, should be enforced? We want to know how YOU feel.

Survey available here

Detailed Summary of Oak Hills Covenants Here

Bernice and I moved into the neighborhood at the beginning of last year. We loved the architecture and the winding streets, the beautiful trees and our lovely park and the stunning views of downtown just around the corner from our new home.  What we could not know before was that the warmth and sense of community shared by our wonderful neighbors is by far the most valuable aspect of Oak Hills.

One night a few months after we moved is an example of this:

You may remember there was a terrible storm that knocked out the power in the neighborhood. There was a tornado warning, so we grabbed our dog and cat and bottle of wine (priorities) and retreated to our downstairs room to wait out the weather. Sitting there in the dark with the wind howling and mobile phones sounding the weather alerts, we got a text message from our new friend, Megan Kromer, asking if we were alright. We spent the next 20 minutes messaging back and forth until the danger had passed but meanwhile, Megan, with her characteristic humor had made the tornado watch an enjoyable event! However, if we had been less lucky or had needed help we had a neighbor right there with us. And the Kromers had us too, if we had been needed.

As your incoming Safety and Security Officer for the OHCA, my hope is that we can continue to grow this sense of shared responsibility as caring for one another will be our most powerful tool in promoting a safe neighborhood for all of us. In the coming weeks, I hope to begin by simply following and expanding on the work of our new OHCA President, Phillip Baker, as well as starting a conversation with the rest of you who may have ideas as to how we ensure the safety and security of homes and families.  Here are just a few of the brainstorms/possibilities I have had as well as some work that is already being done:

• City cooperation: The indefatigable Wendy Long has already initiated talks with the city to conduct a traffic study to explore ways we might limit speeders and nuisance cut-through drivers. Along with speeders, there is a possibility we could find ways to deter property crime. There are a number of strategies that could be suggested as the bureaucratic process continues, your input will be valuable and needed so that we can all decide  together how best to proceed.
• OHCA stickers for cars. Many of the comments on Next Door related to Safety have to do with suspicious vehicles. Let’s promote the use of stickers, so that we know which cars belong here and which are passing through.
• Garage Clean-Out Day.  A significant portion of property crime in the area has been opportunistic thieves going through cars in driveways. Of course, for many it may not be possible to put all vehicles inside. And, for many of us garages are being utilized more for storage than parking areas (The Bonner’s for example).  Maybe we could work together as a neighborhood, along with local student leadership organizations (Jefferson, Marshall in return for donations/food) and do a neighborhood-wide Garage Clean-Out/Donation day?
• OHCA discounts for alarm installation/service.
• Expanding, re-starting Neighborhood on Patrol.
• Regular meetings with interested neighbors who would like to volunteer their time and energy to making our neighborhood safer than it already is!
• Meeting our 5 closest neighbors (the two on each side and three across the street) and partnering with them to keep an eye out together. Credit to Lance Leone on this one.

In the coming weeks, I hope to begin by simply following and expanding on the work of our new OHCA President, Phillip Baker, as well as starting a conversation with the rest of you who may have ideas as to how we ensure the safety and security of homes and families.