letter from the president - arlington heights na...number 817-335-4222 fort worth city councilman...

HAA .H.N.A . N E I G H B O R H O O D N E W S & V I E W S

N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E A R L I N G T O N H E I G H T S N E I G H B O R H O O D A S S O C I A T I O N • W W W. A R L I N G T O N H E I G H T S N A . C O M

Arlington HeigHtsM A R C H - A P R I L 2 013

(Continued on 1)

NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, BEST OF FRIENDSby Christina Patoski

Despite the 17-year age difference between next door neighbors Ryan Clark (left) and Lance Johnson, an enduring friendship quickly developed around a series of backyard projects, including an elaborate meandering pond that features a small waterfall.

When Lance Johnson’s next door neighbors told him they were moving to the country, he got nervous. Over the fifteen years they lived next to each other, they had developed a comfortable and amiable friendship that included helping each other out with small chores and sharing after hour beers. What worried Lance was the big unknown of who would be moving in.

Enter 38 year-old Ryan Clark with his wife Julia. “When we introduced ourselves to each other, we didn’t realize we had similar interests until Ryan started building the deck in his backyard that first year,” remembers Lance. “I wasn’t happy with the way he was doing it, so naturally I felt I had to come over and show him how to do it.”

Luckily, Lance brought along with him a pneumatic nailer and a few other high-end tools and pitched in. Now, the two “share things back and forth. We almost plan our tool purchases together. Like, when he buys a good wheelbarrow, then I don’t have to buy one because we have one,” says Lance.

Despite the 17-year age difference between the two, their friendship quickly developed around a series of backyard projects. After the deck was completed, Ryan approached Lance and his wife Laura about tearing down the sagging fence between their houses and replacing it with arbors. They were “ready for something new, so we built the arbors in my shop at the back of my garage,” says Lance.

“Now it’s easier for us to cross through our properties,” Ryan explains. “As soon as I got rid of the fence, then I knew I could start another project and he would come over.”

The next project started out as a dry stream bed bisecting Ryan’s backyard, but quickly grew into something more elaborate that included water. “We were probably feeding off each other because where Lance may not have had the idea for a pond in my backyard, I probably wouldn’t have attempted it unless I knew I had his support,” says Ryan, meaning support in every sense of the word.

The meandering pond project took one full long, hot summer and thirteen tons of rock for the two of them to build. After the pond was up and running, the two were surprised to discover “how much maintenance was involved,” says Ryan. So, over a couple of weekends, they designed and built a homemade pond vacuum out of parts that were lying around the garage. “Ryan will try anything,” says Lance.

It helps that Ryan works as an engineer at Halliburton. Lance, who has always been skillful with his hands, went to college to be an engineer, but “hated it” and changed majors because “I’m a people person.”

Ryan has opened up new worlds to Lance. “I’m a Roundup guy, a fertilizer guy, a chemical guy, and Ryan is not,” admits Lance. “Ryan has taught me to be kinder to the earth.” They use cardboard for blocking weeds, built four rain barrels to harvest rain, and last summer designed and built a bat house. Lance, who is the Director of Training at Ben E. Keith, is growing asparagus, lettuce, garlic and kale in the alley behind his garage. Now, the two are talking about starting a bee colony. Wife Laura has drawn the line on chickens.

The duo went off-campus recently for a project at Lance’s old UTA fraternity house where they demolished a rotting deck and built a sand volleyball court. Back at the ranch, they ripped the weathered clapboard siding off the back of Ryan’s house and replaced it with new clapboard.

Their newest challenge is an “all natural” fire pit that Ryan wants to design to send heat out into the patio, but they’re still figuring out “how do you get superheated air to flow in the direction we want it?”

That question will have to wait until the two tackle the next project up which is painting Ryan’s house. “Ryan helped me paint my house and

2 ARLINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS MARCH - APRIL 2013 www.arlingtonheightsna.com

A .H.N. A .

AHNA EXECUTIVE BOARD

President Christina Patoski

[email protected] 817-738-0330

Vice President Kelly Jo Nial

[email protected] 817-798-0349

Secretary Pat McCready

[email protected]

Treasurer Jessica Redman

[email protected]

Directors at Large Dave Marshall

[email protected]

John [email protected]

817-732-8691

Renee [email protected]

Sergio Yanes [email protected]

817-343-1018

AHNA COMMITTEES

Zoning/Board of Adjustment Richard Chowning

[email protected]

Neighborhood Animal Concerns Kelly Jo Nial

[email protected]

Citizens on Patrol Jan Bourne

[email protected]

Yard of the Month Carol Berry

[email protected]

Please send all correspondence to: PO Box 470692

Fort Worth, Texas 76147

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Neighborhood Patrol OfficerTom McNutt

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Fort Worth Policenon-emergency

number817-335-4222

Fort Worth City CouncilmanDennis Shingleton

817-392-8807 [email protected]

Code Compliance OfficerRosalind Calton 817-944-1796

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTby Christina Patoski

For some odd reason, I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of progressive dinners. Even though I’d never gone to any, it just sounded like a fun thing to do. So, in late January on a spur of the moment, I convinced two sets of my near neighbors to try it.

We had been talking for months about scheduling a dinner together. When we finally got out our calendars to set a date, we realized that if we didn’t do something that very night it would be months before we would be able to share a meal together. So, with just a few hours notice we decided to go for it.

I explained to my 87-year old next door neighbor, Gègè who grew up in Paris, that she was in charge of the dessert and to show up at Laura and Bob’s at 7 p.m. She’s a great sport, but I could tell she was a little confused by the whole progressive dinner thing. Nevertheless, she agreed, 7 it was.

My husband and I signed on to do the main meal, so we scrambled to get groceries. No big deal since we were keeping it simple and healthy. We all convened at Laura and Bob’s to enjoy wine and delicious hors d’oeuvres--they were so good that I ate too many and spoiled my appetite for dinner. (But, not dessert.)

The weather was warm, so we didn’t have to bundle up too much to travel from house to house. It felt odd not taking my purse. Dessert at Gègè’s was divine--she had whipped up a fabulous homemade lemon tart and served it with a bottle of French champagne. So civilized!

The best part of the evening was being with my nearest neighbors and enjoying their stories. Whenever we’re with Gègè, we always convince her to tell us about growing up in Paris during World War II. Inevitably, we ask her to tell the story about her dad taking her down to the Champs Elysees to watch Hitler drive by.

Laura and Bob are both firefighters. Over the years of our friendship, I’ve learned about their world, which I knew absolutely nothing about. They always have a jaw-dropping tale to tell and we find amusing things to laugh about.

I feel very fortunate to enjoy friendship with my neighbors, despite our differences in age and life experiences. I guess the moral to this story is that if you make time to get to know the people who live around you, you will almost assuredly become a part of a greater whole.

www.arlingtonheightsna.com MARCH - APRIL 2013 ARLINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS & VIEWS 3

&

The boundaries ofArlington Heights Neighborhood Association

are the triangle ofCamp Bowie Boulevard on the north

Montgomery Street on the eastand Interstate Highway 30

on the south and west.

Become a memberreceive your newsletter six times a year!

Please check: M New member M Renewing member

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Please mail annual dues ($15 for household, $25 for business) to:

AHNA, PO Box 470692, Fort Worth, TX 76147-0692

AHNA Meeting ScheduleMonday March 18, 2013

Monday, April 15, 2013

Monday May 20, 2013

6:30pm-7:30pm Every 3rd Monday

Arlington Heights United Methodist Church 4200 Camp Bowie Blvd. (enter on Hillcrest)

A .H .N. A .

AHNA FINANCIAL REPORT

BALANCE AS OF 12/31/12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,645.00

UNRESTRICTED DONATIONSAdvertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .800.00Business Memberships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.00Individual Memberships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255.00 Interest Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.17 TOTAL UNRESTRICTED DONATIONS . . . . $1,107.17

RESTRICTED DONATIONSHillcrest Fire Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250.00Feral Cats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00National Night Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00TOTAL RESTRICTED DONATIONS . . . . . . . $ 250.00

TOTAL DONATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,357.17UNRESTRICTED EXPENDITURESNewsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$349.10League of Neighborhoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22.90 Postage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211.50Yard of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00Zoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00Meeting expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .768.12Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166.80TOTAL UNRESTRICTED EXPENDITURES . .$ 1,518.42

RESTRICTED EXPENDITURESHillcrest Fire Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 0.00Feral Cats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00National Night Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00TOTAL RESTRICTED EXPENDITURES . . . . . . .$ 0.00

TOTAL EXPENDITURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,518.42

RESTRICTED CASH BALANCE Hillcrest Fire Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250.00Feral Cats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$284.33National Night Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.00Western Avenue Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,928.92TOTAL RESTRICTED CASH BALANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,463.25

UNRESTRICTED FUNDS FROM 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $924.11

UNRESTRICTED CASH BALANCE AS OF 2/28/13 . . . . . . . . . . . $3,018.33

TOTAL CASH BALANCE AS OF 2/28/13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,405.69

CITY COUNCILMAN DENNIS SHINGLETONON CHRIST CHAPELCouncilman Shingleton promised AHNA members when he spoke at the September membership meeting that he would return at a later date to specifically discuss Christ Chapel Bible Church's proposed new parking lots in more detail. This Monday March 18 he will return to the AHNA meeting to discuss this controversial zoning change case that was recommended for approval by the Fort Worth Zoning Commission on March 13. This will be a timely opportunity for you to learn more about the proposed parking lots and to let your elected official know what you think. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Arlington Heights United Methodist Church, 4200 Camp Bowie Blvd. Everyone is welcome.

HOW TO BUILD YOUROWN BACKYARD PONDIN ONE SUMMERThe AHNA membership meeting on Monday April 15 will feature guest speakers Ryan Clark and Lance Johnson, Arlington Heights next door neighbors, who decided to build a dry creek bed in Ryan’s backyard and ended up building an elaborate pond with a waterfall that houses a pair of 12-inch koi and thousands of toads. The two will show photographs of the intricate construction process, including the installation of thirteen tons of rock, and will also focus on some of their other homemade inventions and projects. You can read more about these two backyard geniuses in the cover story of this newsletter. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn first hand from your neighbors.


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In August, a Joint Steering Committee was formed at the request of District 7 Zoning Commissioner Nick Genua who charged the group to “reach an agreement that’s acceptable to both parties.” Neighborhood representatives included Paul Hooper, Kevin Peters, Kevin Stark, Janet Ehret and Allan Pickering who live adjacent to the church, as well as AHNA Executive Board members Christina Patoski, John Morris and Sergio Yanes. The church was represented by Christ Chapel COO Rick Neves, various members of the church’s elder board and leadership,and Tom Galbreath who is Vice President of Dunaway and Associates.

After six meetings, the church budged not at all from their request for 172 new parking spaces to be built on the north side of Pershing on eleven residentially-zoned lots where once houses stood. On March 13, the church presented to the Zoning Commission their zoning change request to build the overflow parking lots. It was recommended for approval by a 5 to 2 vote, with our Commissioner Genua voting in favor of the parking lots. The case is scheduled to be heard for final action by the City Council on Tuesday April 2 at 7:00 p.m.

Following is the AHNA position letter sent to the Zoning Commission which also serves as an open letter to Christ Chapel:

OPPOSITION TO ZC-12-079/CHRIST CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH The membership of Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association has voted overwhelmingly to agree with the adjacent residential property owners who are opposed to Christ Chapel Bible Church’s request to build two parking lots on the north side of Pershing Ave. There are many other solutions for the church to pursue to rectify their parking deficit without building more parking lots and asking the neighbors to give up more of their community.

Negotiations over the past several months between Christ Chapel and the neighbors have been cordial and respectful. Unfortunately, the church has made no significant concessions to the nearby property owners and is not willing to change their request for 172 new parking spaces.

CHRIST CHAPEL’S PROPOSED NEW PARKING LOTSThe church does not recognize what a dramatic change they are asking the nearby property owners to accept. It is a very big ask for the church to remove eleven homes and replace them with two overflow parking lots that will be used only 100 hours a year. Especially when 5 ½ acres of church parking is already next to these proposed lots (and acres more east of Montgomery St. which the church uses on Sundays). This is not suburbia--this is an established residential central city neighborhood.

The church’s parking deficit does not appear to be urgent. Their parking lots are not at capacity on most Sundays.

With 937 adjacent parking spaces, the church is currently over-parked by more than 300% according to the city’s requirements of 1 parking space for every 5 seats in their 1,500 seat sanctuary.

Church Elder Tim Harvard told us that “1,181 parking spaces is our ideal parking. We think we’re being responsible.” We heartily disagree. A parking space for almost every seat in the sanctuary is overkill.

If the church’s request to build these 172 new spaces outside of their current campus is approved they will be over-parked by 400%. This flies in the face of smart growth and the many sustainability and walkability initiatives and incentives that the City of Fort Worth has been encouraging. It seems to us that these proposed new lots should be a last resort fix, not the first thing out of the tool box.

An especially troubling aspect of these proposed two lots is they are built around three property owners who have chosen to not sell their homes to the church. This is essentially squeezing them out. Not only will the proposed parking lots devalue these remaining homes, the opportunity to sell these homes to someone other than the church is greatly diminished. We believe that this is strong-arm tactic that should not be rewarded.

Same for the tactic of buying homes, tearing them down or removing them and then applying for a zoning change to create parking lots as

(Continued on Page 6)


Creative Minds for Hirethelaborshed.com

Christ Chapel has done. This maneuver is so egregious it has been made illegal in some cities. Although not yet illegal in Fort Worth, it is certainly a very undesirable way to plan and grow a vibrant city.

Another concern is that the size of church congregations inevitably ebbs and flows over time--look no further than Travis Ave. Baptist Church on Berry St. which recently sold off some of its church campus to Walmart.

Our neighborhood association has offered to work with Christ Chapel to create a pilot program for church parking on the neighborhood streets which is the solution most often used by neighborhood churches. Given the choice of the church congregation parking on neighborhood streets or taking out more houses to build a parking lot to be used 100 hours a year, the neighbors much prefer congregants parking on the neighborhood streets for a few hours every Sunday.

We believe the church has a unique opportunity at this juncture to build a much-needed bridge with their nearest neighbors with whom they share their community. The 1.45 acres in question is large enough to create multiple use sites for shared outdoor community resources, such as a meditation garden, a community garden, some open green space with minimal paths, a simple gazebo. These projects could be jointly undertaken with volunteers from the church and nearby neighbors and AHNA. Funding for the projects could be underwritten by grants and donations.

We have not seen Christ Chapel negotiating in good faith for a win/win here. At this point, mediation or the development of a master plan appear to be the best chances for reaching a mutually agreeable solution(s).

We are asking Christ Chapel to take time out to engage with the nearby neighbors on ideas for these eleven parcels that will benefit both sides of this community. Great things can happen when people work together with open hearts and minds.

(CHRIST CHAPEL - Continued from Page 5)

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SPRING TIDBITSby Kelly Jo NialWith spring upon us, it’s time to get our yards ready for another growing season. Since there’s always plenty of clean up involved, here are some reminders about what to do with all of the winter yard residue. Yard trimmings, along with the regular trash, are placed at the front yard curb and are picked up every Tuesday in Arlington Heights. Trimmings can be placed in the large paper yard bags or can be bundled up with string or twine, but can be no longer than 4 feet in length or over 40 pounds. Large tree and shrub limbs can be no longer than 8 feet and no larger than 4 inches in diameter per limb.

The 4th Monday of every month is our neighborhood’s monthly bulk pick-up date. You can place items at your curb as early as 6:00 p.m. the Friday before, but no later than Monday at 7:00 a.m. Crews have until the following Saturday by 5:00 p.m. to pick the items. If you have questions, call 817-392-EASY or go to the city’s website at www.fortworthtexas.gov/solidwaste/.


Okay, I know you must be confused. This title makes no sense at all! Hold on until we get further along and perhaps it will begin to become more obvious. First, here are some thought provoking questions:

How much trash does each person in Texas produce daily? Answer: 6 1/2 pounds

What percentages of products comprise a normal trash pickup? Answer: Aluminum 5%, glass 5%, plastic 8%, miscellaneous 9%, food 13%, leaves/grass 18%, paper 43%.

What are the 3 R’s? Answer: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Still confused? Let’s do some math. Discarded food, leaves and grass comprise 31% of garbage collections every week. That amounts to tons of organic matter that’s sealed in containers and buried in landfills each week. It’s no surprise, then, that 70% of the current landfills in the United States are closed because they have reached capacity.

The premise I am getting at here is that 31% of the organic matter in your weekly garbage can be put to use to make your garden, lawn, or potted plants greener, with just a minimum of effort. Why not try composting? There are many easy, low maintenance methods that can be followed whose end results turn all your garbage into what gardeners and naturalists call “black gold” that benefits almost any living thing you put it on. Hmmm...point well taken. Let’s stick to gardens and lawns!

There are many reasons that composting is beneficial. Here are just a few since we are not attempting to write a novel here! First and foremost is to reduce waste--it is one of the greatest recycling efforts you can perform. The entire process produces these beneficial end results: kills harmful pathogens, cleanses and builds soil structure, builds humus and buffers pH, improves aeration, neutralizes toxins, releases nutrients to plants when needed, protects against drought and erosion, and creates a garden atmosphere that welcomes worms. This is just the short list!

Simple composting doesn’t have to be a huge project. Even a five-gallon bucket with a tight lid can produce enough compost to keep several potted plants happy and thriving. If you want to think bigger, there are easy-to-handle barrels, moveable bins, and building plans for progressive composting bins. Even if you live in an apartment, you can create easy compost in one-gallon zip lock baggies. There are many, many resources and how-to’s available on the internet, as well as several good old-fashioned text books on this subject.

What can you compost? The list is almost endless. Almost anything that is a by-product of food preparation, such as fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee and tea grounds, past prime fruits and vegetables, leftovers that are void of ingredients listed on the “what not to compost” list (see below). Also, common things such as green grass clippings, leaves, small twigs and branches, dryer and vacuum cleaner lint, shredded newspaper and catalogs will add valuable components to your compost.

Remember this simple rule of what NOT to compost: no meat, dairy, oil

HOW TO MAKE YOUR GARDEN GREENER (OR DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU THROW AWAY?)by Kakkie Cunningham

or butter, waste matter produced by a meat eater, protein products such as pet food, and absolutely no chemicals, cleaning products or fertilizers of any kind. Also, go lightly on citrus peels since they are highly acidic.

Next time you walk through your yard to take the garbage out, think about how beneficial it would be to make that garbage sack lighter and your garden greener with just a little bit of backyard composting!

(Next time: Composting--Art or Science?)

Composting is one of the important recycling efforts you can perform. You can compost fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee and tea grounds, past prime fruits and vegetables, green grass clippings, leaves, small twigs and branches, shredded newspapers and catalogs, and even dryer and vacuum cleaner lint. (Photo by Kakkie Cunningham)


About a month ago, I was talking on the phone with AHNA Secretary Pat McCready, as she was returning from volunteering at BRIT. She was driving down Lancaster Avenue by the Kimbell Art Museum where she saw workers cutting the trees down that were in the median. Of course, we were both alarmed that trees were coming down and we wanted to know why.

A few days later, at the February AHNA membership meeting, several people asked about the trees that were cut down on Lancaster Avenue. It wasn’t three or four days later, when I received an email from a shocked neighbor regarding the same missing trees. I had to get to the bottom of this.

I called the City of Fort Worth’s Forestry Department and spoke with Melanie Migura. She confirmed that the trees were Bradford pears that had been planted in the Lancaster Avenue median thirty years ago by the Kimbell Art Museum. The museum was who requested and obtained the proper permits to have the trees removed this February.

As it turns out, the Kimbell has a private/public partnership with the City of Fort Worth to water, prune and care for the trees. The museum has cared for them for decades, and at no cost to the taxpayer.

The typical life expectancy for Bradford pears is twenty to thirty years. So, at thirty years old, these Bradford pears were at the end of their life expectancy, as was becoming more evident by the increasing frequency

GOOD-BYE BRADFORD PEARS, HELLO ALLÉE ELMSby Kelly Jo Nial

of limbs breaking off which is an indication of the tree’s age.

Bradford pears are difficult to prune for the required height clearances on city streets and also tend to get knotty after pruning.

The pear trees will be replaced with Allée® elm cultivar trees, a species of elm that are pretty close to perfect, from what I discovered. In 2003, they received the “Urban Tree of the Year” award from the Society of Municipal Arborists. They are resistant to Dutch elm disease, the fungal disease that can destroy elm trees, and do well in confined spaces, such as parking lots and large planters. The Allée® elm adjusts to pH variations in the soil, adapts to drought and wind, and they are beauties. These elms have a fast growth rate with an upright growing pattern, making them easy to train.

According to Ms. Migura, the new elms will be in the ground by the end of March. The new trees will be four inches in diameter and six inches above ground. The Kimbell will continue to care for the median and the trees, including pruning and watering them. The average height of this species of elm is anywhere from fifty to seventy-five feet tall. They reach maturity at forty to fifty years.

Thank you, Kimbell Art Museum, for being such a great neighbor by tending to the trees and median on Lancaster Avenue for all these years. Maybe we should all gather and have a welcome party for the new Allée® elms!

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(NEIGHBORS - Continued from Page 1)

(Continued on Page 12)

replace all the front windows,” says Lance. “So, I’ll help him do his.”

Lori Katz met McKinley Hess when McKinley started dating Lori’s next door neighbor, Brandon Lee. “Lori and Brandon had become good friends,” says McKinley who married Brandon in 2010. “So, when Brandon and I started dating, he introduced me to Lori and we became friends pretty quick.”

“It’s been really fun,” says Lori, who is studying to get her degree in Communications at TCU. “McKinley grew up in Pampa and one of my old roommates was from Pampa, so we had mutual friends from the start. That helped.”

What sealed the deal is when the two women discovered they were both Edna Gladney babies. “Lori’s family is really involved with the Gladney Center and I always wanted to be,” explains McKinley as she and Lori were making preparations for the annual Easter egg hunt at the Center.

Lori and McKinley talk at least once a day. “I call Lori my weekend husband, because my husband works on the weekends,” laughs McKinley. “I’ve cried to Lori for help; we’ve welded together, we’ve cut metal, we’ve planted each other’s flowers, we’ve rescued animals together, we shop together, we’ve had parties together.”

The two spend a lot of time gardening in their yards together and it shows. They both have created gorgeous landscapes--Lori was awarded the AHNA Yard of the Month in May 2011. They also cook for

When McKinley Hess (left) and Lori Katz discovered they were both Gladney babies, their friendship was sealed forever. They both enjoy volunteering at the Gladney Center, especially for the annual Easter egg hunt.


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each other, trading desserts and leftovers and sharing new recipes. Last Thanksgiving, when McKinley ran out of oven space at her house, she borrowed Lori’s oven.

It’s a generous give and take dynamic between the two houses. “When Lori’s gone, I’ll go over and play with her dogs,” says McKinley who works as a dental hygienist. When Lori needs her dress zipped, she goes over to McKinley’s. “One night I drove up in my driveway and found McKinley and her husband taking my firewood!” laughs Lori.

Lori compares her relationship with McKinley to the TV show “Big Love”, but “without the love”, she says. Today, Lori is in a long-term relationship, but when she was in the dating pool, McKinley and her husband Brandon would help Lori clean her house before her dates picked her up.

“We love our neighborhood and we love our neighbors,” says McKinley, referring to the tight knit enclave of young couples who live around her. During the summer when Concerts in the Garden has fireworks and at Fourth of July, nearby neighbors gather in their front yards for a near perfect vantage point.

What if one of them decides to move? “My husband and I need more space already, but we just can’t do it,” McKinley says.

“We’re going to find two houses next to each other,” counters Lori. “We’re sisters separated at birth!”

“Don’t laugh, we could be!” exclaims McKinley.

Lori and McKinley’s friendship is a match made in heaven. That isn’t always the case so when the “For Sale” sign pops up next to you, it can create anxiety. Who knows if your future includes living next to the neighbor from hell--you know, the one whose dog barks in the backyard all night long, the one who never mows his yard, the one who has loud parties, the one who revs up his chainsaw before dawn.

That’s exactly what was going through Gene Rattan’s head when the house next door to him was up for sale for more than eight months. He breathed a sigh of relief when his Welcome To The Neighborhood margaritas that he and his wife, Rosemary, took over to Nancy and Eric Berger were so well received.

“I knew it was going to work after that,” says Nancy who moved with her husband to Arlington Heights from Olympia, Washington in September 1999. “It was so hot here even in September that I thought I was going to die!” Those margaritas broke the ice in more ways than one.

By April, the foursome embarked on their first next door neighborhood project: the overgrown hedge of wax leaf ligustrum that separated their properties. “Once I found out the hedge was on our property, I


said ‘let’s rip it out,’” remembers Nancy. Within an hour, she was pulling out the hedge, with the rest of the group happily helping her.

“The stupid hedge created a problem for all us when we tried to back out of our driveways,” adds Rosemary.

They planted fountain grass and various Texas native plants, turning it into a butterfly garden that thrives today. Ironically, Gene was in the middle of developing the first incarnation of the Smartscape landscape program for Tarrant County, so their garden became his demonstration garden.

The next year, the two couples agreed to cut a gate through their fences to give them easy access to both of their homes, since they had already traded house keys. At the time, Eric, who is a civil engineer with Lhoist North America, had no garage, so he relied on using Gene’s garage for fixing things and miscellaneous projects. Plus, “we needed a place to compost because we don’t like stuff to leave the property,” explains Eric. Turns out the perfect compost spot was a former rabbit pen in Gene’s backyard.

Rosemary and Nancy bonded through their interest in working with fiber. Nancy is a skilled weaver and a member of the Fort Worth Weavers Guild. Rosemary has a successful business as a seamstress who specializes in smocking. “I have as much unwoven yarn as she has folded fabric,” admits Nancy. The two of them also share an interest in cooking and test recipes on each other. “She just gave me the best key lime pie recipe,” offers Nancy. They also take care of each other’s dogs

when needed. “We look out for each other,” says Rosemary.

The foursome vacationed together in Fredericksburg a few years ago, with Gene and Rosemary staying in their fully-restored vintage travel trailer (read the feature story on the restoration of the trailer in the May 2012 issue of AHNA’s newsletter) while Nancy and Eric stayed in a bed and breakfast. “It was a hoot,” recalls Rosemary.

It’s an early Sunday afternoon, with sausages and hot dogs turning on a small electric grill, bowls of snacks are everywhere, music is playing and friends are on their way. It’s time to taste test the latest batch of this year’s delicious Christmas pumpkin beer from the self-proclaimed Wet Dog Brewery, headquartered in Eric’s garage he built behind his house eight years ago.

Home brewing is now a big part of the friendship. “About ten years ago we invested $75 to buy the basics to brew,” says Gene. It started in Gene’s garage, but has since moved to Eric’s where there is room to spread out and is where the kegerator is located. “I got a refrigerator for a 60th birthday present,” Eric explains. “And then I installed a keger into it and put a hydraulic lift under it, so I wouldn’t have to get on my knees to tap the keg.”

The two men brew with a few friends about every six weeks, making about ten gallons at a time, resulting in about 110 bottles of beer. “We don’t drink that much,” says Eric. “But, our palates are broad.” It’s up to the brew master to decide what kind of beer to make each time. “I love lagers,” Eric says. “But since it takes a couple of months to make, I usually only do it once a year.”

During the summer, Gene and his retired friends enjoy sitting on the deck of Eric’s two-story treehouse “to taste test”. To make the testing more comfortable, they built a bar out of a big piece of cedar.

No two next door neighbor sagas are the same. But, these three sets of Arlington Heights friends illlustrate that there are common themes in successful next door relationships. It’s remarkable that even in the 21st century, there is still such a thing as being the best of friends with the folks living right next to you.

Gene and Rosemary Rattan and next door neighbors Nancy and Eric Berger (left to right) enjoy a neighborly toast as they sample the home brew they have stored in Eric’s self-styled kegerator behind them.

A .H.N.A .

ARLINGTON HEIGHTSNEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

P.O. BOX 470692FORT WORTH, TEXAS76147

letter from the president - arlington heights na...number 817-335-4222 fort worth city councilman...

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