FAQ

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MAOnline stands for MuellerAustinOnline.com, a community site for residents and people interested in Mueller. There are two levels of access to MAOnline. A  visitor and a closed resident may see different topics as they relate to their involvement with the community. Homebuyers under contract with a builder are visitors until they have closed on their home.

The governing documents require the payment of assessments and are an independent part of the contract entered into by the owner upon purchasing the property. An owner cannot simply choose not to pay assessments. Failure to pay assessments, even if the owner doesn’t like what is going on, will subject the owner to personal liability for the unpaid assessments and may result in a foreclosure of the owner’s home. The Associations provide members with many

The guiding document on the responsibilities of the manager is the contract between the Associations and the manager. The manager takes direction from the Board of Directors and generally fulfills the role of managing agent to the Associations and Board, as well as providing administrative support to the  Associations and the Board of Directors and collecting assessments and fees on behalf of the Associations. The manager is responsible for keeping the records of the Associations (minutes, corporate report, financial statements, owners' files, contracts, maps, etc.). The manager is also responsible for inspecting for maintenance needs and supervising maintenance activities and for ensuring compliance with rules or other legal requirements. The manager will typically provide advice to the Board as to when to seek legal counsel.

Estimated expenses in the approved budget allow the Associations to establish the annual assessments necessary to operate the community. Under the Covenants, the total budgeted expenses, less any surplus in the budget from prior years and any income anticipated from sources other than assessments, are set at an equal rate per “Assessment Unit”. A property within Mueller may be assigned one or more Assessment Units; this number, multiplied by the rate, equals the unit’s “Base Assessment.”

There are three state statutes that specifically affect community associations. Title 11 of the Texas Property Code governs restrictive covenants in general, whether applicable to a master planned community, a condominium community or some other type of common interest community. The Texas Uniform Condominium Act governs condominium communities and associations and may be found in the Texas Property Code, Section 82.001, et seq. And, Section 22.001, et seq. of the Texas Business Organizations Code governs nonprofit corporations such as

The governing documents refer to the Mueller Master Community Covenant, the Mueller EC/TC Community Covenant, the Mueller Mixed-Use Community Covenant, any supplemental or subordinate covenants, and any amendments or supplements thereto (collectively referred to as the “Covenants”). They also include the Community Fee Covenant, the map, plats and plans, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, and any Rules and Regulations, policies or procedures, including any architectural or design guidelines or other documents that govern

Generally, all records of the Associations are accessible to owners. A few exceptions to this broad right of inspection exist such as for legally privileged information. Provisions in both the law and the governing documents detail how an owner may access Association records. Typically, the Associations’ records will be in the custody of the manager.

Generally speaking, assessments cover Master Community facilities, such as pool maintenance, recreational amenities; landscaping of common areas; insurance; common fencing; entry signage and lighting; the services of the community manager; a bookkeeper and/or accountant to prepare the annual tax return; and attorney fees of the Associations.

The Mueller Property Associations, also known as the POA, HOA or Mueller Community Associations are the same thing. As a resident at Mueller you belong to at least two Associations, the Mueller Master Community Association and the Mueller Mixed Use Association. This is why you often see an (s) when we are discussing the Mueller Community Associations. Membership in the Associations is mandatory. When you buy a lot or unit in the Community, you have entered into a contract and obligated yourself to membership in the Associations and to following and obeying all rules and regulations and other conditions and restrictions contained in the Governing Documents.

 

Without the Associations, the construction of the amenities planned for Mueller, such as the pools, trails and parks, etc. and the operation and maintenance of roads, landscaping and infrastructure within Mueller would not be possible.

 

There is also a Mueller Neighborhood Association or MNA, which is a voluntary group of Mueller Residents that have formed the Neighborhood Association.

Yes, and groups of 20 or less do not need approval to use the parks.  Groups of more than 20 do require approval and a fee. The fees and process varies based on the scope of a proposed event. Fees start at $25 for groups of 50 or less.  Large events using the facilities extensively, like a run or a gala, could incur much higher fees which go towards offsetting costs.  The pool is not currently available for private parties or events.
 

Any maintenance issue in the common areas (i.e. parks and pool) should be reported to Associa Hill Country at 512-328-6100 or ahc.info@associa.us.

As residents you will see potential issues more often than we can so please do not be shy! We are always appreciative of suggestions and emails that report these concerns. Often, we may be aware of a reported issue, but not always so please let us know.

As Mueller was being planned by local citizens and the City of Austin, it was envisioned that the parks and amenities would be available for public use.

The parks at Mueller are open to the public. They are owned and maintained by the Mueller Community Associations (MCA).  Maintenance is funded primarily by monthly fees paid by the commercial and residential property owners in Mueller, with the City of Austin contributing a small proportion to costs.  The property owners’ association was created to carry forward the design and green building requirements at Mueller, as well as maintain these new regional parks without creating a financial burden for the City of Austin.
 
In the future, the Northwest Greenway, Southwest Greenway and the planned Southeast Greenway will be deeded to the City of Austin, but the MCA will continue to be responsible for the maintenance and costs. The interior parks, such as Lake Park, Ella Wooten Park, John Gaines including the pools, Paggi Square and others, will continue to be owned and maintained by the MCA and open to the public.
 

Park information is available at www.MuellerAustinOnline.com, including rules, upcoming events, event applications and how to report a repair. You can also contact the MCA through Associa, the management company, at ahc.info@associa.us or 512-328-6100. You can report a repair 24/7 to 512-328-6100.

Decisions about the parks and pool are made using the input of specialists like the contract landscaping and pond vendors or the pool maintenance and lifeguard companies. They often involve the MCA committees for the pool and parks and include the recommendation of Alliance Association Management, the property management firm for the MCA. Final decisions are made by the MCA board of directors.  
 

Professional pool maintenance companies do not recommend draining outdoor commercial pools as a regular maintenance item because it is not needed, is a waste of water and risky to the equipment. The commercial pumps and filters keep the pool clean, regular filling due to evaporation and backwashing keeps a steady flow of new water coming into the system. Draining the pool also exposes plaster and pool equipment, designed to be under water, to weather elements they are not designed to handle.

The Mueller ponds are beautiful, relaxing and great wildlife habitats but they are primarily designed to be water quality features. They are catch basins for flood water and run off. They provide the perfect environment for stopping trash and harmful bacteria from running downstream or getting into our drinking water. For these reasons, swimming in them is not allowed. Fishing is allowed but we ask that you do not eat anything you catch.

 

After a big rain there will be increased trash in the ponds. Once a month, Oteka Ponds cleans all of the trash from the ponds, trims back vegetation and maintains our fountains and aerators. Between these cleanings there will be trash in the plantings and in the water.

 

Algae is also a normal part of this process. During the summer, when it warms up the algae will bloom and it will appear there is a lot of it throughout the pond. This is part of the pond's normal cycle. At the end of the summer, in late August or September, Oteka ponds will come and scrape the algae off the top of the pond. This will remove most but not all of the algae in the ponds.

If you do not have a pool key (or need a replacement) you can come by Mueller Central. Please be sure to bring a photo ID with you.

 

Non-resident patrons can swim at rates that match the City of Austin pool rates for Day Pass Fees: Adult - $5.00; Junior (12-17) - $3.00; Child (11 and under) and Senior - $2.00. Residential property owners pay monthly fees to the MCA for park and pool maintenance.  Visitor fees account for approximately 4% of the annual pool operation costs.
 

Ella Wooten’s pool is open to the public but it is not a City pool.  It is owned, operated and maintained by the MCA with no City support.  To open Ella Wooten’s pool to the public, interested neighbors, the MCA pool committee and board worked together to develop a pool operating plan that would meet state requirements (below) and have a schedule and fees similar to existing City neighborhood pools. 
 
Pools are subject to State licensing.  Ella Wooten has a ‘hybrid” licensure. It operates as a Class B pool when open to the public, which requires it have lifeguards.  It operates as a Class C pool when lifeguards are not present at which time law restricts its use to residents and their guests. The pool is closed for a period when lifeguards come on duty or leave with the change from Class B to Class C operation to prevent overlap and to allow the lifeguards to set up.
 

Open Swim:

Ella Wooten Tuesday – Sunday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM; lifeguards on duty; meets State requirements for use by resident patrons and non-resident patrons.

 

John Gaines Thursday - Tuesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM; lifeguards on duty; meets State requirements for use by resident patrons and non-resident patrons
 
Resident Swim:

Ella Wooten Tuesday – Sunday 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM. No lifeguard supervision. State requirements limit use to resident patrons.

 

John Gaines Thursday – Tuesday 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM. No lifeguard supervision. State requirements limit use to resident patrons. 

The pool keys can become inactive if exposed to a magnet, most notably a metal detector at the airport but also new credit cards etc. If your card is not working, please call Mueller Central at 512-703-9202. We will able to tell you if the gate is offline (power failure, someone cut the phone line etc.). We will also be able to notify you if the gate was intentionally turned off because of maintenance issues, such as poop in the pool.

If the gate should be working but your card is not then we will be able to “ping” or “reactivate your card remotely. You can give us a call and provide your card number to have this done. These requests are usually completed within an hour. 9 out of 10 times, doing this fixes the issue. If the card was irreversibly damaged then you can exchange it at Mueller Central.

Please keep in mind that Ella Wooten Pool is closed on Mondays for cleaning and John Gaines is closed on Wednesdays for cleaning. Your pool key will not work at either pool on these days.

Mueller Central’s normal business hours are Monday – Thursday 9am – 6pm & Fridays 9am – 5pm.

The pool is generally open for Swim Season from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Off-Season, the pool is not lifeguarded and may be open for Resident Swim during the months of April, May, September and October. Specific dates and times are determined each year.  Ella Wooten is closed on Mondays (with the exception of some holiday Mondays) for cleaning and maintenance and John Gaines is closed on Wednesday for cleaning and maintenance. 

The park improvements at Mueller are built by Catellus, the master developer, as a part of infrastructure construction along with things like streets and drainage.  The infrastructure at Mueller is paid for through tax increment financing which is ultimately funded by the new sales tax and property tax revenue being generated at Mueller, along with Mueller’s land sales. 
 

Anyone can swim at Ella Wooten when the pool is lifeguarded – referred to as “Open Swim”. During pool hours when no lifeguards are present, state law limits swimming to residents and their guests – referred to as “Resident Swim”.  Like City pools, there are also age requirements to swim without supervision. Complete pool information can be found at www.MuellerAustinOnline.com under the Pool tab.
 

The landscaped yards at Mueller are primarily Texas native plants or adapted species that can withstand the intense heat and rough Texas summer.

 

You can call the utility department that owns the pipe (Could be cable, gas or City of Austin electric) and ask them to cut down and cap off. These are typically seen along the alleys but I’ve seen a few in front yard corners.

• Biological - recognize, encourage, and/or introduce beneficial predators in your landscape.
• Cultural - plant native, pest-resistant plant varieties, and give them proper light, water and nutrients.
• Mechanical - hand-pick insects, or use traps, barriers, or water blasts to infected areas.
• Chemical - use botanical, mineral, and insecticidal soap or synthetic chemicals

 

Please report it to the City of Austin via 311.

Yes, please remember to always have your dog on a leash. This is a City of Austin law and applies to Mueller’s parks and open areas. You can be ticketed at the parks if you have your dog off leash. If you see a dog off the leash in the park please call 311 or 911 if you feel in danger to report this. There is not currently any area that dogs are allowed to be off-leash in Mueller.

Please remember that the alleys are public right of ways, they are the same as any other one way road in Austin. Walking and biking is allowed in the alleys, so use caution when driving and be on the lookout for cyclists or pedestrians, just like you would on any other residential street. If you are walking or biking in the alley also use caution. Please never drive the wrong way down an alley or block the alleys for any reason; you can be ticketed for both offenses.

No, this is against the rules because it is a waste of water, can cause drainage issues and create a nuisance for other neighbors.

Yes, residents and their guests can park on the street for up to 72 hours. Please be courteous to your neighbors and make an attempt to park in front of your own home and keep car noise to a minimum if after 10pm.

Yes, after intensive research and thoughtful planning by the Row Home Maintenance committee and consultations with the POA's insurance and attorney this will be allowed. Owners will need to follow the Residential Solar Guidelines outlined in the Mueller Modification Guidelines. There will be additional paperwork required for Row Home Owners but the process will be the same.  Please feel free to submit an application and contact Associa with any questions at 512-703-9202.

Most changes do not require prior approval by the Modifications Committee. Interior changes do not require approval. Most modifications that are not publicly visible do not require pre-approval unless they might impact drainage or grading. The Modifications Committee strives to allow diversity at Mueller while upholding the intent of the Mueller Design Guidelines.

Residents in single family homes are responsible for their own street trees (Row Home owners are an exception to this), they are responsible for the irrigation, trimming and regular maintenance. If it dies then it must be replaced with the same species of tree that is at least 60 gallons in size or 3" caliper.