As I said before, the weeks are only becoming more fun. Next week starts a big discussion.
The 380 Agreement proposal between the City of Houston, and 'Ainbinder Heights LLC' is on the agenda for next week's city council meeting.
26. ORDINANCE approving an Agreement between the City of Houston, Texas and AINBINDER
HEIGHTS, LLC pursuant to Chapter 380, Texas Local Government Code for Economic
Development Assistance for Development of a Multi-Tenant Commercial Retail Project in the City
DISTRICT H - GONZALEZ
Thats from Page 4.
The Rest of the 'supporting document' for this is found on page 102.
Going to be an interesting week!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Mayor Parker is Coming To My Neighborhood ...
Mayor Annise Parker went on NPR Houston yesterday, and said she is going to be 'knocking on some doors in that neighborhood' ... 'That Neighborhood' being the West End ...
"I do intend this weekend to knock on a few doors over in that neighborhood to see if I can actually have a productive conversation with the folks along Koehler Street, Bass Street, the other streets in the neighborhood that are admittedly going to have some direct impact from what is a major development nearby. But we have asked in a number of different ways for input from the people who are actually on these streets what they'd like to see happen and the response tends to be, just make it go away, and that's not going to happen."
The Agenda for City Council, and supporting documents for votes is supposed to be published the Friday before, which means that the Mayor's office is proposing a 380 for the development already, which has the city's requirements already in it.
Granted, the 380 could be 'tagged', which would delay it a week or so. We'll see what happens next week.
"I do intend this weekend to knock on a few doors over in that neighborhood to see if I can actually have a productive conversation with the folks along Koehler Street, Bass Street, the other streets in the neighborhood that are admittedly going to have some direct impact from what is a major development nearby. But we have asked in a number of different ways for input from the people who are actually on these streets what they'd like to see happen and the response tends to be, just make it go away, and that's not going to happen."
The Agenda for City Council, and supporting documents for votes is supposed to be published the Friday before, which means that the Mayor's office is proposing a 380 for the development already, which has the city's requirements already in it.
Granted, the 380 could be 'tagged', which would delay it a week or so. We'll see what happens next week.
A Bit Scary ...
What does anyone say to this? Can anyone really blame me for not wanting this on my street? Granted, it could happen anywhere, but in this case, it did not ... it happened at a Walmart owned property, and Walmart happens to want to build something on my street.
It is extremely sad, and I'm very sorry to read this today. From Chron.com -
It is extremely sad, and I'm very sorry to read this today. From Chron.com -
Woman found shot to death in Houston Wal-Mart lot
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Sept. 10, 2010, 6:35AM
dale.lezon@chron.com
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The City of Houston is Doing Something Traffic Related
It looks as if the CoH placed traffic counters last Friday (the Friday before the holiday weekend).
As of this morning, the traffic counters are still out and about.
Here's a look at the one on my street:
Perhaps the city is finally addressing the traffic concerns, which is what we've been making a big stink about for the past few weeks already. I've found traffic counters in the following locations around the neighborhood:
Of course, this traffic count by the CoH comes after the planning commission decided to go ahead and pass the variance, which opens up the connection of Koehler Street to Heights Blvd through Yale. CM Gonzalez asked for the Planning commission to deny the variance, based on no available traffic data to the public. You'd think that this would be good data to have before making such decisions.
This map is not official, blah blah, but these are the ones I've seen from driving around. If there are others, feel free to let me know, and I'll add them.
Anyway, RUDH commissioned a traffic count the last week of August, which coincided with the start of HISD (= More accurate count than a holiday weekend). You can find the details of those counts here.
The problems that I voiced concerns about in July still have not been addressed by the City, or the developer. I guess its good that they're doing so now, but Andy Icken already said at the last meeting that they're going to put the 380 in front of City Council next week.
Here's the original map that I put together to illustrate this:
The Red indicates the only through streets that will border this development. Bass St is proposed to be connected (I think) to the Feeder. The Light Blue are Future roads. The Green are the big roads around the development that are all rather 'well traveled'.
So, we have a variance passed without a traffic study, and traffic counts being taken barely a week before this is supposed to go in front of City Council for a vote, and who knows when we'll get those numbers out.
**UPDATE** 7 Sep 2010 - 3pm
Just got a note from one of the local news outlets; They've spoken with CoH Public Works, who confirms that the City is presently NOT conducting a traffic survey ... ?????
Sooooooo, why are the counters out?
As of this morning, the traffic counters are still out and about.
Here's a look at the one on my street:
Perhaps the city is finally addressing the traffic concerns, which is what we've been making a big stink about for the past few weeks already. I've found traffic counters in the following locations around the neighborhood:
Of course, this traffic count by the CoH comes after the planning commission decided to go ahead and pass the variance, which opens up the connection of Koehler Street to Heights Blvd through Yale. CM Gonzalez asked for the Planning commission to deny the variance, based on no available traffic data to the public. You'd think that this would be good data to have before making such decisions.
This map is not official, blah blah, but these are the ones I've seen from driving around. If there are others, feel free to let me know, and I'll add them.
Anyway, RUDH commissioned a traffic count the last week of August, which coincided with the start of HISD (= More accurate count than a holiday weekend). You can find the details of those counts here.
The problems that I voiced concerns about in July still have not been addressed by the City, or the developer. I guess its good that they're doing so now, but Andy Icken already said at the last meeting that they're going to put the 380 in front of City Council next week.
Here's the original map that I put together to illustrate this:
The Red indicates the only through streets that will border this development. Bass St is proposed to be connected (I think) to the Feeder. The Light Blue are Future roads. The Green are the big roads around the development that are all rather 'well traveled'.
So, we have a variance passed without a traffic study, and traffic counts being taken barely a week before this is supposed to go in front of City Council for a vote, and who knows when we'll get those numbers out.
**UPDATE** 7 Sep 2010 - 3pm
Just got a note from one of the local news outlets; They've spoken with CoH Public Works, who confirms that the City is presently NOT conducting a traffic survey ... ?????
Sooooooo, why are the counters out?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
A Variance Got Passed
The famed 'Koehler Street Variance' just got passed seconds ago.
CM Gonzalez spoke up, and asked them to deny the variance now, based upon the fact that no traffic studies have been completed. His sentiment was echoed by others. It was all very calm, tame, to the point. Democracy in Action.
Perfectly reasonable questions asked of the planning commission. To summarize, 'Please don't approve this now, it is too early to do so, the public has no information presented to it yet.'
Again, sounds reasonable, right? But of course, when does a government act reasonably?
CM Gonzalez spoke up, and asked them to deny the variance now, based upon the fact that no traffic studies have been completed. His sentiment was echoed by others. It was all very calm, tame, to the point. Democracy in Action.
Perfectly reasonable questions asked of the planning commission. To summarize, 'Please don't approve this now, it is too early to do so, the public has no information presented to it yet.'
Again, sounds reasonable, right? But of course, when does a government act reasonably?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Are We Talking About the Same Site?
740 AM Did an interview yesterday, and had some of my remarks quoted, along with Mayor Parker's in the story. The peculiar thing is Mayor Parker said this:
"I have the choice between a crumbling building covered with graffiti, or a modern retail shopping center. I have to go with a modern retail shopping center."
There is of course the 'Standard Registry' building to the West of the proposed site on Bonner Street, and this gets graffiti'd up from time to time ( I think it said 1st Ward This morning ), but there is not a 'Crumbling Building' on the site right now. Has Ainbinder moved to purchase the Standard Registry building as well?
Here's the pics that Charles Kuffner posted from Off the Kuff.
Frankly speaking, I'm of the opinion that it is A - not that easy, and B - Doesn't have to be simply 'this or that'. Its not wrong to ask more of our government in the way of implementing community wishes. We have a proposed development site, and I don't think that any development has ever gone from proposal to completion without changes. Somewhere in the middle of what the community is responding with, and what the Developer/City wants to do is a middle ground.
That said, development overall is good, and if you're asking for taxpayer help, that also could be good, but there's got to be a willingness to open up about the needs of the community. Right now, it seems as if there's no transparency. CoH just passed $20 million going to a private developer in another 380 without plans going to the public. How many uniformed officers could $20 million fund?
Simply coming out and presenting some drawings of 14 cars in a Walmart Parking Lot (Its reported to be built to hold 600+), and saying its either a field, or this, does not, in my humble opinion, really hear the community's wishes.
"I have the choice between a crumbling building covered with graffiti, or a modern retail shopping center. I have to go with a modern retail shopping center."
There is of course the 'Standard Registry' building to the West of the proposed site on Bonner Street, and this gets graffiti'd up from time to time ( I think it said 1st Ward This morning ), but there is not a 'Crumbling Building' on the site right now. Has Ainbinder moved to purchase the Standard Registry building as well?
Here's the pics that Charles Kuffner posted from Off the Kuff.
Frankly speaking, I'm of the opinion that it is A - not that easy, and B - Doesn't have to be simply 'this or that'. Its not wrong to ask more of our government in the way of implementing community wishes. We have a proposed development site, and I don't think that any development has ever gone from proposal to completion without changes. Somewhere in the middle of what the community is responding with, and what the Developer/City wants to do is a middle ground.
That said, development overall is good, and if you're asking for taxpayer help, that also could be good, but there's got to be a willingness to open up about the needs of the community. Right now, it seems as if there's no transparency. CoH just passed $20 million going to a private developer in another 380 without plans going to the public. How many uniformed officers could $20 million fund?
Simply coming out and presenting some drawings of 14 cars in a Walmart Parking Lot (Its reported to be built to hold 600+), and saying its either a field, or this, does not, in my humble opinion, really hear the community's wishes.
City Council Passed a Form of a 380 Today
After three weeks of discussion, City Council looks to have passed a form of a 380 for InTown Homes today.
Here is the City Council Agenda Today, showing the agreement as 'Passed as Amended'
Here is the backup for the agenda.
Up Next, the 380 in relation to Southern Foods, which was also on the backup today. Guess we'll see what all this means to the city very shortly.
Here is the City Council Agenda Today, showing the agreement as 'Passed as Amended'
Here is the backup for the agenda.
Up Next, the 380 in relation to Southern Foods, which was also on the backup today. Guess we'll see what all this means to the city very shortly.
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