Saint Tropez from NE corner looking SW

Los Piños Now Selling Lots in Huffman; Saint Tropez Still Clearing, Grading

Several different developments are being carved out of a larger 3738-acre tract once owned by LH Ranch in northern part of Huffman.

Two on the east side of FM2100 have come a long way since I first photographed them seven months ago. Last July, I flew over Los Piños and Saint Tropez. At the time, Los Piños was paving streets. Saint Tropez had just broken ground and started clearing.

On 3/5/23, I flew over both again and drove through Los Piños.

Saint Tropez is in upper portion of map at FM2100 and Meyer Road. Los Piños is south of Saint Tropez.

Los Piños now has a welcome center open that trumpets “owner financing.” And Saint Tropez looks to be in the final stages of clearing and grading. Let’s look at some “then-and-now” photos for both areas.

Los Piños

July 2022
Los Pinos
Los Piños Phase I in July 2022
March 2023
Los Piños Phase I looking west, March 5, 2023
Los Piños Phase I looking east, March 5, 2023

The 130-acre Los Piños Phase I tract represents only 0.34% of the larger LH Ranch Tract from which it is carved. 

Saint Tropez

Looking SW

Megatel, the developer had just broken ground the month before I first flew over St. Tropez in July 2022.

Saint Tropez in July 2022. Looking SW from NE corner.

Here’s how the property looks today from the same angle.

Saint Tropez looking SW from NE corner, March 5, 2023
Looking SE from Over FM2100
Saint Tropez in July 2022, looking SE from NW corner
Same angle seven months later. Saint Tropez in March 2023.

From FM2100 to the far end of the development is about a mile. The owner, Megatel plans to build a 1,000-acre, 4500-home community around a giant manmade lagoon with white sand beaches, a water park with surf simulator, and an entertainment district.

The press release announcing the groundbreaking last year in June stated that Megatel anticipated completion of Phase I sometime in the first quarter of 2023. They have a long way to go in the next three weeks! Rising interest rates and the recession in the housing market may have slowed plans down.

Los Piños Drainage Plans Claim No Adverse Impact

Both developments naturally drain southeast toward tributaries of Luce Bayou. You can see a channel leading toward them in the photo below. But at this writing, I only have drainage plans for Los Piños.

For a more detailed description of the plans including drainage, see the post I wrote about these developments in early August 2022.

Looking SE from Saint Tropez in foreground toward Los Piños (upper right) and Key Gully/Luce Bayou out of sight in background.
Drainage channels from Saint Tropez (upper left) and Los Piños (foreground) come together and veer right toward Key Gully and then Luce Bayou.

Preston Hydrologic developed the drainage plans for Los Piños and claimed the side slopes of the channels would be grass-lined to reduce/prevent erosion.

The developer may have to replant grass to reduce erosion. Los Piños photo taken 3/5/2023.

While the upper portions of channel banks have some grass, it appears that grass on the lower portions has washed away. Significant erosion is visible on channel banks and culverts between these linear stormwater detention basins are filling with silt.

For the complete Los Piños drainage analysis, click here. The engineering company claims it has 25% more stormwater-detention-basin capacity than necessary. That should actually reduce flood risk downstream, assuming the plans are accurate. Preston claims Los Piños will have no adverse impact.

Wetlands are interlaced throughout this area. And wetlands mitigation will be part of the plans for developments on both sides of FM2100, according to the Army Corps.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/5/2023

2014 Days since Hurricane Harvey

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