Colony Ridge taught the world about karma on Thursday, October 5, 2023. The development’s main entrance flooded during a meeting of legislators. The purpose of the meeting: to convince legislators that the development wasn’t as bad as media reports.
In eastern religions, karma is when a person’s actions decide his/her future. Think of cause and effect. Sometimes people get what they deserve.
The main entrance to the development flooded during or immediately after the meeting. So did areas downstream in Plum Grove. The parking lot of an elementary school flooded so badly that Cleveland ISD had to reschedule an open house. I doubt flooded areas were on the tour.
Drainage Not Meeting Regulations
All this happened during a 1- to 2-year storm that dumped less than four inches of rain in a 12-hour period.
The gage at the San Jacinto East Fork and FM2090 received 3.8 inches of rain. According to Atlas 14, that falls almost exactly in the middle of totals for 1- to 2-year storms and is within the confidence interval of each.
However, the Liberty County subdivision regulations specify that resdiential street drains should be able to carry runoff from a 5-year storm(See page 132, Section 50, C1Ai). It also states, “Major thoroughfares should accommodate five-year peak runoff rates with a minimum ten-foot dry travel lane and 25-year peak runoff rates without overtopping curbs.” Regardless of how you classify the streets below…
Thursday’s rainfall should not have covered these streets if Colony Ridge had built roads, channels and stormwater detention basins to Liberty County standards.
But look at the pictures that residents sent me that day.
Photo supplied by reader showing Colony Ridge main entrance during storm on Thursday, October 5, while developer schmoozed lawmakers elsewhere.FM1010 at Orange Branch downstream from Colony Ridge in Plum Grove during same storm.
FM1010, the main north-south artery between Huffman and Cleveland
That’s a huge public safety issue in itself. The legislature should address it. FM1010 is a major evacuation route.
But according to KHOU, lawmakers who attended the developer’s PR counter-offensive didn’t see anything wrong with Colony Ridge.
Karma Part II: High-Profile Crime
Ironically, in addition to flooding, a high-profile crime happened shortly before the meeting with lawmakers. A young man was kidnapped at gunpoint by three armed teens in Colony Ridge. That triggered a response by police, Texas Rangers and the Liberty County SWAT team. They captured one suspect and launched a manhunt for the other two.
Subsequently, the Liberty County Vindicator reported that a coalition of lawmakers citing rampant crime and a possible drug-cartel presence are urging the state to put the embattled Colony Ridge development under government conservatorship.
According to the Vindicator, the Texas House Appropriations, County Affairs, Public Health, and Criminal Jurisprudence committees proposed establishing funding for a Texas Department of Public Safety substation to multiply law enforcement presence in Colony Ridge. Colony Ridge remains unincorporated despite being the largest settlement in Liberty County.
Political/Media Brawl
The sudden surge in media attention surrounding Colony Ridge problems has generated its own media attention. The developer called his critics racists. Both the Associated Press and Houston Chronicle have rushed to his defense. They implied that Colony Ridge problems are overblown and that the developer is providing a path to homeownership for low-income Hispanics.
However, the stories ignored the developer’s usurious interest rates and couldn’t even get the age of the development correct. The lead sentence in the Chronicle article (which borrows heavily from the AP article) begins with “For two decades, Colony Ridge has been an escape for low income…” [Emphasis added.]
Satellite images in Google Earth show that the first Colony Ridge homes started appearing in October 2014 – nine years ago, not 20.
In the upcoming special session, I hope we can focus on real issues that affect human beings, such as flooding, and not just trade barbs. We need to get past the misinformation and political spin to solutions.
Tomorrow: Karma Part III
Tomorrow, I will publish a photo essay that shows Colony Ridge last Friday. Come back for Karma Part III. During Thursday’s rainfall, erosion damaged months of work on ditches and stormwater detention basins, also not built to Liberty County or industry standards.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/7/23
2230 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231005-IMG_1650.jpg?fit=1100%2C865&ssl=18651100adminadmin2023-10-07 14:48:382023-10-12 17:35:24Colony Ridge Karma: Area Floods While Developer Hosts Lawmakers
Dana Kennedy of the New York Post published a 2,500-word exposé on Colony Ridge titled “Murders, cartels, squalor: Inside ‘colony’ near Houston accused of being ‘haven for illegal aliens.’”
Kennedy spent weeks researching and writing the article. She interviewed the developer as well as residents, neighbors, local officials and law enforcement. Her story includes 27 photos and a 10-minute video – rare for a daily newspaper. If you really want to get a feeling for Colony Ridge and its impact on surrounding areas, Kennedy’s article is a great place to start.
Summary Of Exposé
She delves into the development’s housing, population, criminal activity, drug cartels, roving dogs, gang activity, access issues and how it has become a magnet for illegal immigration.
In short, she covers why Governor Greg Abbott is making it part of a special legislative session that he called for next Monday. And why Texas’s 25 House Republicans have unanimously called for an investigation.
Kennedy then segues into how the developer markets the property to Hispanics, i.e., with owner financing, small down payments, and interest rates up to 15%. She also details the high foreclosure rates and the revolving door at the county courthouse that allows the developer to resell the same property multiple times.
From there, she turns her attention to the impacts on surrounding communities – homes flooded, FM1010 washed out, endless traffic snarls, a severed human hand that a dog dragged home, and plummeting property values. She lets disenchanted purchasers and neighbors tell their stories in their own words.
Developers Claim of Racism Disputed
The developer blames the criticism on racism among the locals. Former Plum Grove Mayor Lee Ann Penton-Walker disputes that. “We don’t have the infrastructure to take on all these new people. Hell, Houston doesn’t. New York doesn’t. Look what your mayor’s been saying lately. Is Eric Adams a racist?”
The developer’s claim of racism belies the fact that most of the criticism in the story came from Hispanics.
Kennedy ends her expose with some quotes from me about conditions “hazardous to human health.” They referred to TCEQ reports documenting sewage spills and poorly mitigated drainage.
How the Other Half Lives
All told, it’s a gripping story and a solid piece of journalism. It reminded me of the work done by a pioneering photojournalist in New York named Jacob Riis. He documented living conditions in New York City slums during the 1880s. Riis published a book called “How the Other Half Lives.” It served as a basis for future muckraking journalism by exposing the slums in New York to the City’s upper and middle classes.
I hope Kennedy’s work for the Post has a similar impact and brings Colony Ridge to national attention. Even more, I hope it brings about some much needed change.
Just hours after the Post published Kennedy’s story, the developers launched a PR counter-offensive. They hosted a tour of Colony Ridge for state legislators who will begin their investigation into the controversial development next week during their special session.
The address below probably won’t be on the PR tour.
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20210101-RJR_4783.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2023-10-05 12:29:042023-10-05 13:15:19New York Post Publishes Gripping Exposé on Colony Ridge
During September, Sprint Sand & Clay excavated another 5,698 cubic yards of material from Woodridge Village, down slightly from the previous month. However, that brought the total to date up to 150,724 cubic yards – a nice milestone.
Attempted development of the property contributed to the flooding of neighboring properties twice in 2019 during May and September.
Background of Project
Sprint’s excavation will create a sixth stormwater detention basin on the former Perry Homes property purchased by Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and the City of Houston in 2021.
Sprint began excavation in January of 2022 under an Excavation and Removal Contract (E&R). The E&R contract gives Sprint the right to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of material for just $1,000. Sprint then makes its money back by selling the dirt at market rates.
Where Things Stand
To date, here’s where things stand in relation to possible goals:
Acre Feetof Stormwater Detention
% of Atlas-14 Requirement
% of Ultimate
Site Had When Purchased from Perry Homes
271
70%
47%
Has as of 10/3/23
364.4
94.6%
62.8%
Atlas 14 Requires
385
100%
66%
If Sprint Excavates All 500K Cubic Yards
580
150%
100%
As of 10/3/23
The rate of excavation slowed in September compared to August. During August Sprint excavated 10,353 cubic yards – almost twice as much.
E&R contracts often fluctuate like this depending on home- and road-building activity nearby. Regardless, Sprint still exceeded its contract’s monthly minimum of 5,000 cubic yards.
Before/After Pictures For September
The first two photos below show the extent of excavation at the beginning and end of September.
Looking NE from SW Corner. Beginning of September.End of September 2023
I see no dramatic changes. They did, however, nibble away at the edges in the top left corner, where the tire tracks lead to. Here’s a closeup of that area.
NW limit of excavation as of September 30, 2023Reverse angle looking SW.Notice removal of surface layer in the lower right.Entry view, 9/30/23
Rain always slows construction activity and it may have played a role here. The pool of water above was one third this size at the start of the month.
5,698 cubic yards of material for September equals 3.5 acre feet. At that rate, the detention basin will not reach Atlas-14 requirements for another 5-6 months. It appears unlikely at this point that Sprint will meet Atlas-14 requirements by the end of the year – unless Sprint really sprints.
No Engineering Report Yet
At the start of the project, HCFCD planned to go beyond Atlas 14 to accommodate possible future increases in rainfall requirements and upstream growth. That would provide an extra margin of safety for people in the area.
HCFCD still has not released the final engineering report yet for Woodridge Village and Taylor Gully. So we don’t know yet how large this detention basin will be, i.e., beyond Atlas 14.
That final engineering report will also determine the final shape of the basin and its connectivity to other drainage on the site.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/3/23
2226 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20230930-DJI_0516.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2023-10-03 08:29:292023-11-01 06:09:35Woodridge Village Excavation Slows
Colony Ridge Karma: Area Floods While Developer Hosts Lawmakers
Colony Ridge taught the world about karma on Thursday, October 5, 2023. The development’s main entrance flooded during a meeting of legislators. The purpose of the meeting: to convince legislators that the development wasn’t as bad as media reports.
In eastern religions, karma is when a person’s actions decide his/her future. Think of cause and effect. Sometimes people get what they deserve.
The closed-door meeting and private tour for elected representatives happened in advance of a special session of the legislature that begins next Monday.
The main entrance to the development flooded during or immediately after the meeting. So did areas downstream in Plum Grove. The parking lot of an elementary school flooded so badly that Cleveland ISD had to reschedule an open house. I doubt flooded areas were on the tour.
Drainage Not Meeting Regulations
All this happened during a 1- to 2-year storm that dumped less than four inches of rain in a 12-hour period.
The gage at the San Jacinto East Fork and FM2090 received 3.8 inches of rain. According to Atlas 14, that falls almost exactly in the middle of totals for 1- to 2-year storms and is within the confidence interval of each.
However, the Liberty County subdivision regulations specify that resdiential street drains should be able to carry runoff from a 5-year storm (See page 132, Section 50, C1Ai). It also states, “Major thoroughfares should accommodate five-year peak runoff rates with a minimum ten-foot dry travel lane and 25-year peak runoff rates without overtopping curbs.” Regardless of how you classify the streets below…
But look at the pictures that residents sent me that day.
Insufficiently mitigated drainage that causes flooding is a huge public safety issue. However, it certainly doesn’t get the attention it deserves short of a major disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey. Harvey wiped out the FM1010 bridge over Rocky Branch due to excessive, uncontrolled runoff from Colony Ridge. The bridge has not been repaired to this day.
That’s a huge public safety issue in itself. The legislature should address it. FM1010 is a major evacuation route.
But according to KHOU, lawmakers who attended the developer’s PR counter-offensive didn’t see anything wrong with Colony Ridge.
Karma Part II: High-Profile Crime
Ironically, in addition to flooding, a high-profile crime happened shortly before the meeting with lawmakers. A young man was kidnapped at gunpoint by three armed teens in Colony Ridge. That triggered a response by police, Texas Rangers and the Liberty County SWAT team. They captured one suspect and launched a manhunt for the other two.
Subsequently, the Liberty County Vindicator reported that a coalition of lawmakers citing rampant crime and a possible drug-cartel presence are urging the state to put the embattled Colony Ridge development under government conservatorship.
According to the Vindicator, the Texas House Appropriations, County Affairs, Public Health, and Criminal Jurisprudence committees proposed establishing funding for a Texas Department of Public Safety substation to multiply law enforcement presence in Colony Ridge. Colony Ridge remains unincorporated despite being the largest settlement in Liberty County.
Political/Media Brawl
The sudden surge in media attention surrounding Colony Ridge problems has generated its own media attention. The developer called his critics racists. Both the Associated Press and Houston Chronicle have rushed to his defense. They implied that Colony Ridge problems are overblown and that the developer is providing a path to homeownership for low-income Hispanics.
However, the stories ignored the developer’s usurious interest rates and couldn’t even get the age of the development correct. The lead sentence in the Chronicle article (which borrows heavily from the AP article) begins with “For two decades, Colony Ridge has been an escape for low income…” [Emphasis added.]
Satellite images in Google Earth show that the first Colony Ridge homes started appearing in October 2014 – nine years ago, not 20.
In the upcoming special session, I hope we can focus on real issues that affect human beings, such as flooding, and not just trade barbs. We need to get past the misinformation and political spin to solutions.
Tomorrow: Karma Part III
Tomorrow, I will publish a photo essay that shows Colony Ridge last Friday. Come back for Karma Part III. During Thursday’s rainfall, erosion damaged months of work on ditches and stormwater detention basins, also not built to Liberty County or industry standards.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/7/23
2230 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
New York Post Publishes Gripping Exposé on Colony Ridge
Dana Kennedy of the New York Post published a 2,500-word exposé on Colony Ridge titled “Murders, cartels, squalor: Inside ‘colony’ near Houston accused of being ‘haven for illegal aliens.’”
Kennedy spent weeks researching and writing the article. She interviewed the developer as well as residents, neighbors, local officials and law enforcement. Her story includes 27 photos and a 10-minute video – rare for a daily newspaper. If you really want to get a feeling for Colony Ridge and its impact on surrounding areas, Kennedy’s article is a great place to start.
Summary Of Exposé
She delves into the development’s housing, population, criminal activity, drug cartels, roving dogs, gang activity, access issues and how it has become a magnet for illegal immigration.
In short, she covers why Governor Greg Abbott is making it part of a special legislative session that he called for next Monday. And why Texas’s 25 House Republicans have unanimously called for an investigation.
Kennedy then segues into how the developer markets the property to Hispanics, i.e., with owner financing, small down payments, and interest rates up to 15%. She also details the high foreclosure rates and the revolving door at the county courthouse that allows the developer to resell the same property multiple times.
From there, she turns her attention to the impacts on surrounding communities – homes flooded, FM1010 washed out, endless traffic snarls, a severed human hand that a dog dragged home, and plummeting property values. She lets disenchanted purchasers and neighbors tell their stories in their own words.
Developers Claim of Racism Disputed
The developer blames the criticism on racism among the locals. Former Plum Grove Mayor Lee Ann Penton-Walker disputes that. “We don’t have the infrastructure to take on all these new people. Hell, Houston doesn’t. New York doesn’t. Look what your mayor’s been saying lately. Is Eric Adams a racist?”
The developer’s claim of racism belies the fact that most of the criticism in the story came from Hispanics.
Kennedy ends her expose with some quotes from me about conditions “hazardous to human health.” They referred to TCEQ reports documenting sewage spills and poorly mitigated drainage.
How the Other Half Lives
All told, it’s a gripping story and a solid piece of journalism. It reminded me of the work done by a pioneering photojournalist in New York named Jacob Riis. He documented living conditions in New York City slums during the 1880s. Riis published a book called “How the Other Half Lives.” It served as a basis for future muckraking journalism by exposing the slums in New York to the City’s upper and middle classes.
I hope Kennedy’s work for the Post has a similar impact and brings Colony Ridge to national attention. Even more, I hope it brings about some much needed change.
Just hours after the Post published Kennedy’s story, the developers launched a PR counter-offensive. They hosted a tour of Colony Ridge for state legislators who will begin their investigation into the controversial development next week during their special session.
The address below probably won’t be on the PR tour.
For more about Colony Ridge drainage and related infrastructure issues, see these posts.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/5/2023
2228 days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Woodridge Village Excavation Slows
During September, Sprint Sand & Clay excavated another 5,698 cubic yards of material from Woodridge Village, down slightly from the previous month. However, that brought the total to date up to 150,724 cubic yards – a nice milestone.
Attempted development of the property contributed to the flooding of neighboring properties twice in 2019 during May and September.
Background of Project
Sprint’s excavation will create a sixth stormwater detention basin on the former Perry Homes property purchased by Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) and the City of Houston in 2021.
Sprint began excavation in January of 2022 under an Excavation and Removal Contract (E&R). The E&R contract gives Sprint the right to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of material for just $1,000. Sprint then makes its money back by selling the dirt at market rates.
Where Things Stand
To date, here’s where things stand in relation to possible goals:
The rate of excavation slowed in September compared to August. During August Sprint excavated 10,353 cubic yards – almost twice as much.
E&R contracts often fluctuate like this depending on home- and road-building activity nearby. Regardless, Sprint still exceeded its contract’s monthly minimum of 5,000 cubic yards.
Before/After Pictures For September
The first two photos below show the extent of excavation at the beginning and end of September.
I see no dramatic changes. They did, however, nibble away at the edges in the top left corner, where the tire tracks lead to. Here’s a closeup of that area.
Rain always slows construction activity and it may have played a role here. The pool of water above was one third this size at the start of the month.
5,698 cubic yards of material for September equals 3.5 acre feet. At that rate, the detention basin will not reach Atlas-14 requirements for another 5-6 months. It appears unlikely at this point that Sprint will meet Atlas-14 requirements by the end of the year – unless Sprint really sprints.
No Engineering Report Yet
At the start of the project, HCFCD planned to go beyond Atlas 14 to accommodate possible future increases in rainfall requirements and upstream growth. That would provide an extra margin of safety for people in the area.
HCFCD still has not released the final engineering report yet for Woodridge Village and Taylor Gully. So we don’t know yet how large this detention basin will be, i.e., beyond Atlas 14.
That final engineering report will also determine the final shape of the basin and its connectivity to other drainage on the site.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/3/23
2226 Days since Hurricane Harvey