According to its new website, the controversial Laurel Springs RV Resort near Lakewood Cove plans opening in January 2023. Recent aerial photos show workers putting the finishing touches on the “resort.” Even though the City of Houston permitted 182 spaces, the website advertises 226.
The photos below show the status of construction on 1/3/2023. The portion closest to camera in the first shot, looks ready to go. But workers are still scurrying about the northern portion of the site.
Looking N from southern end of property.Plans for the park claimed only 66% impervious cover.Last remaining dirt work in NW corner of detention pond.That triangular space comprises the resort’s dog park. Dachshunds and chihuahuas fit in the narrow end.Trees planted just before Christmas will soon brush up against utility wires.Water still ponds in the area below where the resort buried pipes through the dike.
The permit plans stipulate that the site’s detention basin must have a dry bottom within 48 hours of a storm. It hasn’t had a dry bottom in quite a while.
The resort’s website calls the basin a “retention pond.” Retention ponds are designed to hold water permanently.
The Resort’s new typo-plagued website has about as much attention to detail as its permit applications did. RV owners can only hope they do better with invoices. See below.
A scrolling banner on the website trumpets the Resort’s marketing theme – “Join the Adventure.” It promises to be exactly that – an adventure…right next to the railroad tracks, which the owners forgot to mention.
Posted by Bob on 1/4/23
1954 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/2023/01/20230103-DJI_0520.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2023-01-04 11:55:042023-01-04 12:10:26Laurel Springs RV Resort Plans Opening This Month
After more than eight months of clearing, grading and drainage prep, The Residences at Kingwood, a 19.7 acre apartment complex on West Lake Houston Parkway between Upper Lake Drive and Kings Park Way, is finally under construction. The developer’s website says the complex will feature 240 Garden Apartments and 49 Townhomes.
The photos below show that carpenters have started framing buildings on the south end of the property and are working their way north.
Looking S. West Lake Houston Parkway on right. Upper Lake Drive in lower right.Closer shot of construction at south end of property.Detention basin seems to be functioning. Harris County specifies a minimum detention rate of .65 acre feet per acre for sites this large.
Although neighbors have complained of mud on West Lake Houston Parkway and surrounding streets, I have received no complaints of flooding yet.
Location
The map below shows the location of two parcels on West Lake Houston Parkway that comprise the new development. They are approximately halfway between the West Fork at the top of the frame and FM1960 at the bottom.
From HCAD.The cul-de-sac at the south end of the property (right)will be called Kings River Commercial Drive.
About the Developer and Project
The developer, High Street Residential, is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Trammell Crow Company.” In the last 15 years, High Street Residential has completed more than $2.7 billion with a current pipeline of more than 4,500 units.
The Residences at Kingwood will offer homes ranging in size from one to three bedrooms and will feature stainless steel appliances, in-unit washers and dryers, custom cabinetry, and nine-foot ceiling heights. Select units will also offer walk-in closets, private outdoor space, and one- or two-car garages. The development will feature:
A resort-style pool
Grilling areas
Fitness center with a yoga & Pilates studio, and an outdoor workout area
Resident lounge with an art gallery and an entertaining kitchen, along with a conferencing and remote-work suite
Pet grooming center
On-site storage
Putting green, bocce courts, pickle ball court
Multiple outdoor dining areas
Connection to the Kingwood Greenbelt trail system.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/20230103-DJI_0641.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2023-01-03 14:25:382023-01-03 14:29:27240 Apartments, 49 Garden Homes Going Up on West Lake Houston Parkway
The problem: Changes affect both water quality downstream and land development upstream. That’s why the rules change so often. Competing interests! Public health and safety vs. economic expansion.
The Cuyahoga River caught fire a total of 13 times dating back to 1868. It is still rated one of the most polluted rivers in America by almost every group that compiles lists. Photo: Cleveland State University Library.
The photographers took about 81,000 images, more than 20,000 of which were archived. At least 15,000 have been digitized by the National Archives. They form a time capsule showing the way things were.
Warning: These images are disturbing…for people on both sides of the political net.
Why the Changes This Time?
The AP article by Jim Salter and Michael Phillis says, “The Trump-era rule, finalized in 2020, was long sought by builders, oil and gas developers, farmers and others who complained about federal overreach that they said stretched into gullies, creeks and ravines on farmland and other private property.”
However, the writers continued, “…the Trump rule allowed businesses to dump pollutants into unprotected waterways and fill in some wetlands, threatening public water supplies downstream and harming wildlife and habitat.”
They quoted Kelly Moser, Senior Attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center’s Clean Water Defense Initiative. She said, “Today, the Biden administration restored needed clean water protections so that our nation’s waters are guarded against pollution for fishing, swimming, and as sources of drinking water.”
At Issue: Definition of “Waters of the U.S.”
Meanwhile, courts at various levels are still pondering the definition of “Waters of the U.S.” At issue: How far up in the branching structure of a river may the government enforce regulations? As far as it’s navigable? One level up from that? Two? Three? Infinitely? And do the rules apply to desert areas the same way they do to subtropical areas like SE Texas?
The Biden administration decision is a setback for various industries. It broadens which wetlands, streams and rivers can be regulated under the Clean Water Act.
But given the impacts to public health and the immense economic interests at stake, this won’t be the last time we see the rules change. An army of lobbyists is likely mobilizing right now.
Local Impact
Several developments in the Lake Houston Area contained wetlands affected regulation changes. Consider, for instance, the case of Woodridge Village. The Army Corps ruled that it contained wetlands, but that the wetlands didn’t fall under their jurisdiction because of rules in effect at the time. So there was no violation of the Clean Water Act. Hundreds of homes in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest flooded, partially as a result of the environmental destruction.
Confluence of Spring Creek and West Fork by 59 Bridge. TCEQ found that Liberty Mines discharged 56 million gallons of white waste water into the West Fork.Repeated and multiple breaches atTriple PG mine discharged sediment-laden water directly into Caney Creek. This one lasted for months.
Searching on the word “breach” in ReduceFlooding.com pulls up 116 stories, many of which show multiple breaches.
But mining isn’t the only upstream issue at stake. So is sediment pollution from new development.
Drainage ditch in Artavia.March 2020 in West Fork watershedEroding ditch in Colony Ridge (East Fork Watershed) due to lack of backslope interceptor systems and grass.
Making Private Expenses a Public Cost
The EPA lists sediment as the most common pollutant in rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs. It has contributed to flooding thousands of homes in the Lake Houston Area.
West Fork mouth bar almost totally blocked the river where it meets Lake Houston.East Fork Mouth Bar grew 4000 feet in two years between Harvey and Imelda.
Both mouth bars above have since been dredged at great public expense, but abuses continue. I just wish we could all find a way to live together. This should not be a case of health and safety vs. economic development. We need all three for communities to prosper.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/2/23
1952 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/2019/11/RJR_4154-e1775771233982.jpg?fit=1100%2C733&ssl=17331100adminadmin2023-01-02 11:04:302023-01-02 11:49:14Biden Changes Trump’s Changes to Water Regulations
Laurel Springs RV Resort Plans Opening This Month
According to its new website, the controversial Laurel Springs RV Resort near Lakewood Cove plans opening in January 2023. Recent aerial photos show workers putting the finishing touches on the “resort.” Even though the City of Houston permitted 182 spaces, the website advertises 226.
The website also advertises “long-term” stays, something Humble ISD taxpayers expressed concerns about. The concern had to do with RV owners enrolling their children in Humble ISD schools without paying their fair share of taxes. Long-term RV rates start as low as $665 per month. However, Apartments.com lists apartments throughout the Kingwood area with monthly rents starting hundreds of dollars higher.
Photos Taken January 3, 2023
The photos below show the status of construction on 1/3/2023. The portion closest to camera in the first shot, looks ready to go. But workers are still scurrying about the northern portion of the site.
Last year, I caught the Resort on camera discharging silty stormwater into the wetlands of Harris County’s Precinct 3 Edgewater Park. The County Attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to the owners. And the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said the discharge was not allowed by its permit.
The permit plans stipulate that the site’s detention basin must have a dry bottom within 48 hours of a storm. It hasn’t had a dry bottom in quite a while.
The resort’s website calls the basin a “retention pond.” Retention ponds are designed to hold water permanently.
But the dry bottom was a concession to FAA rules designed to discourage waterfowl from congregating near airports. This site hasn’t been dry in a long time. Maybe air safety is no longer a concern. The FAA reported only 166 bird strikes at Bush Intercontinental last year.
Meanwhile, the Resort’s detention basin/retention pond is half the size required by current regulations.
“Join the Adventure”
The Resort’s new typo-plagued website has about as much attention to detail as its permit applications did. RV owners can only hope they do better with invoices. See below.
A scrolling banner on the website trumpets the Resort’s marketing theme – “Join the Adventure.” It promises to be exactly that – an adventure…right next to the railroad tracks, which the owners forgot to mention.
Posted by Bob on 1/4/23
1954 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.
240 Apartments, 49 Garden Homes Going Up on West Lake Houston Parkway
After more than eight months of clearing, grading and drainage prep, The Residences at Kingwood, a 19.7 acre apartment complex on West Lake Houston Parkway between Upper Lake Drive and Kings Park Way, is finally under construction. The developer’s website says the complex will feature 240 Garden Apartments and 49 Townhomes.
The photos below show that carpenters have started framing buildings on the south end of the property and are working their way north.
First Photos of New Year
All photos below were taken on 1/3/2023, one day after a quarter-inch rain.
Although neighbors have complained of mud on West Lake Houston Parkway and surrounding streets, I have received no complaints of flooding yet.
Location
The map below shows the location of two parcels on West Lake Houston Parkway that comprise the new development. They are approximately halfway between the West Fork at the top of the frame and FM1960 at the bottom.
About the Developer and Project
The developer, High Street Residential, is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Trammell Crow Company.” In the last 15 years, High Street Residential has completed more than $2.7 billion with a current pipeline of more than 4,500 units.
Trammell Crow Company has been the nation’s #1-ranked commercial developer for nine traight years. On the residential side, High Street has climbed to #3.
The Residences at Kingwood will offer homes ranging in size from one to three bedrooms and will feature stainless steel appliances, in-unit washers and dryers, custom cabinetry, and nine-foot ceiling heights. Select units will also offer walk-in closets, private outdoor space, and one- or two-car garages. The development will feature:
For more information and project updates, visit www.ResidencesatKingwood.com.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/3/2023
1953 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Biden Changes Trump’s Changes to Water Regulations
The Associated Press reported on December 30, 2021, that the Biden administration had reversed Trump-era changes to water regulations, which themselves were changes to Obama regulations and other previous administrations. This is getting to be like a tennis match. “Advantage Downstream.”
The EPA regulations have changed numerous times over the years. Enforcement changes, too.
The problem: Changes affect both water quality downstream and land development upstream. That’s why the rules change so often. Competing interests! Public health and safety vs. economic expansion.
Rivers Before the EPA and Clean Water Act
About two thirds of Americans alive today had not yet been born when Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969. So they have no memory of the event that helped give birth to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970.
Shortly after its founding, the EPA dispatched photographers all around the country to document environmental abuses.
The photographers took about 81,000 images, more than 20,000 of which were archived. At least 15,000 have been digitized by the National Archives. They form a time capsule showing the way things were.
Warning: These images are disturbing…for people on both sides of the political net.
Why the Changes This Time?
The AP article by Jim Salter and Michael Phillis says, “The Trump-era rule, finalized in 2020, was long sought by builders, oil and gas developers, farmers and others who complained about federal overreach that they said stretched into gullies, creeks and ravines on farmland and other private property.”
However, the writers continued, “…the Trump rule allowed businesses to dump pollutants into unprotected waterways and fill in some wetlands, threatening public water supplies downstream and harming wildlife and habitat.”
They quoted Kelly Moser, Senior Attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center’s Clean Water Defense Initiative. She said, “Today, the Biden administration restored needed clean water protections so that our nation’s waters are guarded against pollution for fishing, swimming, and as sources of drinking water.”
At Issue: Definition of “Waters of the U.S.”
Meanwhile, courts at various levels are still pondering the definition of “Waters of the U.S.” At issue: How far up in the branching structure of a river may the government enforce regulations? As far as it’s navigable? One level up from that? Two? Three? Infinitely? And do the rules apply to desert areas the same way they do to subtropical areas like SE Texas?
The Biden administration decision is a setback for various industries. It broadens which wetlands, streams and rivers can be regulated under the Clean Water Act.
But given the impacts to public health and the immense economic interests at stake, this won’t be the last time we see the rules change. An army of lobbyists is likely mobilizing right now.
Local Impact
Several developments in the Lake Houston Area contained wetlands affected regulation changes. Consider, for instance, the case of Woodridge Village. The Army Corps ruled that it contained wetlands, but that the wetlands didn’t fall under their jurisdiction because of rules in effect at the time. So there was no violation of the Clean Water Act. Hundreds of homes in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest flooded, partially as a result of the environmental destruction.
In this area, sediment pollution is one of our most serious concerns. We’ve seen repeated and almost constant releases into the West Fork from 20-square miles of sand mines immediately upstream from us.
Searching on the word “breach” in ReduceFlooding.com pulls up 116 stories, many of which show multiple breaches.
But mining isn’t the only upstream issue at stake. So is sediment pollution from new development.
Making Private Expenses a Public Cost
The EPA lists sediment as the most common pollutant in rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs. It has contributed to flooding thousands of homes in the Lake Houston Area.
Both mouth bars above have since been dredged at great public expense, but abuses continue. I just wish we could all find a way to live together. This should not be a case of health and safety vs. economic development. We need all three for communities to prosper.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/2/23
1952 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.