Since April 2022, I’ve documented the ever-widening clearing of the new Royal Pines subdivision at the north end of West Lake Houston Parkway. See what the development looked like in:
At the end of August, it appeared as though the clearing was close to complete. Massive piles of dead trees remain to haul away. But the cleared area closely matches the general plan shown below.
Looking ENE across the new, barren Royal Pines subdivisionLooking SSE from NW corner of Royal PinesLooking WNW across Country Colony and Royal Pines, the clearing in the background.General Plan for Royal Pines. Click here for higher resolution version.
All across the region we see this same scenario played out over and over again. Why?
Bloomberg points out, “Money, of course. For homebuilders, trees are a nuisance. To keep a tree alive while building on a lot, they have to keep heavy equipment far away so they don’t compact the soil above its roots. They also can’t push soil up around the trunk. Preserving trees means keeping the topography of the lot unchanged, which often doesn’t fit their plans.”
Memphis Daily News interviewed the president of the local homebuilders association there. The article says that “a developer’s stance on clear-cutting trees often depends on landscape and lot sizes. It’s easier to save trees on larger lots because they allow more room to work.”
“If a developer goes in and he decides he’s going to do two-acre lots, trees are no issue and they’re going to stay,” said Tim Wilson, president of the Memphis Area Homebuilders Association’s executive board. “But if a builder decides the best use for a piece of property is 40-foot lots, then the trees are coming down, every single one of them. That’s because there is no room for a house and a tree on a 40-foot lot.”
Majority of Lots 40-42 Feet
Exploring the links below will show you the general plan and layouts for the first three sections of Royal Pines. Most of the lots are, in fact, 40 to 42 feet wide:
That increases impervious cover. Unless sufficient detention and retention basins slow the water down, accelerated runoff increases the time of concentration downstream. That builds faster, higher flood peaks.
Effect of Urbanization on Peak Stream Flows” by Dr. William Dupre, professor emeritus from the University of Houston.
Impact on Environment
Sciencing.com points out that clearcutting also has other environmental impacts. They include erosion, pollution and flooding. “
“The roots of trees hold moisture and keep soil in place, protecting it from washing away during wind and rain. This erosion can also lead to flooding in waterways. Because trees are no longer holding the soil in place, rain flushes the sediment into waterways. … That can impact the river’s ability to flow properly and cause flooding.”
All this clearcutting has the potential to increase runoff, erosion and sedimentation that could require future dredging…at public expense.
Eventually, the ground cover and forest canopy will regrow. But what about in the meantime? Neighbors have been lucky so far unlike those in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/5/22
1833 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220904-DJI_0445.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-09-05 16:14:332022-09-05 16:14:37202.8 Acres of Royal Pines Gone. Was It Necessary?
New Caney ISD’s new West Fork High School on Sorters-McClellan Road south of Kingwood Drive celebrated its grand opening on August 23, 2022. Here’s a video of the event. I’ve been following the construction of the school since early 2020.
Construction is the riskiest period in a project as we saw with the aborted Woodridge Village project. Sheet flow during heavy rains flooded Elm Grove Village and North Kingwood Forest twice in 2019, largely because of the failure to follow best practices. Contractors cleared 270 acres before building required detention ponds.
No Flooding During Construction
However, New Caney ISD built a large detention pond at the low end of the site when it started construction. They also planted grass in it right away. Luckily, TA DA, no one flooded during construction. And no major erosion problems were observed. Amazing how safety improves when you follow best practices.
Pictures of Completed Campus
Here are pictures of the school taken 9/4/22, Sunday morning when no students were around. The campus looks beautiful and will make a welcome addition for New Caney ISD students in the area.
Wide shot showing whole campus including detention pond. Looking NE across Sorters-McClellan Road toward HCA Kingwood Medical Center in background.Closer shot looking in same direction. Looking NW from SE corner of site over the detention basin. Track, field events, baseball and a dedicated athletic facility on the left.Looking directly west at back of new high school.Looking south from north end of main complex.Central open-air courtyard, a signature feature of the new school. Gives more classrooms sunlight.Completing the circle. Looking NE again from SW corner of main building.
Historical Photos of Construction Progress
To look back at the sequence of construction photos starting in June 2020, see the links below.
Congratulations to New Caney ISD, its students, and all the neighbors who survived construction.
There’s still a little work left to do. The road in front of the high school is widening. A pile of dirt at the north end needs to be removed. And pipe, most likely for irrigation, still remains in places. But I think we can safely close the books on this project.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/4/22
1832 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/20220904-DJI_0405.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2022-09-04 13:23:012022-09-04 13:27:09New West Fork High School Opens
My weird nephew Izzy wants to rent one of those new 660-square-foot homelets going up in the Preserve at Woodridge. He came to me so excited the other day that he was gesturing wildly and sloshed beer all over his Mötley Crüe T-shirt.
“Uncle Bob,” he enthused, “You gotta see these places! I can maybe actually possibly afford one!”
131 homes under construction, 13 to the acre. Photo taken 9/2/22.
That’s saying a lot. Or a little. Izzy isn’t exactly the top earner down at the Crystal Pistol. The owner demoted him from bartender to sweeping up beer nuts and cigarette butts. That happened after the owner learned Izzy had applied to be the head of the Flood Control District. Something about not showing loyalty and appreciation.
“A lease is a pretty big obligation, Izzy,” I said.
“It’s better than living outa the back seat of my Oldsmobile,” Izzy shot back.
“I thought you told me it would be a collector’s item someday.”
All the Amenities
“True,” said Izzy, “but these homelets, they got flush toilets.”
“I can see the advantage there. But they’re so close together, Izzy.”
“That’s one of the big pluses, Uncle Bob.”
“Why is that?”
“No trees to water. No grass to mow. More time for the ladies.”
Some of the homelets are more than 4 feet apart. Density is about 13 homelets to the acre.
“But Izzy. People commute all the way to Kingwood because they like nature.”
“Well, I heard they give you a geranium.”
“Will it fit?”
“Them homelets, they got plenty of room. Some even gots a study.”
“Do you own a book, Izzy?”
“No, but I got me a library card.”
“Have you ever used it?”
“I see your point, Uncle Bob. “
“Izzy, what you really need is a washer and drier.”
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.
202.8 Acres of Royal Pines Gone. Was It Necessary?
Since April 2022, I’ve documented the ever-widening clearing of the new Royal Pines subdivision at the north end of West Lake Houston Parkway. See what the development looked like in:
At the end of August, it appeared as though the clearing was close to complete. Massive piles of dead trees remain to haul away. But the cleared area closely matches the general plan shown below.
Why Developers Clearcut: Pragmatism, Profit, Affordable Product
All across the region we see this same scenario played out over and over again. Why?
Bloomberg points out, “Money, of course. For homebuilders, trees are a nuisance. To keep a tree alive while building on a lot, they have to keep heavy equipment far away so they don’t compact the soil above its roots. They also can’t push soil up around the trunk. Preserving trees means keeping the topography of the lot unchanged, which often doesn’t fit their plans.”
Memphis Daily News interviewed the president of the local homebuilders association there. The article says that “a developer’s stance on clear-cutting trees often depends on landscape and lot sizes. It’s easier to save trees on larger lots because they allow more room to work.”
“If a developer goes in and he decides he’s going to do two-acre lots, trees are no issue and they’re going to stay,” said Tim Wilson, president of the Memphis Area Homebuilders Association’s executive board. “But if a builder decides the best use for a piece of property is 40-foot lots, then the trees are coming down, every single one of them. That’s because there is no room for a house and a tree on a 40-foot lot.”
Majority of Lots 40-42 Feet
Exploring the links below will show you the general plan and layouts for the first three sections of Royal Pines. Most of the lots are, in fact, 40 to 42 feet wide:
The rising costs of land, borrowing, and building materials are forcing developers to squeeze more homes into smaller spaces to keep the homes affordable. In the Preserve at Woodridge, the lots are even smaller: 13 to the acre instead of 4-6.
That increases impervious cover. Unless sufficient detention and retention basins slow the water down, accelerated runoff increases the time of concentration downstream. That builds faster, higher flood peaks.
Impact on Environment
Sciencing.com points out that clearcutting also has other environmental impacts. They include erosion, pollution and flooding. “
“The roots of trees hold moisture and keep soil in place, protecting it from washing away during wind and rain. This erosion can also lead to flooding in waterways. Because trees are no longer holding the soil in place, rain flushes the sediment into waterways. … That can impact the river’s ability to flow properly and cause flooding.”
White Oak Creek
All along White Oak Creek, new developments are springing up. At 242 and FM1314, Mavera wetlands have bitten the dust.
Farther east, White Oak runs through the massive Valley Ranch area and the new Amazon transportation facility at 59 and 99.
Then Royal Pines borders White Oak as you get to West Lake Houston Parkway.
Finally White Oak joins Caney Creek, the East Fork San Jacinto and Lake Houston. (See below.)
All this clearcutting has the potential to increase runoff, erosion and sedimentation that could require future dredging…at public expense.
Eventually, the ground cover and forest canopy will regrow. But what about in the meantime? Neighbors have been lucky so far unlike those in Elm Grove and North Kingwood Forest.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/5/22
1833 Days since Hurricane Harvey
New West Fork High School Opens
New Caney ISD’s new West Fork High School on Sorters-McClellan Road south of Kingwood Drive celebrated its grand opening on August 23, 2022. Here’s a video of the event. I’ve been following the construction of the school since early 2020.
Construction is the riskiest period in a project as we saw with the aborted Woodridge Village project. Sheet flow during heavy rains flooded Elm Grove Village and North Kingwood Forest twice in 2019, largely because of the failure to follow best practices. Contractors cleared 270 acres before building required detention ponds.
No Flooding During Construction
However, New Caney ISD built a large detention pond at the low end of the site when it started construction. They also planted grass in it right away. Luckily, TA DA, no one flooded during construction. And no major erosion problems were observed. Amazing how safety improves when you follow best practices.
Pictures of Completed Campus
Here are pictures of the school taken 9/4/22, Sunday morning when no students were around. The campus looks beautiful and will make a welcome addition for New Caney ISD students in the area.
Historical Photos of Construction Progress
To look back at the sequence of construction photos starting in June 2020, see the links below.
Congratulations to New Caney ISD, its students, and all the neighbors who survived construction.
There’s still a little work left to do. The road in front of the high school is widening. A pile of dirt at the north end needs to be removed. And pipe, most likely for irrigation, still remains in places. But I think we can safely close the books on this project.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/4/22
1832 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Nephew Izzy Considering Homelets
My weird nephew Izzy wants to rent one of those new 660-square-foot homelets going up in the Preserve at Woodridge. He came to me so excited the other day that he was gesturing wildly and sloshed beer all over his Mötley Crüe T-shirt.
“Uncle Bob,” he enthused, “You gotta see these places! I can maybe actually possibly afford one!”
That’s saying a lot. Or a little. Izzy isn’t exactly the top earner down at the Crystal Pistol. The owner demoted him from bartender to sweeping up beer nuts and cigarette butts. That happened after the owner learned Izzy had applied to be the head of the Flood Control District. Something about not showing loyalty and appreciation.
“A lease is a pretty big obligation, Izzy,” I said.
“It’s better than living outa the back seat of my Oldsmobile,” Izzy shot back.
“I thought you told me it would be a collector’s item someday.”
All the Amenities
“True,” said Izzy, “but these homelets, they got flush toilets.”
“I can see the advantage there. But they’re so close together, Izzy.”
“That’s one of the big pluses, Uncle Bob.”
“Why is that?”
“No trees to water. No grass to mow. More time for the ladies.”
“But Izzy. People commute all the way to Kingwood because they like nature.”
“Well, I heard they give you a geranium.”
“Will it fit?”
“Them homelets, they got plenty of room. Some even gots a study.”
“Do you own a book, Izzy?”
“No, but I got me a library card.”
“Have you ever used it?”
“I see your point, Uncle Bob. “
“Izzy, what you really need is a washer and drier.”
“They got them!”
“A shower?”
“Included!”
“When do you move in?”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/3/2022
1831 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.