The recent redistricting of Harris County precincts could not have been more disruptive. More than half the county’s residents changed both precincts and commissioners. Can you say, “Tossed Salad”? It will take some time to work this out. In the meantime, “Many are asking how will new precinct boundaries affect flood-mitigation priorities?”
Officially, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) does not allocate flood-bond mitigation money by precinct. They allocate it by watershed and project – with the most money going to the most heavily flood-damaged areas.
But those who watch Commissioners Court regularly know that Commissioners control HCFCD priorities, and no project moves forward without their approval.
Lake Houston Dam Example
All this raises the question, “How will the re-alignment of Commissioner’s precincts re-align flood-mitigation priorities?”
For instance, the Lake Houston Dam was half in Precinct 1 and half in Precinct 2 both controlled by Democrats. But P2 Commissioner Garcia has given that area up. The east side of the dam will now be in Precinct 3 now controlled by Republican Tom Ramsey. Ramsey will now also control virtually all the homes around the lake with the exception of a small area in Summerwood. The flood bond allocated $20 million to help support expansion of the flood gates on Lake Houston (Project CI-028). How solid is that commitment now that Democrats have given up most of the area?
Across the county, from Cypress Creek to Armand Bayou, people have dozens of questions like that about projects affecting them. The answers will take time to sort out.
New High-Resolution Precinct Maps Finally Available
Until a few days ago, the lack of resolution and streets in redistricting maps made it difficult to tell exactly where the new precinct boundaries were.
But just last week, the Harris County Attorney posted a new high-resolution map showing new boundaries. The map also shows major streets and voting precincts (in addition to the county precincts).
The plan, designed and approved by Democrats, will force Commissioners Cagle and Ramsey to run for re-election in areas where they are relatively little known – unless they want to move their residences. Commissioner Rodney Ellis carefully drew district boundaries so that Cagle and Ramsey would no longer live in precincts they once represented. And by law, Commissioners must live in the precinct they represent.
Ramsey and Cagle will now have whole new watersheds to learn.
Watershed Boundaries Not Yet Shown on New Precinct Map
Unfortunately, the new high-res precinct map does not show watershed boundaries, although it shouldn’t be hard to create one – for someone with better Photoshop skills than mine!
At the moment, to see how your watershed could be affected, compare two maps side by side.
The latter shows watershed boundaries if you click on the Watershed button in the left-hand column.
Most of the Lake Houston Area including Huffman, Kingwood, Humble (east of Bush Intercontinental Airport), Atascocita, Crosby and Spring will now be in Precinct 3 with Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
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.
When examining the floodwater detention pond capacity for the Kingwood Area’s first RV park at 1355 LAUREL SPRINGS LANE, it seemed impossibly low. The park will build a pond with 7.68 acre feet of stormwater detention. That’s more than the required 6.675 acre feet, but about half of what the City of Houston (COH) would require under new guidelines that went into effect within 90 days of the plan’s approval.
Because of that 90-day grandfathering loophole, the RV park will escape current City and County requirements for floodwater detention.
Current Regs Would Require 13 Acre-Feet of Detention Pond Capacity
Under today’s requirements, a 20.032-acre RV Park would require 13 acre-feet of detention pond capacity (20 acres x .65 = 13 acre feet). That’s because the COH 2021 infrastructure design manual makes properties larger than 20 acres follow HCFCD guidelines (see below).
New Harris County guidelines require a minimum rate of .65 acre-feet per acre.The RV Park is slightly larger than 20 acres.
This requirement is based on NOAA’s new, higher Atlas-14 rainfall probability tables adopted in the wake of Harvey.
COH 2021 Infrastructure Design Manual Defers to HCFCD Regs for Lots This Size
The City’s Infrastructure Design Manual imposed new criteria in July 2021 that would have required developments greater than 20 acres to follow the HCFCD standard for detention pond capacity. See screen capture below which bridges two pages.
Differences Between Old/New Versions of City/County Regs
Two primary differences exist between the City and County regs in 2020 and 2021.
The first is the basis for calculations. In both years:
The County bases required detention pond capacity on the total size of the site.
The City, except where it defers to HCFCD regs, bases detention pond capacity on the amount of impervious cover within the site.
The City also changed the minimum lot size required to follow HCFCD regulations between 2020 and 2021.
Sites larger than 50 acres had to follow HCFCD guidelines in 2020.
Sites larger than 20 acres had to follow HCFCD guidelines in 2021.
The 2020 requirements apply in this case because of when plans were first reviewed (January 2021). The 2020 Infrastructure Design Manual read as follows:
COH 2020 Infrastructure design manual requires 20- to 50-acre tracts to have detention volume (in acre feet) equal to half of the impervious cover.
Developer Applied Before Detention Pond Capacity Increased
Using that formula, the developer planned a detention pond that holds 7.68 acre feet of storm water detention, an acre foot more than required at the time the plans were first submitted, even though they were finally approved four months after the new regs went into effect. But that’s still far less than the 13 acre-feet required under today’s regulations.
I question whether the amount of impervious cover above is correct. That’s because the developer’s permit allows 182 RV spaces, but the plans show 226 – about a 24% increase. However, the impervious cover shown on the plans before and after the permit approval didnotincrease. That could also affect detention pond capacity requirements.
Timing, Impervious Cover Issues Raise Public Safety Questions
Assuming the impervious cover calculations above are correct, and that’s a big assumption, the developer is providing more than the minimum amount of required detention under 2020 requirements. But if they are not correct, the developer would be short.
And if the 2021 requirements applied, the developer would have to provide virtually twice as much detention.
A half-sized detention pond would require the RV Park to pump water into Lakewood Cove’s drainage system sooner and faster than with a larger pond. And under severe conditions, when Lakewood Cove’s drainage is already stressed, the extra water could over-stress it.
No Drainage Impact Analysis
I’ve requested a drainage impact analysis from the City for the RV Park on at least two occasions and have not received one. I therefore deduce that one does not exist. Such an analysis would quantify the impact on Lakewood Cove, Edgewater Park and surrounding roads.
Detail from most recent approved construction plan shows all water from detention pond going under Laurel Springs to Lakewood Cove storm sewer systemtoward homes below.
All the runoff from the 20 cleared acres will be funneled via a 24″ pipe toward the homes in the foreground.
Bottom Line: Park Will Provide Half of Today’s Detention Requirement
If this developer, LS RV Resort, LP, submitted plans today, it would have to provide almost twice as much detention pond capacity.
2021 requirements call for .65 acre feet per acre times 20 total acres. That equals 13 acre feet of detention.
2020 requirements call for .5 times the claimed 13.349 acres of impervious cover. That equals 6.675 acre feet of detention.
And we wonder how floods happen! Remember this the next time you see water rising toward your home.
I wonder if investors in the RV Park will be notified of the potential liability in a prospectus. Undersized detention ponds based on a similar grandfathering loophole in Montgomery County regulations became the central issue in lawsuits by hundreds of Elm Grove residents against Perry Homes, its subsidiaries and its contractors. The defendants recently settled those lawsuits.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/13/2021
1537 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/2021/11/20211111-DJI_0850.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2021-11-13 17:18:552021-11-14 19:38:02Loophole Cuts RV Park Detention Pond Capacity Requirement in Half
Construction of the new Kingwood Middle School appears on schedule for opening with the next school year in 2022. Compared to my October update, no new major milestones have been reached. Everything just looks a little further along.
Kingwood Middle School Construction Sequencing
Construction started on the west and is moving toward the east. As subcontractors finish one phase such as foundations or structural , the next group picks up the baton and works on roofing, exterior walls, windows, etc.
The most visible change between October and November: progress on exterior walls and roofing.
I took all the pictures below on Saturday, November 6, 2021.
Looking W.Judging from the amount of erosion around the banks, the temporary detention pond appears to be getting a lot of use. This pond will be replaced with a larger permanent one after the old school is demolished to make room for it.Insulation, vapor barriers, brick and glass now surround more than half the site now. Roofing on the westernmost section looks complete. But many roofing materials remain stacked on other sections.Looking south with the old school visible in the top of the frame.Masons have completed the brickwork on large portions of the westernmost section. Shot taken from over Woodland Hills, looking east.Portions of the exterior at the west end still need work, but it’s more done than not.A view from the SE looking NW clearly shows the degree of finish evident in the left, middle and right sections.Low level shot shows middle section on left.
Next Steps for KMS
Next steps will be to dry-in the structure by completing the exterior walls, windows and roofs. The other trades will then start working on interior walls, electrical, wallboard, paint and flooring – all the things that could be destroyed by blowing rain.
I put two kids through the old Kingwood Middle School who became happy, healthy, successful adults. As I look at these pictures, fond memories of plays, recitals, teacher conferences, and athletic contests come to mind. Each month, as the old school comes closer to demolition, I become increasing nostalgic. We will soon witness the end of one era and the start of another in Kingwood.
And cross your fingers! Despite double the impervious cover now on the site, I have received no reports of flooding from neighbors.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/11/2021
1535 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/20211106-DJI_0804.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2021-11-10 14:34:542021-11-10 14:34:57Kingwood Middle School: November Construction Update
Will Redistricting Affect Flood-Mitigation Priorities?
The recent redistricting of Harris County precincts could not have been more disruptive. More than half the county’s residents changed both precincts and commissioners. Can you say, “Tossed Salad”? It will take some time to work this out. In the meantime, “Many are asking how will new precinct boundaries affect flood-mitigation priorities?”
We’ve already seen how Commissioner Adrian Garcia tried to divert flood bond money from an area he was giving up in the redistricting process to one he was inheriting. That got voted down, but…
Priorities Already Altered Multiple Times in Past
We’ve also seen how Democrats re-ordered flood-bond priorities in 2019, shifted money from other budgets to accelerate projects in poor watersheds, and are suggesting another flood bond with new priorities based on so-called racial equity.
Officially, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) does not allocate flood-bond mitigation money by precinct. They allocate it by watershed and project – with the most money going to the most heavily flood-damaged areas.
But those who watch Commissioners Court regularly know that Commissioners control HCFCD priorities, and no project moves forward without their approval.
Lake Houston Dam Example
For instance, the Lake Houston Dam was half in Precinct 1 and half in Precinct 2 both controlled by Democrats. But P2 Commissioner Garcia has given that area up. The east side of the dam will now be in Precinct 3 now controlled by Republican Tom Ramsey. Ramsey will now also control virtually all the homes around the lake with the exception of a small area in Summerwood. The flood bond allocated $20 million to help support expansion of the flood gates on Lake Houston (Project CI-028). How solid is that commitment now that Democrats have given up most of the area?
Across the county, from Cypress Creek to Armand Bayou, people have dozens of questions like that about projects affecting them. The answers will take time to sort out.
New High-Resolution Precinct Maps Finally Available
Until a few days ago, the lack of resolution and streets in redistricting maps made it difficult to tell exactly where the new precinct boundaries were.
But just last week, the Harris County Attorney posted a new high-resolution map showing new boundaries. The map also shows major streets and voting precincts (in addition to the county precincts).
The biggest changes happened on the north side of the County where Commissioner Adrian Garcia staged a strategic retreat from Republican voters to bolster his re-election chances. Also, Precincts 3 and 4 switched positions. P3 formerly on the west side of the county is now on the north and east sides. And Precinct 4, formerly on the north and east sides is now mostly on the west and north sides.
The plan, designed and approved by Democrats, will force Commissioners Cagle and Ramsey to run for re-election in areas where they are relatively little known – unless they want to move their residences. Commissioner Rodney Ellis carefully drew district boundaries so that Cagle and Ramsey would no longer live in precincts they once represented. And by law, Commissioners must live in the precinct they represent.
Ramsey and Cagle will now have whole new watersheds to learn.
Watershed Boundaries Not Yet Shown on New Precinct Map
Unfortunately, the new high-res precinct map does not show watershed boundaries, although it shouldn’t be hard to create one – for someone with better Photoshop skills than mine!
At the moment, to see how your watershed could be affected, compare two maps side by side.
The latter shows watershed boundaries if you click on the Watershed button in the left-hand column.
Most of the Lake Houston Area including Huffman, Kingwood, Humble (east of Bush Intercontinental Airport), Atascocita, Crosby and Spring will now be in Precinct 3 with Commissioner Tom Ramsey.
To learn more about redistricting and your new commissioner, visit the landing pages for Harris County Precinct 3 or Harris County Precinct 4.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/15/2021
1539 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.
Loophole Cuts RV Park Detention Pond Capacity Requirement in Half
When examining the floodwater detention pond capacity for the Kingwood Area’s first RV park at 1355 LAUREL SPRINGS LANE, it seemed impossibly low. The park will build a pond with 7.68 acre feet of stormwater detention. That’s more than the required 6.675 acre feet, but about half of what the City of Houston (COH) would require under new guidelines that went into effect within 90 days of the plan’s approval.
Current Regs Would Require 13 Acre-Feet of Detention Pond Capacity
Under today’s requirements, a 20.032-acre RV Park would require 13 acre-feet of detention pond capacity (20 acres x .65 = 13 acre feet). That’s because the COH 2021 infrastructure design manual makes properties larger than 20 acres follow HCFCD guidelines (see below).
This requirement is based on NOAA’s new, higher Atlas-14 rainfall probability tables adopted in the wake of Harvey.
COH 2021 Infrastructure Design Manual Defers to HCFCD Regs for Lots This Size
The City’s Infrastructure Design Manual imposed new criteria in July 2021 that would have required developments greater than 20 acres to follow the HCFCD standard for detention pond capacity. See screen capture below which bridges two pages.
City’s 2020 Regulations Required Far Less Detention
However, the City’s 2021 standards also provided a 90-day grace period for plans initially submitted before July. That meant the City’s 2020 Infrastructure Design Manual applied. And those standards only required following HCFCD’s higher standards if the lot was larger than 50 acres – which this is not. It’s 20.032 acres. So the RV Park developer will get away with installing far less detention than current regs require.
Differences Between Old/New Versions of City/County Regs
Two primary differences exist between the City and County regs in 2020 and 2021.
The first is the basis for calculations. In both years:
The City also changed the minimum lot size required to follow HCFCD regulations between 2020 and 2021.
The 2020 requirements apply in this case because of when plans were first reviewed (January 2021). The 2020 Infrastructure Design Manual read as follows:
Developer Applied Before Detention Pond Capacity Increased
Using that formula, the developer planned a detention pond that holds 7.68 acre feet of storm water detention, an acre foot more than required at the time the plans were first submitted, even though they were finally approved four months after the new regs went into effect. But that’s still far less than the 13 acre-feet required under today’s regulations.
The City previously reviewed a version of the plans on 1/21/21 which were originally submitted in 12/20.
Impervious Cover Calculations Need Further Review
I question whether the amount of impervious cover above is correct. That’s because the developer’s permit allows 182 RV spaces, but the plans show 226 – about a 24% increase. However, the impervious cover shown on the plans before and after the permit approval did not increase. That could also affect detention pond capacity requirements.
Timing, Impervious Cover Issues Raise Public Safety Questions
Assuming the impervious cover calculations above are correct, and that’s a big assumption, the developer is providing more than the minimum amount of required detention under 2020 requirements. But if they are not correct, the developer would be short.
A half-sized detention pond would require the RV Park to pump water into Lakewood Cove’s drainage system sooner and faster than with a larger pond. And under severe conditions, when Lakewood Cove’s drainage is already stressed, the extra water could over-stress it.
No Drainage Impact Analysis
I’ve requested a drainage impact analysis from the City for the RV Park on at least two occasions and have not received one. I therefore deduce that one does not exist. Such an analysis would quantify the impact on Lakewood Cove, Edgewater Park and surrounding roads.
Bottom Line: Park Will Provide Half of Today’s Detention Requirement
If this developer, LS RV Resort, LP, submitted plans today, it would have to provide almost twice as much detention pond capacity.
And we wonder how floods happen! Remember this the next time you see water rising toward your home.
I wonder if investors in the RV Park will be notified of the potential liability in a prospectus. Undersized detention ponds based on a similar grandfathering loophole in Montgomery County regulations became the central issue in lawsuits by hundreds of Elm Grove residents against Perry Homes, its subsidiaries and its contractors. The defendants recently settled those lawsuits.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/13/2021
1537 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.
Kingwood Middle School: November Construction Update
Construction of the new Kingwood Middle School appears on schedule for opening with the next school year in 2022. Compared to my October update, no new major milestones have been reached. Everything just looks a little further along.
Kingwood Middle School Construction Sequencing
Construction started on the west and is moving toward the east. As subcontractors finish one phase such as foundations or structural , the next group picks up the baton and works on roofing, exterior walls, windows, etc.
The most visible change between October and November: progress on exterior walls and roofing.
I took all the pictures below on Saturday, November 6, 2021.
Next Steps for KMS
Next steps will be to dry-in the structure by completing the exterior walls, windows and roofs. The other trades will then start working on interior walls, electrical, wallboard, paint and flooring – all the things that could be destroyed by blowing rain.
I put two kids through the old Kingwood Middle School who became happy, healthy, successful adults. As I look at these pictures, fond memories of plays, recitals, teacher conferences, and athletic contests come to mind. Each month, as the old school comes closer to demolition, I become increasing nostalgic. We will soon witness the end of one era and the start of another in Kingwood.
Architectural renderings on the Humble ISD site inspire confidence that the next generation of Kingwood Middle School students will have an even better learning environment than the last.
And cross your fingers! Despite double the impervious cover now on the site, I have received no reports of flooding from neighbors.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/11/2021
1535 Days since Hurricane Harvey