The Houston Parks Board announced Tuesday that it will begin construction of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway along the West Fork of the San Jacinto. Construction will start “sometime in January.”
Project Scope
“The new 3-mile Bayou Greenway segment will run from Woodland Hills Drive to Ross Road,” said LisaKasianowitz of the Parks Board.
New off-street trails as well as use of existing residential streets for the trail system
Trail connection for Kingwood residents at Woodland Hills Drive to access the greenway trails
Parking for greenway users within the former Riverview Townhomes Community
Planting of native trees, meadows and wildflowers
Benches and seating areas
Interpretive and directional signage
Trash cans and recycling containers
Work Schedule, Precautions
Construction work will take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. “Crews may work on Saturdays to make up for any weather delays,” said Kasianowitz. “We expect to minimize potential disruptions. But some noise and dust are associated with this project. So we appreciate the community’s patience.”
Construction should conclude in late 2021 to early 2022. The Parks Board urges residents to remain cautious around construction, intersections, and connecting streets. The Board also requests the public not to enter areas surrounded by orange construction fencing.
Maintenance
After construction, the Houston Parks Board will implement its Conservation and Maintenance program. That includes:
Weekday visits from their Conservation and Maintenance team
Weekly trash pickup
Bi-weekly mowing of grass along the trail
Upkeep of the trail and amenities
And any necessary flood cleanup within the greenway.
Future Expansion
In the future, San Jacinto Bayou Greenway will connect into and through Harris County Precinct Four’s Edgewater Park, which is in development. It will also connect to Precinct 4’s Spring Creek and Cypress Creek trail systems.
San Jacinto Bayou Greenway is part of a citywide initiative called Bayou Greenways 2020. For this project, the Houston Parks Board has partnered with the City of Houston, Houston Parks and Recreation, and Harris County Flood Control District.
The Parks Board’s Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative will create a continuous park system along Houston’s major waterways. The program will transform more than 3,000 underutilized acres along the bayous into linear parks. It will also connect 150 miles of hike-and-bike trails.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/6/2021
1126 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-05-at-5.55.30-PM.jpg?fit=900%2C1189&ssl=11189900adminadmin2021-01-06 03:32:442021-01-06 03:35:13Houston Parks Board to Begin Construction of West Fork Greenway This Month
From construction developments to political developments, here’s your January digest of ten stories that could affect flooding or flood mitigation in the Lake Houston Area.
1. New Caney ISD High School #3
This site is located between Sorters-McClellan Road and US59 south of the HCA Kingwood Medical Center. New Caney ISD is building a new high school on the site of the old par 3 golf course behind the car dealerships that front US59. Construction crews are still pouring concrete for foundations and parking lots. Not much happened between flyovers on December 7 and January 1. But then, not much happens anywhere during the holidays. The two photos below show the progress. Construction of the detention pond is nearing completion. However, contractors still need to plant grass to reduce erosion before spring rains arrive.
New Caney ISD High School #3 site as of December 7, 2020As of January 1, 2021.
Now, the development is back on the planning commission agenda for this Thursday. Holley is seeking approval of his latest General Plan and Plat. Neither show any detention ponds. The only place they could go would be in “Reserve C.” The General Plan shows that to be in the floodway and 100-year floodplain. Both could soon expand.
The West Fork floodway cuts through the southern part of Holley’s property.
The City raised an issue regarding compliance with regulations governing the re-plat of golf courses at the 12/17/2020 Planning Commission meeting. The City requested information relating to Local Government Code 212.0155.
That regulation requires, among other things, that:
Public notice of the re-plat be printed in newspapers
The Forest Cove Property Owners Association is notified
Residents have an opportunity to voice their opinions at public hearings
Owners of all properties within 200 feet of the new plat be notified in writing via US Mail.
If 20% of the owners object, the re-plat must win the approval of 3/5ths of the planning commission.
The developer proves there is adequate existing or planned infrastructure to support the new development.
The new subdivision will not adversely affect health, safety traffic, parking, drainage, water, sewer, or other utilities
The development will not have a materially adverse effect on existing single-family property values.
The new plat complies with all applicable land-use regulations and restrictive covenants and the City’s land-use policies.
That’s a lot to do over the holidays. So the general plan may need to be withdrawn and resubmitted after all the information has been produced. We should know more by Wednesday afternoon.
3. Dredging
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s January newsletter stated that Disaster Recover Corporation has removed 385,000 cubic yards from the West Fork Mouth Bar out of an estimated total of 400,000 cubic yards.
Then he alluded to dredging another 260,000 cubic yards from the area north of the mouth bar.
He also alluded to a Second Phase: dredging the San Jacinto East Fork and other locations in Lake Houston.
Finally, Martin discussed maintenance dredging. “Additionally,” he says, “during Phase Two of the project, City of Houston, Harris County, HCFCD, SJRA, and Coastal Water Authority (CWA) will develop and execute a plan for the City of Houston or CWA to assume long-term dredging operations on Lake Houston. This effort will include determining funding for dredging operations in perpetuity.”
4. Appointments to SJRA Board
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Wil Faubel and Rick Mora, M.D. and reappointed Kaaren Cambio to the San Jacinto River Authority Board of Directors. Their terms will expire on October 16, 2025.
Kaaren Cambio of Kingwood is a field representative for United States Congressman Dan Crenshaw. She is a former member of Women’s Business Enterprise National Investment Recovery Association, Pipeline Contractors Association, and the Houston Pipeliners Association. Cambio received a Bachelor of Business Administration from San Diego State University.
Wil Faubel of Montgomery is President of Borets US Inc. He is a veteran and senior executive in the Oilfield Services industry with more than forty years of service. He has both domestic and international experience and is a lifelong member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a former board member of the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association. Faubel received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University.
Rick Mora, M.D. of The Woodlands is a partner at US Anesthesia Partners and Chief of Anesthesiology for Memorial Hermann Pinecoft Surgery Center. He has served as chair of the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is a founding Board member of the non-profit, Los Doctores de The Woodlands. Mora received his MD from the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine.
5. Forest Cove Townhome Buyouts
Harris County Commissioner’s Court will vote today on an item to exercise eminent domain on seven townhomes in the Forest Cove complex. The entire complex was destroyed after Harvey and many owners simply walked away from their properties without leaving forwarding addresses. Flood Control has been unable to find the owners after years of trying. Several may have moved out of the country. Eminent domain on these last few properties will clear the way for demolition of the entire complex and restoration of the area to nature or park land.
The once proud and idyllic townhomes in Forest Cove next to West Fork.
6. Woodridge Village
The purchase of Woodridge Village from Perry Homes is not on today’s Commissioner’s Court Agenda. However, all energies are reportedly still positive. It’s just taking time to work out the complex three-way purchase arrangements.
7. Romerica
Houston PlatTracker shows that the Romerica people may have acquired more land. But so far, they have not returned to the planning commission for approval on the latest iteration of the developer’s plans. No news is good news in this case.
8. Lake Houston Spillway Improvement Project
The City is close to finalizing the Preliminary Engineering Plan. Sources say the benefit/cost ratio looks very positive. We may see the final recommendations this month.
Engineers have examined several alternatives to add more gates to the Lake Houston dam or to increase its spillway capacity.
9. Noxxe Cleanup
The Railroad Commission could start plugging wells, removing storage tanks, and cleaning up the abandoned Noxxe lease in Forest Cove soon. The project manager has submitted work orders for final approval.
Small part of Noxxe lease next to Forest Cove baseball fields.
See new concrete pads (left center) and new construction (right foreground).
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/2020
1125 Days after 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/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-05-at-1.44.19-PM.png?fit=1266%2C1054&ssl=110541266adminadmin2021-01-05 13:35:232021-01-05 13:51:37January Digest of Flood-Related News in Lake Houston Area
Wayne Dolcefino announced this afternoon that Liberty County Judge Jay Knight has confirmed the county will launch a major investigation into the controversial Colony Ridge Development. Dolcefino is one of the country’s leading investigative journalists.
Flooding Concerns at Heart of Investigation
The massive housing development between the San Jacinto East Fork and Luce Bayou has sparked flooding concerns for tens of thousands of families both nearby in Plum Grove and downstream as far as Lake Houston.
The probe will focus on the accuracy of soil reports and drainage plans used to justify approval of the neighborhoods.
Wayne Dolcefino
Plum Grove hired Dolcefino to fight years of neglect by county officials as floods washed out roads and damaged most of the structures in the tiny town.
“Right before the new year, two inches of rain in Colony Ridge produced flooding. Creeks in Plum Grove were full to the brim. That’s raising alarm bells,” said Dolcefino.
Pictures of flooded lots WITHIN Colony Ridge also raised alarms. They show that water is not soaking in or running off the way it should.
Flooded lot 24 hours after a 2 inches of rain in two days. Resident keeps throwing sand into the ponds, but it’s not helping much.A newly developing portion of Colony Ridge.Another newly developing portionof Colony Ridge. Much of the area has been carved out of wetlands. See USGS map below.Note water surrounding the house.New lot next to drainage ditch won’t even drain.When water won’t soak in, people suffer.
So instead of water soaking into the ground, it runs off. The presence of so many wetlands in Colony Ridge before development should have been a tipoff.
Most of the wetlands in Colony Ridge before development are gone now, but the problems remain. This USGS map shows where they were.Some areas just should not be developed.
By misrepresenting soil types, LandPlan Engineering understated the amount of detention and drainage capacity needed by 6X to 9X, according to TXDoT guidelines.
Had LandPlan properly represented the soil, Colony Ridge would have had to put in more detention ponds and widen ditches to prevent flooding. But that would have been costly for the developer.
Harris County Flood Control officials worry the drainage problems in Colony Ridge increase flood risk in Harris County. So do downstream residents. I talked to one in Harris County today who has flooded repeatedly since Colony Ridge started clearing land. She is disabled and can’t afford to move. Neither can she afford to stay.
Liberty County Attorney Matthew Poston confirmed to Dolcefino that 19 missing reports will be part of the investigation.
Hopefully, the investigation will also explain why virtually all the surviving reports are labeled “preliminary.” The county could not supply ReduceFlooding.com with any documents showing changes to or final approvals of the plans.
“We want to see what Bergman signed, and if the investigation proves claims about the soil are untrue that could be a big problem,” Dolcefino said. The former county engineer has refused comment.
His daughter is the new District Attorney for Liberty County. One can only hope that she recuses herself from any part of this investigation.
If damning evidence exists in reports the county DID supply, one can only imagine what’s in those the County can’t or won’t produce.
How the Other Half Lives
Colony Ridge developers “owner financed” many of the lots in the sprawling neighborhood, in part, because many residents do not have driver’s licenses and Social Security numbers. Nearly 97 percent of the foreclosures in Liberty County last year came from Colony Ridge.
Said Dolcefino, “This is the first step in holding Liberty County officials accountable before another neighborhood is approved. We need to know why these documents are missing, and we are going to get to the bottom of this one way or the other.” I second that.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2021 based in part on information from Wayne Dolcefino
1224 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/2021/01/20210101-RJR_4712.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2021-01-04 19:06:382023-09-20 09:15:15Liberty County Launches Major Investigation into Colony Ridge Irregularities
Houston Parks Board to Begin Construction of West Fork Greenway This Month
The Houston Parks Board announced Tuesday that it will begin construction of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway along the West Fork of the San Jacinto. Construction will start “sometime in January.”
Project Scope
“The new 3-mile Bayou Greenway segment will run from Woodland Hills Drive to Ross Road,” said Lisa Kasianowitz of the Parks Board.
The San Jacinto Greenway project will include:
Work Schedule, Precautions
Construction work will take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. “Crews may work on Saturdays to make up for any weather delays,” said Kasianowitz. “We expect to minimize potential disruptions. But some noise and dust are associated with this project. So we appreciate the community’s patience.”
Construction should conclude in late 2021 to early 2022. The Parks Board urges residents to remain cautious around construction, intersections, and connecting streets. The Board also requests the public not to enter areas surrounded by orange construction fencing.
Maintenance
After construction, the Houston Parks Board will implement its Conservation and Maintenance program. That includes:
Future Expansion
In the future, San Jacinto Bayou Greenway will connect into and through Harris County Precinct Four’s Edgewater Park, which is in development. It will also connect to Precinct 4’s Spring Creek and Cypress Creek trail systems.
San Jacinto Bayou Greenway is part of a citywide initiative called Bayou Greenways 2020. For this project, the Houston Parks Board has partnered with the City of Houston, Houston Parks and Recreation, and Harris County Flood Control District.
The Parks Board’s Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative will create a continuous park system along Houston’s major waterways. The program will transform more than 3,000 underutilized acres along the bayous into linear parks. It will also connect 150 miles of hike-and-bike trails.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/6/2021
1126 Days since Hurricane Harvey
January Digest of Flood-Related News in Lake Houston Area
From construction developments to political developments, here’s your January digest of ten stories that could affect flooding or flood mitigation in the Lake Houston Area.
1. New Caney ISD High School #3
This site is located between Sorters-McClellan Road and US59 south of the HCA Kingwood Medical Center. New Caney ISD is building a new high school on the site of the old par 3 golf course behind the car dealerships that front US59. Construction crews are still pouring concrete for foundations and parking lots. Not much happened between flyovers on December 7 and January 1. But then, not much happens anywhere during the holidays. The two photos below show the progress. Construction of the detention pond is nearing completion. However, contractors still need to plant grass to reduce erosion before spring rains arrive.
New Caney ISD has not posted a project update since last September. Projected occupancy for the building is still Fall 2022.
2. Kingwood Cove Golf Course Redevelopment
I first talked about Ron Holley’s redevelopment of the Kingwood Cove (formerly Forest Cove) Golf Course in April last year. Since then Holley says he has been working with engineers, community groups and regulators to accommodate different interests.
Now, the development is back on the planning commission agenda for this Thursday. Holley is seeking approval of his latest General Plan and Plat. Neither show any detention ponds. The only place they could go would be in “Reserve C.” The General Plan shows that to be in the floodway and 100-year floodplain. Both could soon expand.
The City raised an issue regarding compliance with regulations governing the re-plat of golf courses at the 12/17/2020 Planning Commission meeting. The City requested information relating to Local Government Code 212.0155.
That regulation requires, among other things, that:
That’s a lot to do over the holidays. So the general plan may need to be withdrawn and resubmitted after all the information has been produced. We should know more by Wednesday afternoon.
3. Dredging
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s January newsletter stated that Disaster Recover Corporation has removed 385,000 cubic yards from the West Fork Mouth Bar out of an estimated total of 400,000 cubic yards.
Then he alluded to dredging another 260,000 cubic yards from the area north of the mouth bar.
He also alluded to a Second Phase: dredging the San Jacinto East Fork and other locations in Lake Houston.
Finally, Martin discussed maintenance dredging. “Additionally,” he says, “during Phase Two of the project, City of Houston, Harris County, HCFCD, SJRA, and Coastal Water Authority (CWA) will develop and execute a plan for the City of Houston or CWA to assume long-term dredging operations on Lake Houston. This effort will include determining funding for dredging operations in perpetuity.”
4. Appointments to SJRA Board
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Wil Faubel and Rick Mora, M.D. and reappointed Kaaren Cambio to the San Jacinto River Authority Board of Directors. Their terms will expire on October 16, 2025.
Kaaren Cambio of Kingwood is a field representative for United States Congressman Dan Crenshaw. She is a former member of Women’s Business Enterprise National Investment Recovery Association, Pipeline Contractors Association, and the Houston Pipeliners Association. Cambio received a Bachelor of Business Administration from San Diego State University.
Wil Faubel of Montgomery is President of Borets US Inc. He is a veteran and senior executive in the Oilfield Services industry with more than forty years of service. He has both domestic and international experience and is a lifelong member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a former board member of the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association. Faubel received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University.
Rick Mora, M.D. of The Woodlands is a partner at US Anesthesia Partners and Chief of Anesthesiology for Memorial Hermann Pinecoft Surgery Center. He has served as chair of the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is a founding Board member of the non-profit, Los Doctores de The Woodlands. Mora received his MD from the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine.
5. Forest Cove Townhome Buyouts
Harris County Commissioner’s Court will vote today on an item to exercise eminent domain on seven townhomes in the Forest Cove complex. The entire complex was destroyed after Harvey and many owners simply walked away from their properties without leaving forwarding addresses. Flood Control has been unable to find the owners after years of trying. Several may have moved out of the country. Eminent domain on these last few properties will clear the way for demolition of the entire complex and restoration of the area to nature or park land.
6. Woodridge Village
The purchase of Woodridge Village from Perry Homes is not on today’s Commissioner’s Court Agenda. However, all energies are reportedly still positive. It’s just taking time to work out the complex three-way purchase arrangements.
7. Romerica
Houston PlatTracker shows that the Romerica people may have acquired more land. But so far, they have not returned to the planning commission for approval on the latest iteration of the developer’s plans. No news is good news in this case.
8. Lake Houston Spillway Improvement Project
The City is close to finalizing the Preliminary Engineering Plan. Sources say the benefit/cost ratio looks very positive. We may see the final recommendations this month.
9. Noxxe Cleanup
The Railroad Commission could start plugging wells, removing storage tanks, and cleaning up the abandoned Noxxe lease in Forest Cove soon. The project manager has submitted work orders for final approval.
10. Kings Harbor New Construction
New condos are going up in Kings Harbor faster than Flood Control can tear down the ones in Forest Cove down. And they’re even closer to the river!
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/5/2020
1125 Days after 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.
Liberty County Launches Major Investigation into Colony Ridge Irregularities
Wayne Dolcefino announced this afternoon that Liberty County Judge Jay Knight has confirmed the county will launch a major investigation into the controversial Colony Ridge Development. Dolcefino is one of the country’s leading investigative journalists.
Flooding Concerns at Heart of Investigation
The massive housing development between the San Jacinto East Fork and Luce Bayou has sparked flooding concerns for tens of thousands of families both nearby in Plum Grove and downstream as far as Lake Houston.
Plum Grove hired Dolcefino to fight years of neglect by county officials as floods washed out roads and damaged most of the structures in the tiny town.
The investigation comes after a widening investigation by Dolcefino Consulting and one day after publication of a post in ReduceFlooding.com titled Flooding of the Fifth Kind: By Government Neglect.
“Right before the new year, two inches of rain in Colony Ridge produced flooding. Creeks in Plum Grove were full to the brim. That’s raising alarm bells,” said Dolcefino.
Pictures of flooded lots WITHIN Colony Ridge also raised alarms. They show that water is not soaking in or running off the way it should.
Soil Types Are Key Issue
There is evidence to suggest that LandPlan Engineering mischaracterized the type of soil in its drainage plans for Colony Ridge. Their calculations assumed the soil had a high rate of infiltration when it actually had a low rate.
So instead of water soaking into the ground, it runs off. The presence of so many wetlands in Colony Ridge before development should have been a tipoff.
By misrepresenting soil types, LandPlan Engineering understated the amount of detention and drainage capacity needed by 6X to 9X, according to TXDoT guidelines.
Had LandPlan properly represented the soil, Colony Ridge would have had to put in more detention ponds and widen ditches to prevent flooding. But that would have been costly for the developer.
Harris County Flood Control officials worry the drainage problems in Colony Ridge increase flood risk in Harris County. So do downstream residents. I talked to one in Harris County today who has flooded repeatedly since Colony Ridge started clearing land. She is disabled and can’t afford to move. Neither can she afford to stay.
Missing Reports Another Part of Investigation
Liberty County also admits that many of the drainage analysis reports – required by county ordinance – are missing. The county made the admission after Dolcefino Consulting filed formal requests to see the records used by former Liberty County engineer Louis Bergman to recommend approval of the large development.
Liberty County Attorney Matthew Poston confirmed to Dolcefino that 19 missing reports will be part of the investigation.
“We want to see what Bergman signed, and if the investigation proves claims about the soil are untrue that could be a big problem,” Dolcefino said. The former county engineer has refused comment.
His daughter is the new District Attorney for Liberty County. One can only hope that she recuses herself from any part of this investigation.
If damning evidence exists in reports the county DID supply, one can only imagine what’s in those the County can’t or won’t produce.
How the Other Half Lives
Colony Ridge developers “owner financed” many of the lots in the sprawling neighborhood, in part, because many residents do not have driver’s licenses and Social Security numbers. Nearly 97 percent of the foreclosures in Liberty County last year came from Colony Ridge.
Said Dolcefino, “This is the first step in holding Liberty County officials accountable before another neighborhood is approved. We need to know why these documents are missing, and we are going to get to the bottom of this one way or the other.” I second that.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/4/2021 based in part on information from Wayne Dolcefino
1224 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.