Janet Botello, a USACE Evaluation Branch Chief, provided the following explanation about next steps in the Army Corps’ permit evaluation for the high-rise marina project in Kingwood.
High-rise marina project is at a cross-roads. Harvey Photo by Jay Muscat.
30 Days For Applicant to Respond
Said Botello, “As the comment period has closed, we are providing the applicant with those public comments we’ve received. Applicants have 30 days to respond to those issues and concerns raised during the comment period.”
Next Steps Contingent on Applicant Responses
Botello continued, “Once we receive those responses, we will be in a better position to determine if a public hearing will be held.”
Ms. Botello also stated, “If we determine that additional information is needed for us to make a decision on this permit application that has not been already gathered from the public or applicant through our public interest review process, the Corps may decide to hold some type of public meeting.”
The Corps did not give a firm deadline for the decision on a public hearing.
Assuming that:
It takes a week or two to log, parse, process and transmit all the comments to Romerica…
And that it takes Romerica another month to respond…
And that it takes the Corps a few weeks to review their responses…
…my guess is that we should be hearing from the Corps in May as to whether a public hearing is needed.
They also leave open the possibility that a public MEETING may be needed if they need even MORE information/input. Please note: the Corps draws a distinction between public hearings and public meetings.
Difference Between Hearing and Meeting
At a hearing, citizens state their complaints and the Corps listens, but makes no comment and asks no questions. A meeting, on the other hand, is more of a dialog. The meeting Romerica scheduled is NOT the meeting that the Corps refers to.
I am told by people who have worked these kinds of issues with the Corps before that it can take months before a final decision is rendered. One engineer suggested it could take the rest of this year. The Corps did not provide a total time estimate.
To see the original public notice with project specs, maps and details, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/5/19
554 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/KingwoodGreens-e1551452236612.jpg?fit=1500%2C1038&ssl=110381500adminadmin2019-03-05 21:21:242019-03-08 11:15:15Next Steps for Army Corps in Evaluating High-Rise Permit Application
Mark your calendars. Monday, March 18th, 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. at the Kingwood Community Center.
The invitation reads, “Kingwood residents and interested parties are cordially invited to come and learn about The Herons development. This will be a great opportunity to meet the developer and his team. The main discussion topics will be:
USACE Corp Process
Phases of the Development
Current and Future Initiatives of Romerica”
GUEST PANEL INCLUDES:
R. Thomas Sankey, PWS, CSE Senior Project Manager / Senior Ecologist, SWCA
Melvin G. Spinks, P.E., CFM, President, Civil Tech Engineering, Inc.
Gabriel Haddad, Developer, Romerica
“Free” Meeting
Aside from saying that the meeting is “free” and open to the public, they don’t say much more. For instance, it’s not clear whether the panel members will take questions from the audience.
The public comment period for this closed on March 1. But I did think it was sporting of them not to charge admission.
Personally, I kind of wish they were addressing the issue of evacuation.
Woodland Hills Drive During Harvey by Julie Yandell. Evacuation is not on the agenda published by the developers.
No New Info Yet from Corps
The Corps has not yet responded to questions about whether they will hold a public hearing related to this project, whether a Corps represetative will be there, or when the Corps intends to rule on the permit. This is NOT a Corps meeting.
Posted by Bob Rehak on March 4, 2019
553 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_0125.jpg?fit=1500%2C2000&ssl=120001500adminadmin2019-03-05 17:59:372019-03-05 18:06:40High-Rise Developer Sets Public Meeting … After Close of Public Comment
Decades ago, I had a house that flooded due to frozen pipes. It wasn’t pretty, but it was expensive. So this warning goes out to all those residents who may still be working on flood repairs and don’t yet have insulation back in place.
ALERTHOUSTON Freeze Warning Issued for Houston from Midnight – 9 AM Tuesday
Weather Information The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for Houston from midnight to 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5. As of 6PM, Monday, NWS predicts temps in the City could go down to 27 degrees.
In northern counties, though, the situation is more severe. Temps could fall below freezing by 9PM and go as low as 24 along a line from Brenham to Livingston.
A Freeze Warning means sub-freezing temperatures are highly likely. Cold weather can pose a danger to the health and safety. Proper care should be taken to reduce exposure to these conditions.
Protective Actions
When cold weather occurs, Houstonians should remember to protect the Four ‘P’s: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants.
People
Dress in warm, layered clothing, including gloves, a coat, and a hat when you are outside.
Never leave children or the elderly in vehicles during cold weather, as they can act as refrigerators and expose anyone inside to sub-freezing temperatures.
Never use a generator, grill, camp-stove, or any gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device to heat your home (or any enclosed area). These devices can generate carbon monoxide, which cannot be seen or smelled, but is deadly.
Check on family, friends, and neighbors who may be susceptible to this week’s cold weather and/or not have access to housing and heating, including the elderly and those with special needs.
The Coalition for the Homeless is coordinating information for partner agencies and the general public and is keeping an updated list of those resources for individuals who may be experiencing homelessness:
Pets
Protect your pets by ensuring that they have a warm, safe place to sleep. The best place for a pet to sleep is in a heated environment.
Do not shave your dog down to the skin in winter. A longer coat provides more warmth.
Never leave your animal in a car during cold weather. Cars can act as refrigerators in the winter, holding in the cold and causing animals to freeze to death.
During cold weather, pipes may freeze and rupture, causing water leaks and damage to your home. Protect your home by opening the cabinets under kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow air from your home’s heater to warm the pipes under the sink.
Insulate outdoor faucets and pipes with insulation or newspaper, and be sure to disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor spigots.
Plants
Protect plants from freezing by covering them with plant-cover fabric, or a light blanket with plastic sheeting on top of it.
Bring in potted plants or group them together, near the edge of a building. Remember that soil in containers can get just as cold as the air temperature, and cause the roots to freeze, even if the above-surface leafs survive.
Sign Up for Alerts
AlertHouston is the City of Houston’s official emergency notification service. For updates on this situation, visit houstontx.gov/emergency.
After having my pipes freeze once, I never wanted it to happen again. So I set my faucets to drip at a slow rate whenever we get a hard freeze warning like this. Remember, hot water freezes before cold, so it’s most important to drip your hot water faucets – if you are going to do it. This is counter-intuitive. It’s like something out of Roswell. But it’s real. It’s called the Mpemba Effect. I’m sure all of the science classes in the Humble ISD will be buzzing about this tomorrow. In the meantime, good luck tonight.
Posted by Bob Rehak on March 4, 2019
552 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/image.png?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1400400adminadmin2019-03-04 18:03:322019-03-04 18:13:19Watch Your Pipes Tonight!
Next Steps for Army Corps in Evaluating High-Rise Permit Application
Janet Botello, a USACE Evaluation Branch Chief, provided the following explanation about next steps in the Army Corps’ permit evaluation for the high-rise marina project in Kingwood.
30 Days For Applicant to Respond
Said Botello, “As the comment period has closed, we are providing the applicant with those public comments we’ve received. Applicants have 30 days to respond to those issues and concerns raised during the comment period.”
Next Steps Contingent on Applicant Responses
Botello continued, “Once we receive those responses, we will be in a better position to determine if a public hearing will be held.”
Ms. Botello also stated, “If we determine that additional information is needed for us to make a decision on this permit application that has not been already gathered from the public or applicant through our public interest review process, the Corps may decide to hold some type of public meeting.”
The Corps did not give a firm deadline for the decision on a public hearing.
Assuming that:
…my guess is that we should be hearing from the Corps in May as to whether a public hearing is needed.
They also leave open the possibility that a public MEETING may be needed if they need even MORE information/input. Please note: the Corps draws a distinction between public hearings and public meetings.
Difference Between Hearing and Meeting
At a hearing, citizens state their complaints and the Corps listens, but makes no comment and asks no questions. A meeting, on the other hand, is more of a dialog. The meeting Romerica scheduled is NOT the meeting that the Corps refers to.
I am told by people who have worked these kinds of issues with the Corps before that it can take months before a final decision is rendered. One engineer suggested it could take the rest of this year. The Corps did not provide a total time estimate.
To see the original public notice with project specs, maps and details, click here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/5/19
554 Days since Hurricane Harvey
High-Rise Developer Sets Public Meeting … After Close of Public Comment
Mark your calendars. Monday, March 18th, 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. at the Kingwood Community Center.
The invitation reads, “Kingwood residents and interested parties are cordially invited to come and learn about The Herons development. This will be a great opportunity to meet the developer and his team. The main discussion topics will be:
GUEST PANEL INCLUDES:
R. Thomas Sankey, PWS, CSE Senior Project Manager / Senior Ecologist, SWCA
Melvin G. Spinks, P.E., CFM, President, Civil Tech Engineering, Inc.
Gabriel Haddad, Developer, Romerica
“Free” Meeting
Aside from saying that the meeting is “free” and open to the public, they don’t say much more. For instance, it’s not clear whether the panel members will take questions from the audience.
The public comment period for this closed on March 1. But I did think it was sporting of them not to charge admission.
Personally, I kind of wish they were addressing the issue of evacuation.
No New Info Yet from Corps
The Corps has not yet responded to questions about whether they will hold a public hearing related to this project, whether a Corps represetative will be there, or when the Corps intends to rule on the permit. This is NOT a Corps meeting.
Posted by Bob Rehak on March 4, 2019
553 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Watch Your Pipes Tonight!
Decades ago, I had a house that flooded due to frozen pipes. It wasn’t pretty, but it was expensive. So this warning goes out to all those residents who may still be working on flood repairs and don’t yet have insulation back in place.
ALERTHOUSTON Freeze Warning Issued for Houston from Midnight – 9 AM Tuesday
Weather Information The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for Houston from midnight to 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5. As of 6PM, Monday, NWS predicts temps in the City could go down to 27 degrees.
In northern counties, though, the situation is more severe. Temps could fall below freezing by 9PM and go as low as 24 along a line from Brenham to Livingston.
A Freeze Warning means sub-freezing temperatures are highly likely. Cold weather can pose a danger to the health and safety. Proper care should be taken to reduce exposure to these conditions.
Protective Actions
When cold weather occurs, Houstonians should remember to protect the Four ‘P’s: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants.
People
Pets
Pipes
Plants
Sign Up for Alerts
AlertHouston is the City of Houston’s official emergency notification service. For updates on this situation, visit houstontx.gov/emergency.
To sign up for alerts, visit https://www.houstonemergency.org/alerts/.
Some Personal Advice
After having my pipes freeze once, I never wanted it to happen again. So I set my faucets to drip at a slow rate whenever we get a hard freeze warning like this. Remember, hot water freezes before cold, so it’s most important to drip your hot water faucets – if you are going to do it. This is counter-intuitive. It’s like something out of Roswell. But it’s real. It’s called the Mpemba Effect. I’m sure all of the science classes in the Humble ISD will be buzzing about this tomorrow. In the meantime, good luck tonight.
Posted by Bob Rehak on March 4, 2019
552 Days after Hurricane Harvey