News Archives - Page 129 of 279

Making Informed Flood-Mitigation Funding Decisions: Partnership Dollars

Tonight, members of the Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force will vote whether and/or how to recommend changes to the equity funding formula for the third time in three years. On the table for discussion: partnership dollars.

One of the proposals under consideration is NOT to consider potential partnership funding. Said another way, taxpayers would pay for projects out of pocket rather than wait for federal and state dollars to filter down to the county level.

The main argument FOR this? Low-to-moderate income neighborhoods would not have to wait for HUD or FEMA dollars to begin construction.

The main argument AGAINST? Partnership dollars have funded roughly one-third of all flood-mitigation projects in Harris County since 2000.

So saying that you’ll bypass partnership dollars could eliminate one third of all flood-mitigation funding unless you want to increase taxes.

Definition of Leverage

Partnership funding is the definition of leverage. A good example: last year, the county obtained $250 million for sediment removal in eight watersheds while putting up only $6.25 million. In that case, FEMA paid for most of the construction and the State (Texas Division of Emergency Management) paid for most of the local match.

Latest on HUD Money

A highly publicized setback in the Texas GLO competition for HUD funds last year delayed a recommended $750 million award to Harris County. The delay hurt, but there’s still hope. HUD did not reject the GLO application. They just said they needed additional documentation. The two agencies have met several times since. GLO has already started reformulating its proposal and expects a decision as early as next month.

Should We Turn Our Back on Hundreds of Millions?

So should the plan now be to turn our noses up at the $1.15 billion that the county has received in partnership dollars since 2000. Should we say, “Let’s go it alone!” from now on? Should we stand by while that money goes to other areas that need it less?

LMI Neighborhoods Would Be Hurt the Most

Another argument proposed for ignoring the partnership funding: it disadvantages LMI neighborhoods because affluent neighborhoods have higher home values and therefore get higher Benefit Cost Ratios.

*$797.4 million out of $1.149 billion in total partnership funds went to LMI watersheds. Percentages just happen to equal those in graph above.*

While the logic sounds plausible, the only problem is that the eight LMI watersheds in Harris County (those where a majority of residents make below the average income for the region) actually receive 69% of all grants. Since 2000, they have received $797 million out of $1,149 million. So one third of the watersheds received more than two-thirds of all partnership funding.

That closely reflects the percentage of all spending (local + partnership) since 2000. The eight LMI watersheds received $2.3 billion out of $3.7 billion – 62%. Harris County has 23 watersheds in total.

The data clearly does not support discrimination against LMI neighborhoods in either partnership or overall spending. Greens Bayou for instance has received more money overall ($436 million) than all but three other watersheds since 2000. It also ranks #3 in partnership funding with $200 million. Partner dollars paid for 46% of the projects there.

Placing a Third of All Projects in Jeopardy

Eliminating partnership funds and relying on local funds will disadvantage Harris County taxpayers everywhere or cause a third of projects to be eliminated.

Date of Damage Assessments, Mitigation Also Crucial

Partnership funds can make a huge difference in watersheds in terms of flood reduction. Sims Bayou was the only bayou in Harris County that didn’t flood during Harvey. Of the $201 million it received in partnership funds since 2000, $198 million came before Harvey.

Sims also illustrates the problem with another proposal on the table tonight – using flood data going back to 1977 to determine who deserves more money. That will artificially disadvantage outlying neighborhoods which didn’t even exist in 1977. And it will funnel money into a watershed that has already largely been remediated.

When people come at these decisions from an ideological perspective without looking at data, it hurts everyone…sometimes even themselves.

My personal opinion is that when people talk about partnership funding, the debate should be, “When do you go it alone?” not “Should we go it alone?”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/8/2022

1624 Days since Hurricane Harvey

West Fork High School: Another Opportunity for Learning

Students represent our future. What we teach them and how well we teach them affects the quality of our communities for the next generation. I closed yesterday’s post with a note about a detention pond at the new Kingwood Middle School. Their simple little pond can provide so many opportunities for learning.

The same is true of New Caney ISD’s West Fork High School, now under construction on Sorters-McClellan Road south of Kingwood Drive. Perhaps this provides even more opportunities for learning because it’s so much closer to a major source of flooding.

Here are pictures taken last week that show the location and status of construction. I begin with an unusual choice: the campus detention pond. The reason why will become clear below.

Photos Taken 1/29/22

This giant detention pond was the first thing built on the site. Notice the 59 Bridge over the San Jacinto West Fork in the upper right. Also notice the expansion of Sorters-McClellan road to handle the expected traffic.

*A shot from slightly higher and a little down the road clearly shows wetlands, ponds, the West Fork and its confluence with Spring Creek.*

Looking S at the confluence of West Fork (bottom) and Spring Creek (right). That large island first appears in Google Earth Pro as a tiny sliver of sand at the end of 2018. It has grown to its present size since then.

*Looking north at entire 50-acre campus. The detention pond comprises about 10% of that.*

*Athletic facilities at West Fork High School including field house. Note US59, Insperity and Kingwood HCA Medical Center in upper right.*

*Looking NW toward Sorters-McClellan Road and several West Fork Sand mines in background.*

*Kingwood Place Drive has been extended south to provide another way to get into and out of the campus.*

*The campus is built around a large central courtyard that will become its signature feature. But I wonder how 17 inches of rain will get out of there in a 100-year storm.*

*Main entrance on Sorters-McClellan Road.* *Looking SE.*

Lessons to Be Learned

Students always have more interest in learning things that relate to their personal lives. They explore those things deeper, learn them faster and retain them longer. Flooding has impacted thousands of students in this area. If they weren’t directly flooded during Harvey, chances are they know someone who was.

Right outside the high school, teachers now have real-world classroom to teach students about flooding.

How do compaction and impervious cover affect the rate of rainfall infiltration?
How does that affect the time of concentration of runoff?
How does that affect flood height?
What’s the mathematical relationship between the size of the pond and the amount of impervious cover added to the campus?
How do detention ponds work and how does that affect the time of concentration?
Why is it important to “retain your rain?”
How will the campus detention pond affect people downstream?
Why doesn’t every new development have detention ponds?
What State, County and Local regulations affect the development of detention ponds and their capacity?
What is meant by externalizing a business’ costs?
How would downstream taxpayers be affected if this detention pond were not built?
What would happen to their flood insurance costs?
What is flood insurance?
Who should get flood insurance and why?
Does the cost of flood insurance affect low-income families more than high-income families?
Is that fair?
Should we have a state law or regional flood-control district mandating detention pond capacity requirements?
How do we change laws?
What does caveat emptor mean?

This can not only be a math lesson, it can be a civics/government lesson, a geography lesson, a science lesson, an engineering lesson, an environmental lesson and more.

Why So Important?

Susanne Kite, a reader of yesterday’s post, commented, “Kids and young people should learn these things so they can make smart choices in life!! And so they won’t be surprised when they start growing web feet.” I would add, “So they won’t be surprised when they buy a home!”

After kids explore answers to all the questions above, they need to find answers to an even bigger question. “How can we all live together?”

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/7/22

1623 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Kingwood Middle School: February Update

Aerial photos taken last week show a beautiful new Kingwood Middle School with an open, airy design taking shape.

Pictures Taken on 1/29/22

*Glass enclosed atrium will look out over athletic fields where existing school now is.*

*Existing school, bottom left, will be torn down to make room for athletic fields.*

*Overhangs (not yet with roofs) will help provide protection from direct sun.*

*View of entire school from over Woodland Hills Drive, looking NE.*

*Looking E from over Woodland Hills Drive.*

*Looking W from over Cedar Knolls Drive reveals drop off/pickup driveway behind school.*

Humble ISD still says the new Kingwood Middle School will open in 2022. This video on the ISD website explains more about the design and amenities of the new school…including the drop-off/pickup driveway shown above that should help reduce traffic congestion on neighboring streets. Classrooms in the new school will be about 200 square feet larger.

Sending an Important Message to Students

A permanent detention pond near the semi-circular drive in front of old Kingwood Middle School will eventually replace the temporary pond in the lower left of the image above. It’s exciting to see the Humble ISD making flood reduction a part of its plans for the future. That sends an important message to students and provides an opportunity for learning.

It was only a little more than a year ago that this site was nothing more than dirt and a dream.

To see the progress of construction, compare the pictures above to those in previous posts.

Construction begins – November 2020
Start of steel work – March 2021
Start of roofing – July, 2021
Education Going Higher – August, 2021
November Update – November, 2021
“Glassing In” – December, 2021

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/6/22

1622 Days since Hurricane Harvey

They’re Baa-aaack!

As they said in Poltergeist II, “They’re baa-aaack!” Contractors were hard at work again today at the Laurel Springs RV construction site near Lakewood Cove. The site had been virtually shut down for two days as city, county and state authorities launched investigations into alleged unauthorized stormwater discharges and other violations of the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

Poltergeist Flashback

However, at noon today, I counted 11 contractor vehicles parked on the street and, and saw heavy equipment digging trenches and laying pipe throughout the site.

*Workers’ vehicles lined up at entrance. Several more vehicles were parked out of frame on lower right.*

It did not escape my notice that all this construction activity happened on a weekend when few inspectors pay surprise visits. The massive discharge of stormwater into Edgewater Park also happened on a Saturday.

Stormwater Discharge into Edgewater Park

The most serious allegations by far involve the discharge of the silty contents of the resort’s detention pond into the wetlands of Edgewater Park during the last two weeks. At first contractors tried to pump water over the pond wall.

*Laurel Springs RV Resort pumping stormwater into Edgewater Park on Jan. 18, 2022.*

Then they finally just opened up a trench and drained the pond into the county park.

stormwater runoff — *Draining the pond into Edgewater Park (background) through a trench on Saturday 1/29/22.*

Finally, they installed pipes to create a permanent stormwater conduit from the pond into the park.

Contractors laying pipe under wall of detention pond to send stormwater into Edgewater Park — *Contractors covering pipe through wall of detention pond to create a permanent conduit for stormwater into Edgewater Park on 1/31/22.*

After the biggest release last Saturday, the wetlands in the park are still heavily discolored with sediment, even though the pipe now appears to have been covered with dirt.

*Sediment-laden water in wetlands of Edgewater Park today, 2/5/22*, *still had a “coffee with cream” color to it.*

Track-Out Issue

One of the SWPPP violations was lack of bullrock at the entrance. Bullrock knocks mud from truck tires before they leave the site. That keeps the mud from getting into streets where it can clog storm sewers.

Yesterday, I photographed one bulldozer at the entrance making room for bullrock.

*Entrance to Laurel Springs RV Resort Construction Site on 2/4/22.* *Note: barely any bullrock at entrance.*

At noon today, 2/5/22, I found fresh bullrock at the entrance.

*Fresh bullrock at entrance of Laurel Springs RV Resort construction site.*

One other curious thing: the bullrock did not extend very far past the curb…approximately 10 feet. Assuming 4-foot tall tires on dump trucks, it would take more than 12 feet for tires to make one full rotation on bullrock (π x diameter).

These folks spare no expense to protect the public.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/5/22

1621 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.

Laurel Springs RV Resort Construction Site Quiet Again for Second Day

As of this morning (2/4/22), construction activity at the Laurel Springs RV Resort site was virtually shut down for a second day. Only one man was working on a bulldozer at the entrance. It appeared that he was making room for a new load of bullrock at the site’s main entrance. Harris County investigators asked the contractor to clean up the site and make it compliant with Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) requirements. That involves spreading bullrock at the entrances.

Purpose of Bullrock

Bullrock comes in many shapes and sizes and can be made from natural rock or crushed concrete. Think of very large gravel ranging from 2-5 inches. You often see it used in landscaping and French drains.

Contractors use it on construction sites to knock dirt off of tires before trucks leave the site. This keeps vehicles from tracking it out into streets where rain could wash mud into storm sewers, clogging them. See section 4.3 – “Sediment Track-Out” – of this EPA template for preparing a SWPPP.

However, over time, even the large spaces between bullrocks can become clogged with sediment. So periodically, contractors must replace the rock. It appears that the man on the bulldozer below was excavating and compacting dirt at the construction site entrance to make room for more or new bullrock.

*Laurel Springs RV Resort contractor on bulldozer working at entrance. Photo taken 2/4/22.*

What SWPPP Requires

The SWPPP template is a real eye opener. For neighbors monitoring construction, it alerts you to potential violations. Requirements cover many items besides sediment track-out. They include:

Natural buffers
Perimeter controls
Stockpiled sediment
Dust
Soil compaction
Storm drain inlets
Site stabilization and more.

For instance, Section 4.9 (Storm Drain Inlets) on pages 26/27 states that storm sewer inlets must be protected. But those on Laurel Springs Lane adjacent to the RV site are not. In fact, residents have caught contractors pumping sediment-laden water directly into storm sewers.

Video of Laurel Springs RV Resort construction practices by Szymon Balicki, Lakewood Cove HOA president.

If you’re concerned about deficiencies in construction practices at the Laurel Springs RV Resort site, read the SWPPP template so you know what to look for.

I have requested the Resort’s own SWPPP plan, but have not yet received it.

How many other practices did the investigators from the City, County and State identify? Time will tell.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/4/22

1620 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Laurel Springs RV Resort Construction Shut Down as Four Investigations Swirl

Construction at the controversial Laurel Springs RV Resort was shut down today as four investigations at the State, County and City levels swirled around construction practices there. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has one. Harris County has one. And the City of Houston has two – one around construction practices, the other around permits.

Weather May Have Contributed to Shutdown

It’s unclear whether the construction shut down was due to weather or complaints from one of the investigating bodies. All declined comment, citing ongoing investigations.

Photographs taken at the site on Thursday afternoon, 2/03/22, showed only one truck emptying Porta-potties.

Photos Taken Thursday 2/3/22

The investigations follow four recent posts documenting dubious construction and environmental practices.

*Looking north. An empty construction site at approximately 2:30 pm on a Thursday afternoon is unusual, weather or not.*

The silt fence that surrounded the inlet of the drain pipe that led from the stormwater detention pond into the County’s Edgewater Park had been removed.

*Where there was a silt fence on Tuesday, on Thursday there appeared to be only a pile of dirt.*

*Red circles indicate approximate inlet and outfall locations for drain pipe.*

There was no silt fence at either the inlet or outfall. Nor was there a silt fence leading into the woods on the left that represent the northern boundary of Edgewater Park.

*Another angle shows fresh dirt and tire tracks between the inlet and outfall. Did they just cover up the pipe?* *Approved construction plans show pipe should not have been installed at this location.*

*Where the pipe should have gone. But as of Thursday afternoon, there was still no pipe from the pond leading to the circular pump housing in the corner.*

And there’s still plenty of silty water in the woods of Edgewater Park, although, granted, it’s not as murky as on Tuesday.

*Drainage from RV Resort in Edgewater Park. Laurel Spring Lane on left.*

Troubled Present and Past

So what do we know?

Local, state and county governments have launched investigations.
The contractor has covered up the inlet and outlet to the pipe.
Silt fence appears removed or buried at one location and is still missing from the southern boundary of the site.
Silty water is still ponding in Edgewater Park.

We should know more in coming days about the status of the investigations.

To learn more about the owners of the RV park click here. They operate more than 100 different companies. The general contractor has six tax forfeitures in his past. And he lists his office as a postal box.

A ReduceFlooding investigation found multiple irregularities in the permitting for the Laurel Springs RV Resort.

Residents have been watching construction closely since it became known that the developer took advantage of a loophole in City regulations to cut the requirements for detention pond capacity in half. The undersized pond may be related to the buried pipe intended to convey stormwater into Edgewater Park.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/3/22

1619 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.

Woodridge Village Detention Basin Capacity Doubling

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) contractor Sprint Sand & Clay has started laying out, clearing and excavating a large, new detention pond that will more than double capacity on Woodridge Village. Woodridge contributed to flooding hundreds of homes along Taylor Gully twice in 2019.

When the developer clearcut approximately 270 acres, the loss of forests and wetlands decreased natural detention capacity on the land. This should help restore it.

Project Outline Becoming Visible

Last week, Sprint started building a construction road into the site. This week it appears that they also dug a shallow trench outlining the perimeter of the pond and started clearing brush within it.

Photograph taken looking NE from SW corner of Woodridge Village. New detention pond will go in foreground. The shallow trench may be the outline of the new basin. Contractor appears to be staying “inside the lines.”

*Earth-moving equipment worked Saturday and was back at it Monday morning, 1/31/2022*.

How the Math Works Out

Sprint will ultimately excavate approximately 500,000 cubic yards of fill which translates to 310 acre feet. When Perry left the site, it had constructed 271 acre feet of detention. The site needed another 108.4 acre feet of detention pond capacity to meet Atlas-14 requirements, but will get 310 (the number of acre feet in 500,000 cubic yards). That almost triples the required additional volume and more than doubles the current capacity…all for $1000.

The $1000 is the out of pocket cost to taxpayers. Under the terms of it’s E&R contract, Sprint will make its profit by selling the dirt it excavates to third parties out of the floodplain. Their contract obligates them to excavate at least 5000 cubic yards per month. There is no monthly max.

In case you have kids or grandkids who like playing with dump trucks, 500,000 cubic yards works out to 50,000 loads. That equals the number of fingers and toes on 2,500 kids. And that’s way more than all the students in Kingwood Park High School!

Turn this into a learning exercise!

About E&R Agreements

E&R agreements provide an opportunity for making progress in advance of future basin construction. These agreements essentially provide a head start in the excavation process before the detention basin is fully designed and constructed.

Residents should beware of heavy equipment entering and leaving the site. The site will remain fenced through the completion of construction.

HCFCD expects to hold public meetings beginning in April to discuss other possible uses, i.e, recreation, restoration, etc., on the site. More news to follow.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/2/22, repeating digit day.

1618 Days since Hurricane Harvey

City Inspector Finds No Problems At RV Park. 311 Says “Case Closed.” Martin’s Office Says “Not So Fast.”

After photos showed clear construction permit violations at the Laurel Springs RV Resort, a City inspector said he found no problems there. Then, 311 closed the case. But Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office said another group was investigating. Martin’s chief of staff did not elaborate.

Discharging Silty Stormwater into County Park

On Saturday, I photographed the contractor digging a trench to let silty stormwater out of the detention pond into Harris County Precinct 4’s Edgewater Park.

This violated the terms of the developer’s construction permit. The trees behind the trench belong to Harris County Precinct 4 Park System. And the construction permit clearly states that “stormwater runoff shall not cross property line.”

*Note first sentence on approved drainage plan.*

Discharging across property lines also violates state law. See Chapter 11.086 of the state water code.

Then on Monday morning, I photographed the contractor covering up pipe that creates a permanent outfall onto County property.

So I filed a complaint with the City’s 311 system at the request of Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s District E staff.

Finally, today (Tuesday morning), I tried to photograph the drain/trench again. But contractors had covered it up and repaired the dike. If you hadn’t seen the previous pictures, you would never suspect a drainpipe was there (except for some black silt fencing around the intake which will be taken down).

*By Tuesday morning, contractors had repaired the pond wall. Area circled in red is the outfall, covered with water.*

Extent of Silty Runoff

The silty stormwater ran almost all the way down to Hamblen Road.

Water should have gone under Laurel Springs Lane and into the detention pond above via COH storm sewer. However, the contractor discharged it into the park instead. Note sediment-laden water in foreground.

*A large portion of the park appears to be inundated with silty discharge.*

*Looking north toward detention pond on RV site from over Edgewater Park. Note silty water in foreground.*

City Inspector Found No Violations

As I reviewed Tuesday’s images, I received an email from 311 saying the inspector found no problems and that 311 had closed the case. Obviously, the 311 operator didn’t clearly communicate the nature of my complaint. It was about stormwater runoff and construction-permit violations, not a fence line encroachment.

And clearly, the inspector didn’t:

Look at the approved drainage plan that showed the outfall should be going into the City storm sewer under Laurel Springs Lane.
Understand that draining water onto neighbor’s property violates the construction permit and state regulations.
Know the trees below the construction site belong to the County Park. He thought they belonged to the contractor. (See below.)

*Response from 311 to complaint about construction stormwater violations.* *No pictures were attached despite text of email.*

Inspector Felt Discharging into County Park Was Best Management Practice

To add insult to injury, the inspector characterized discharging into Edgewater Park’s vegetation as a contractor best management practice (BMP). Obviously, he thought the trees belonged to the contractor. He didn’t bother to explore who owned the land below the construction site or how far south the discharge had traveled.

Responses like this give the City a black eye.

I immediately emailed Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office about the 311 response. Jessica Beemer, his chief of staff, responded that the case wasn’t really closed. She said a different group had been assigned to investigate the complaint. But, as of this writing, she did not elaborate.

The TCEQ hopes to respond to a separate complaint by tomorrow. And I met several Harris County employees investigating the construction this morning in response to other complaints.

Stay tuned. More news to follow. This isn’t over yet.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/1/2022

1617 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.

RV Contractor Laying Pipe To Run Stormwater Through Detention Pond Wall Into Park

This morning I returned to the Laurel RV Springs Resort construction site and found contractors burying pipe in the trench they dug through the wall of the detention pond last Saturday.

The pipe leads from the inside to the outside of the pond near Harris County Precinct 4’s new Edgewater Park. This is not an overflow measure. The intake is at the bottom of the pond.

The RV owners are burying a permanent conduit to drain silty stormwater into the park’s wetlands and cypress ponds.

See below.

*Same trench on Monday morning, 1/31/22. Pond is in lower left; park in upper right.* *Contractors are filling the trench to bury the pipe.*

Pipe Not On Plans

This pipe does not appear anywhere on approved drainage plans for the RV Park’s detention pond.

*For a high res PDF of these approved drainage plans, click here.*

Furthermore, the City explicitly prohibits letting runoff cross another’s property.

*Detail from approved drainage plan.* *See first sentence under “Approved Storm Drainage.” “Stormwater runoff shall not cross property line.”* *It now is.*

Does the second sentence about exceeding capacity of the City of Houston storm sewer system have the developer worried? Could that be the reason for the pipe?

I became suspicious on Saturday when I saw black pipe piled near where plans called for reinforced concrete pipe (see below). That pipe looks suspiciously like the pipe now being covered up by the contractor, although in fairness, I did not see them move the pipe.

*Image from Saturday afternoon, Jan. 29, 2022. Note black pipe near adjacent work area.*

*But on Monday morning, there was no sign of black pipe **or any kind of pipe** entering the pond from this corner* *where plans said it should be.*

Controversy Continues to Swirl Around Pond

From the start, controversy has swirled about the size of the detention pond. The RV park received its construction permits one day before new regulations went into effect. The new regs would have required virtually doubling the size of the pond.

The approved plans explicitly state that stormwater will be pumped from the pond into the Lakewood Cove storm sewer system. From there it would run downhill into the Lakewood Cove detention pond on the east side of Laurel Springs Lane near Hamblen Road. But residents say that pond is now shallow from silt accumulations over the years. And they worry about trying to accommodate their own runoff as well as a developer’s.

This morning’s discovery of the contractor burying pipe into the park is just the latest irregularity. On Saturday, they trenched into the park to drain the pond. Before that they pumped water over the side of the pond into the park. And they’ve been bringing fill into the site instead of moving it from the detention pond.

How they operate with such impunity bewilders me. We definitely need the county attorney to investigate.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/31/2022

1616 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.

65% Impervious Cover?

Only about 4.4% of the land in the U.S. has estimated impervious cover greater than 40%. Usually, high percentages of impervious cover are associated with shopping malls; large apartment complexes; manufacturing and warehouse districts; and densely populated urban neighborhoods. Now there’s a new entry in that category: the Preserve at Woodridge – single-family housing so close together that you can spread your arms and touch two homes.

If you like living close to neighbors, the Preserve at Woodridge will be for you. Guefen, the developer, claims 65% impervious cover. Assuming their calculations and claims are accurate, what does that look like?

We can now see. Builders have framed the first cluster of homes. I’ve posted before about how close together these homes would be. But until you see them, the proximity is hard to fathom. They certainly don’t pass the eyeball test for 65% impervious cover.

Pictures Dramatize Proximity of Homes

The good news is that these homes, some as large as 660 square feet, definitely have more space than a porta-potty or a cargo container. You’ll be able to vacuum the home in world-record time. And you’ll never have to wonder where you left your cell phone. It would be impossible to lose in a home this small.

*The cluster of homes shown above is also shown in the schematic below.*

*Note 4.95-foot width between home in middle and one below it. See actual space below where ladder is.*

You know things are tight when the developer measures the distance between homes down to the hundredth of a foot (1/12th of an inch).

*Notice how the ladder leaning on one home is braced against the foundation of another.* *Those two homes have less than five feet of separation.*

Regardless, the engineers claim the development has 65% impervious cover for the purposes of calculating detention pond volume. That means 35% would be pervious, i.e., grass. See below.

*From developer’s drainage calculations, page 20.*

But Where Do You Put the Lawnmower?

But with so much shade between the homes, can you really get grass to grow? And if you can, where do you put the lawnmower? The developer has only 34 garage spaces for 131 homes. Perhaps you can put the mower under your Murphy bed. Or in your gym bag.

*More pads for the next batch of homes.*

*Status of Preserve-at-Woodridge construction as of 1/29/2022*.

Guefen plans to rent, not sell these homes. I guess you could consider these a step up from apartment living. But the developer has not preserved much at the Preserve. They certainly won’t live up to the reputation of the Livable Forest.

This is going to feel more like high-density, inner-city living … without the public transportation. We’ll soon see if there really is a market for this concept in the Kingwood Area.

How Impervious Cover Can Contribute to Flooding

The higher the percentage of impervious cover, the less stormwater soaks into the ground. It runs off faster. And without sufficient detention pond capacity, flood peaks build higher.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/30/2022

1615 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.