Tag Archive for: Romerica

Romerica Withdraws Plat Application for Proposed Floodplain Development

2/4/26 – Yesterday, the Houston Planning and Development Department called to say that Romerica has withdrawn the variance request for its plat application from the Houston Planning Commission’s agenda for 2/5/26. So, if you were planning to go downtown to protest it tomorrow, there is no longer any need.

Kingwood Residents Concerned about Floodplain Development

Local residents in Kingwood Lakes, Barrington and Trailwood Villages became concerned when they discovered that Romerica was back with the third-iteration of plans to build in the floodway and floodplains of the San Jacinto West Fork. Romerica was seeking plat approval to build a 500,000 square-foot, two-hotel complex with 125 large-luxury villas in a swamp.

The company claimed it would elevate all structures and 6000 feet of roads 60 feet wide on the northern-most part of their property.

But their preliminary drainage analysis also showed them bringing in fill dirt. And Romerica’s ambitious plans indicated they would have to bring in far more dirt than their drainage analysis indicated.

During the debate about their plans with Houston Public Works, it became clear that Romerica had not complied with regulations requiring them to post signage at the entrance to their property that notified the public of their plans.

Unanswered Questions, Concerns

Yesterday, I received a phone call and email from John P. Cedillo in the City’s Planning and Development Department.

His email said, “The application for River Grove GP [General Plan] has been withdrawn by the applicant and will not be considered at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on February 5. The applicant will need to re-submit and re-start the process including the notice requirements, such as notice letters and notice signs erected for the site.”

In my opinion, this is good news. Many questions remain about Romerica’s plans. For instance, they claimed the hotel would be a Fairmont. But after days of trying, I could not find anyone at Fairmont who would confirm that.

A source in the hotel business told me that the reputational damage to a hotel chain would be so great if one of its properties flooded that they typically have higher standards than even city and county regulators. That’s especially true of high-end international chains, such as Fairmont. Word of a flooded Fairmont Hotel would spread around the world overnight because they draw international clients.

Another source called the proposed development “on the wrong side of the tracks.” That was not a slur against Kingwood, just an acknowledgment of market potential for the planned location. He said that all chains look at traffic counts as their first location-screening tool. “If it’s not on or near an interstate freeway, they don’t want to hear about it,” he said.

Even though plat approvals have to do with street layouts, residents were concerned about the potential to make flooding worse in the area at the south end of Woodland Hills Drive – especially in an area where the thoroughfare itself, i.e., the evacuation route, would be under water in a 100-year flood.

In fact, it last went under water in May 2024.

Romerica in May 2024 Flood
Romerica proposes to build where water reached treetops to the right of Barrington in May 2024.

Ronnie Bulanek, a Barrington resident said of Romerica’s latest setback, “It is great news. It will/should be very difficult to develop the land in question without dramatic consequences for the neighboring communities. Until the Lake Houston dam and other flood mitigation issues are completed nothing should be developed in this parcel.”

For More Information

Romerica is the same company that previously proposed building 50-story high-rises next to the floodway of the West Fork. The Army Corps nixed that plan.

Romerica later proposed building homes on stilts. But the company ran into challenges with the Planning Commission then, too.

For more information on Romerica’s proposal, see their presentations which include schematics:

Chris Bloch, a flood activist who has studied Kingwood drainage issues for decades, had these concerns about the proposed development along South Woodland Hills.

Those concerns were only exacerbated when Bloch obtained Romerica’s preliminary drainage analysis the day of the last Planning Commission Meeting on 1/22/26. It raised more questions than answers. Luckily, the Planning Commission deferred action on Romerica’s variance request at that meeting, too. District E City Council Member Fred Flickinger had it pulled from the Commission’s agenda.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/4/26

3081 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.

How Government Secrecy Contributes to Flooding

1/25/26 – One in every five Texans lives in a floodplain, according to the first Texas State Flood Plan. We have the second highest number of repetitive loss properties in the country, according to the Insurance Journal. And 30 states have populations smaller than the number of people living in Texas floodplains.

The number of floodplain dwellers in the San Jacinto watershed alone exceeds the entire populations of 15 states and the District of Columbia. And it’s not all because of rainfall, flat land, or our proximity to the Gulf. Government secrecy compounds those issues.

Purpose of FOIA and TPIA

While governments at all levels pay lip service to transparency, the reality can be quite different. Journalists and concerned citizens frequently have their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) requests denied. Usually, the denials occur when they might embarrass someone in government. Yet that’s exactly why those two acts were passed decades ago. And that’s why we need to rededicate ourselves to openness.

State, County, Municipal Examples

Let me give you three recent examples.

Scarborough Land West of Kingwood

A Dallas-based company called Scarborough bought 5,300 acres at the confluence of Spring, Cypress and Turkey Creeks where they join the San Jacinto West Fork. Virtually all the land is in floodplains or floodways. The developer says the State of Texas is his partner.

Ryko drainage impact study illustration showing outline and floodplains.
Land purchased by Scarborough last year. All but the dark gray areas within the red are in floodplains or the floodway.

The Texas School Land Board invested an undisclosed amount of money for undisclosed terms in the development of the property.

The state has rebuffed attempts to discover why it is investing in the development of such dangerous property.

The Texas General Land Office oversees the School Land Board but has refused to clarify media requests and repeatedly appealed FOIA requests to Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton keeps finding reasons to avoid compliance with the spirit of the law.

The state even refused a request from a Texas representative. They demanded the lawmaker sign a non-disclosure agreement. The lawmaker found it so onerous, he said he refused to sign it.

Paxton has announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate. And Dawn Buckingham, GLO Commissioner is running for re-election.

Harris County Flood Maps

The term “caveat emptor” (buyer beware) goes back 2,000 years to Roman times and became firmly embedded in English Common Law during the Middle Ages.

For people to know whether they’re buying land in a floodplain, they need access to current flood maps based on the best available information. But 8.5 years after Hurricane Harvey, Harris County Flood Control District has not released updated flood maps – effectively keeping buyers in the dark about their flood risk.

Houston Chronicle investigative reporter Yilun Cheng found that 65,000 homes have been built in Houston floodplains since Harvey. That number will also certainly grow when the County eventually releases new flood maps.

HCFCD has repeatedly ignored media requests for the new flood maps. The cover story is that their contract with FEMA prohibits release of the flood maps before FEMA vets them. But the County refuses to produce the contract. And other counties throughout Texas routinely publish “draft” maps, with the understanding that they are subject to revision by FEMA.

Romerica Land in Kingwood

Several years ago, Romerica bought more than 300 acres between Kingwood Lake and the San Jacinto West Fork. Virtually all of it lies in floodplains or floodways.

Yet the company has persisted in trying to develop it.

  • First, they wanted to build 25- to 50-story high rises around a marina that would hold boats too big to float on the West Fork.
  • Then, they wanted to build luxury homes on stilts, even though homes built on 25 foot stilts had already flooded.
  • Recently, they announced plans to build a 500,000 square foot, two-hotel complex surrounded by 125 luxury, 8,600 square foot villas.

Even though the most recent plan is on Romerica’s highest ground, the swampland still floods badly and repeatedly.

Romerica in May 2024 Flood
Location of Romerica’s proposed new development in May of 2024

When Sylvester Turner was Mayor, he reportedly instructed Public Works not to approve any building permits for the property. Turner had personally seen how badly that area flooded.

But now Houston Public Works has approved a preliminary drainage survey for the two hotels (including a Fairmont) and 125 massive villas.

Public Works also recommended a plat variance that could limit emergency access. And Public Works denied my FOIA request for Romerica’s drainage analysis and asked the Attorney General (AG) to support their denial. Regardless, I obtained a copy through another resident that Public Works gave the study to.

Refusing my FOIA request was hilarious. In their letter to the AG, an assistant City Attorney cited information I didn’t even request to enhance her chances of keeping the study secret. Public Works even refused to supply a copy of the drainage analysis to Houston City Council Member Fred Flickinger.

I have obtained similar drainage studies from Harris, Montgomery and Liberty Counties without such objections.

Illusion of Transparency

Usually, when people have nothing to hide, they quickly volunteer information. When they withhold information, they might have a valid reason. More likely, in my experience, they may have something to hide.

FOIA was passed in 1966 to shift the presumption of government information from secrecy to disclosure. Its core purpose was to give citizens, journalists, and Congress a legal mechanism to see how the government actually operates—rather than relying on voluntary or selective releases.

Before FOIA, government information was disclosed at agency discretion. After FOIA, disclosure became the default.

FOIA passed because Congress concluded that a rapidly expanding federal bureaucracy had become too secretive, too insulated, and too powerful—and that democracy required legally enforceable transparency, not voluntary disclosure.

TPIA passed in 1973 in direct response to the Sharpstown Stock Fraud Scandal. It involved so many officials that public trust in government collapsed. At the time, Texas governments considered transparency a courtesy, not a right.

Newspapers across Texas demanded reform. Voters were openly angry. Lawmakers feared losing office. Reform candidates surged in the 1973 elections. But according to many journalists and activist groups, transparency laws were imposed on a system that never truly wanted them.

Texas recently required creation of a searchable database of letter rulings under House Bill 3033, but as of January 23, 2026, Paxton’s office had only gotten up to 2023. None of the PDFs would open. And HTML files were unavailable.

Screen capture from Rulings website. Site froze when I tried to open first PDF.

According to his office, Paxton received 40,000 appeals of open records requests in 2023 alone. So, there’s no way to determine whether Paxton’s office exhibits a systematic bias for or against TPIA requests. However, 40,000 is a shocking number. It shows how frequently local and county jurisdictions want to keep matters secret.

Why This Matters for Floodplain Development Issues

Texas adopted transparency laws in 1973 for the same reason they matter today:

Decisions affecting land, money, and power tend to drift toward secrecy without legal force.

In floodplain development, appeals of FOIA and TPIA requests commonly cite the privacy of developer studies as the reason for not releasing them. But in my humble opinion once a government official stamps such a study “approved,” the public should have the right to see the basis for the approval. Anything less is government by secrecy.

In the case of flood safety, such secrecy can destroy lives, homes, and life savings. And the statistics in the first two paragraphs of this post prove it.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/25/2026

3071 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.

Romerica’s Preliminary Drainage Analysis Raises Many Questions

1/22/26 – Despite the City of Houston appealing my FOIA request for Romerica’s drainage impact analysis to the Texas Attorney General, this morning the City emailed both the analysis and a new general plan for Romerica’s proposed floodplain development to another Kingwood resident, Chris Bloch. Bloch shared his copies with me and they raise many questions.

First, Some Disclaimers

In fairness, before getting into concerns, let me state several things about the plans.

  1. The consulting engineer clearly labeled the drainage analysis as preliminary.
  2. Each page of the drainage analysis contains a disclaimer that says, “Note: The drainage plan is conceptual in nature and the final drainage design shall be in conformance with the latest City of Houston Infrastructure Design Manual.”
  3. Page 3 states that:
    • All structures will have an elevation two feet above the 500-year flood level.
    • All proposed structures will be built on piers to reduce the need for fill.
    • Dirt excavated from detention ponds will be hauled away from the site.

Questions Raised by Plans

However, the preliminary drainage analysis raised more questions than it answered. For instance:

  • It did not claim “no adverse impact” downstream. Why?
  • The drainage impact analysis was dated 2/19/25 and approved by the City’s Floodplain Group on 3/3/25. Why the long delay before making them public?
  • Why deny me the analysis, but give it to Bloch?
  • A Public Works employee told me the plans were based on new, post-Harvey flood maps. But Page 2 states that they’re based on 2007 maps.
  • With that in mind, the 2007 maps show virtually all of the proposed development in the 100-year floodplain. How much of that is now in the floodway? Neither Public Works, nor Harris County Flood Control District will reveal the new flood map for this development. Why the secrecy?
  • The drainage analysis does not show roadways or trails which have the ability to back water up into existing neighborhoods. Why?
  • The drainage analysis does not consider water draining into the area from Trailwood, Kingwood Lakes, Kings Forest or Kingwood Drive. Why? These wetlands already serve a flood-mitigation purpose that will likely be destroyed.
  • The drainage analysis conflicts with promotional literature provided by the developer. The literature, for instance shows the road network being built up to 60 feet and pedestrian paths being built up to 71 feet.
From Developer’s promotional literature for Phase 1.

Ground level varies throughout the development. According to the USGS National Map, it averages about 50 feet, ranging down to 46. So how much fill would it take to raise the roads 10-15 feet?

Elevation profile of Romerica land from USGS National Map shows average height of about 50 feet.

The general plan shows approximately 6,000 feet of roadway, with the streets alone being 60 feet wide . (6000L x 60W x 10H = 3.6 million cubic feet.) That’s 133,333 cubic yards of fill. Yet the analysis claims they need only 16,966 cubic yards of fill. And they won’t be getting it from the detention basins, because they say they’re hauling all that off.

So, how are they accounting for another 100,000+ cubic yards of fill? How will they raise the streets?

Next, where is the outflow analysis for the detention basins? None is provided. So, we can’t see whether they are adding or subtracting to flood peaks.

Dubious Benefit of Detention in Floodplain

And then there’s the biggest question of all. Will flood-plain detention that quickly goes under water in floods provide any flood-reduction benefit?

Floodplains already serve as stormwater storage during floods. FEMA considers floodplain storage already “spoken for.”

Still, detention basins are allowed in floodplains with certain provisions. Harris County requires basins to drain by gravity. But the bottom of these basins is 10 feet below the level of adjacent Kingwood Lake and 4.5 feet below the level of Lake Houston. So gravity alone will never drain these ponds in a flood. Pumps would be required. And electricity is often knocked out in floods.

What the Romerica Property looked like in the May 2024 flood. Water rose to treetop level.

And if new basins fill at the same time as the river, it provides zero peak flow reduction. That is why claimed floodplain detention is often illusory. Especially when the pre-/post- runoff ratio will increase almost 4X (Page 5).

Flickinger Wisely Pulls Variance Approval from Planning Commission Agenda

The City of Houston Planning Commission was scheduled to review a variance request today for Romerica. However, City Council Member Fred Flickinger wisely requested deferral of consideration until 2/5/26. That should give us more time to sort out these inconsistencies.

The variance request has to do with not connecting the east-west street to other streets on the east. That’s because there are no streets in that area. A Kingwood Country Club golf course surrounds Romerica’s property in that direction.

The delay gives us extra time to examine the rest of their plans.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/22/2026

3068 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.

City to Consider Approval of Development in Swamp While Keeping Drainage Study Secret

1/19/26 – On Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 2:30 PM the Houston Planning Commission may consider approval of a proposed half-billion development in swampland. Specifically, Roman Arrow LLC (AKA Romerica), the developer, has requested plat approval with a variance for a new subdivision between Kingwood Lakes and the Barrington.

Draft Agenda Item 89 lists the project name as River Grove, but drawings within the variance request call it Kingwood Marina.

City Appeals FOIA Request to Attorney General

The Planning and Development Department appealed my Freedom of Information Act request for the developer’s drainage study to the Texas Attorney General. That means the public may not be able to review the drainage plans before the Planning Commission rules on plat approval. Worse, the public may never get to see the drainage study.

Marbet Alonzo of the City Planning and Development Department said, “The document you requested is a third-party document and cannot be released at this time. We have submitted a request to the Attorney General’s Office for a ruling. Once a determination is made and the document is eligible for release, we will provide it promptly.”

Approving plans before the public has had a chance to review all relevant documents highlights serious transparency and procedural issues.

Bob Rehak

You may submit public comments by sending an email to speakercomments.pc@houstontx.gov, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Reference 2025-2266 River Grove GP in the title of your email.

Transparency and Procedural Issues

In my opinion, the only honorable thing to do in this case is to defer a decision until after the attorney general has ruled on release of the study, and the public has had time to review and prepare comments. If the attorney general allows the drainage plans to remain secret, then the City should deny permits.

Page 158 of the agenda shows that consideration may be deferred to a future date. However, the MLK holiday disrupted the Planning Commission’s normal publication schedule. So, I’m still looking at a DRAFT agenda. However, public comments must be submitted 24 hours before the meeting. Accordingly, I’m publishing this post today, so that people can email comments Tuesday before the deadline on Wednesday.

Rehak’s Concerns

To be fair, my concerns go beyond street layouts. I have been photographing this property for years. I started when Romerica first proposed building 50 story high-rises in the floodplain of the San Jacinto West Fork on another portion of their property south of the Barrington.

But I’ve also kept a close eye on the portion of the property north of Barrington. The photos below show some of the issues.

Roman Arrow land after two inches of rainfall in previous month.
Looking E. Barrington on R. Roman Arrow property upper left. Photo taken on 5/3/24.
One day later from opposite direction looking W. Roman Arrow property is right of upper center.
Romerica elevation profile
USGS National Map shows that Roman Arrow land (center) averages 7 feet lower than Barrington (Bottom).
Roman Arrow/Romerica Wetlands shown in green both north and south of Barrington (center)

Given that current floodplain maps show the entire Roman Arrow property in the 100-year floodplain, they will not be able to bring in fill to elevate the homes and hotel they plan to build there. They will have to excavate dirt from their property or elevate structures on stilts.

Romerica/Roman Arrow land in center; see above. Aqua=100-year floodplain. Brown=500 year. Cross-hatch=floodway of West Fork.

Note the date on the map above: 2007. When new flood maps are released, floodplains and floodways are expected to expand by 50-100%.

What Do They Plan to Build?

The developers have said they hope to build the development in two phases.

Phase One includes a 297,600-square-foot Fairmont Hotel with 400 rooms and 90 condominium residences.

Phase Two includes another 226,085-square-foot hotel with 37 8,611-square-foot villas, each on one third acre lots.

They plan to build the roads up to 60 feet – 13 feet above swamp level and 5 feet higher than the roads in Barrington.

Pedestrian pathways would be elevated to 71 feet – 11 feet above the roads.

The hotels would top out 65 feet above ground level. But the first residential floor of the condominiums would start at 65 feet and rise two stories.

They claim ground level will be 53 feet – 7 feet below the road level.

It’s all very confusing. That’s why we need to see the drainage plans. Where will the fill come from? Do they plan to build on stilts? Will structures and fill impede the flow of the floodway when new flood maps are released?

They can’t bring fill into the 100-year floodplain. And excavating it from land that’s already underwater won’t help mitigate increased flood potential.

Phase II Hotel
Phase II Condo

Third Time Around

This is the third concept that Romerica/Roman Arrow developers have pitched for this property.

  • The first was 25- to 50-story high-rises south of the Barrington with underground parking next to the floodway of the West Fork.
  • Then they pitched a series of homes on stilts under the name Orchard Seeded Ranches. That quietly fell off the radar.
  • Now this.

The land previously belonged to developer Ron Holley who fought the City for 20 years for the right to build on it.

Many have conjectured whether these developers are trying to raise money for the development via EB-5 visas. The developers are foreign nationals and are shielding their Texas operating companies through a series of approximately 30 shell companies at last count.

EB-5 visas give preferential consideration for green cards to foreigners and their families who invest $800,000 to a million dollars or more in American infrastructure projects that create jobs.

I have no evidence that that is their plan. Neither can I find any evidence that they have actually completed any developments in the U.S. under the names Romerica or Roman Arrow.

A web search for Roman Arrow LLC turns up lawsuits brought by City of Houston, Harris County and Lone Star College District for delinquent taxes. Humble ISD filed another separate tax lawsuit.

Neither Romerica nor Roman Arrow appears to have an active website – something that seems strange for a company claiming that this will be a half-billion project.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 1/19/2026

3065 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.

Proposed Romerica Development Raises Red Flags

4/11/2025 – By Chris Bloch – The proposed Romerica development would have a negative impact on the neighborhoods of Kingwood Lakes, Trailwood, Deerwood Cove and the Barrington. The Romerica development could even contribute to flooding the intersection of Kingwood Drive and Woodland Hills Drive. 

The potential negative impacts result from a combination of factors. They include:

  • The design of surrounding stormwater infrastructure built during the 1970s
  • Increases in expected rainfall since then
  • The current outfall location of area storm and sanitary sewers on Romerica property
  • An increase in impervious cover from the proposed new development
  • The fact that the new development would be built in an area that collects water naturally
  • Fixed elevations of surrounding lakes.

During heavy rains, a combination of these factors would back water up through sewers farther and faster into surrounding neighborhoods where structures have already flooded.

Let me explain how each of these issues contributes to the others. Together, they increase flood risk for surrounding homes and would also increase the potential for floodwater blocking Kingwood Drive and Woodland Hills Drive during evacuations.

Design of Surrounding Infrastructure Outdated

Back in the 1970s, engineers did not build infrastructure to current Atlas-14 rainfall standards. Standards for expected rainfall have increased twice since then – after Allison in 2001 and after Harvey in 2017. 

So, the existing storm sewers in Kingwood Lakes and Trailwood are already overtaxed. And that has contributed to flooding of structures during heavy rains. There is simply not enough conveyance capacity in storm sewers to safely handle the volume of rainfall we now know that we will get.

Water Backing Up from Outfalls

Multiple storm sewer networks currently outfall to the Romerica property. As water levels rise at an outfall, the capacity of the sewers to convey stormwater from the neighborhoods is reduced.

During heavy rains, the lost capacity of the storm sewers causes streets and homes in the affected neighborhoods to flood.

Increases in impervious cover that come with high-density development on the Romerica property would back water up even further and faster into those sewers. That would elevate flood risk for surrounding homes.

Increased backwater levels would also result in higher water levels at the Kingwood Drive/Woodland Hills intersection. This is a critical intersection in Kingwood. High water at that location limits access into and out of much of Kingwood.

Property Already Collects Stormwater

The Romerica property is already extremely low compared to surrounding property. So, it naturally collects stormwater. During heavy rains, such as we received last May, photographs show that water reached the canopy of trees on the property.

Romerica
Looking west toward area of proposed Romerica development. Photo taken during peak of May, 2024 flood.

Elevation profiles on the USGS National Map clearly show both low elevation as well as the nature of the property in question. It’s swampy and forms a sort of natural detention basin. And that’s why Friendswood never developed it.

N to S Elevation Profile from USGS National Map shows Romerica land significantly lower than Kingwood Lakes and Barrington.
W to E Elevation Profile from USGS National Map also shows Romerica land significantly lower than surrounding areas.

Moreover, the impervious cover that comes from additional development would contribute to even higher water levels on Romerica’s property. And those higher levels would back water up – father and faster – into the storm and sanitary sewers that serve surrounding villages.

Construction of access drives and buildings on the property would reduce the volume of stormwater that can be absorbed on the property. This will result in even higher water levels on the property and Lake Kingwood.

Surrounding Lakes Not Far Below Romerica’s Elevation

Romerica property is already extremely low compared to surrounding areas. It forms a sort of natural detention basin just two or three feet above the level of surrounding lakes. So, during heavy rains, the Romerica property floods badly.

The water-surface elevation of Lake Kingwood is 47 feet. It discharges into a second lake at 46 feet. And that discharges into a third at 45 feet. Weirs control the elevation of all three lakes. 

During heavy rain events, it is common for the lake levels to rise 3 to 4 feet. And during extreme events, such as Hurricane Harvey, they rise even farther. The water surface level of Lake Kingwood during Harvey rose by approximately 12 feet!

So homes facing Lake Kingwood all flooded 6 to 8 feet. And Kingwood Lakes is much higher than Romerica!

The property of the proposed Romerica development has an average elevation less than 52 feet. During any significant rain event, the vast majority of the property will be submerged by flood waters from the stormwater discharge outlets and water spilling over from Lake Kingwood.

Romerica swamp with 5- to 12-inches of water after only two inches of rainfall in the last month.
If that swamp gets much higher, it could reduce the conveyance of this storm sewer outfall from NE Trailwood Village.

And that would back up water in those storm sewers.

What It Would Take to Develop Romerica’s Property Safely

The design of surrounding stormwater and sanitary sewers that lead to Romerica’s property did not anticipate high-density development on that property.     

Additional runoff from added impervious surface would require considerable modifications to existing utility services at the expense of the City…which doesn’t have the money.

Safe development of the Romerica property would also require:

  • A new bypass drainage channel from the west end of Lake Kingwood south to the Diversion Ditch 
  • A new storm sewer main to divert stormwater from South Woodland Hills and Trailwood into the bypass drainage ditch
  • Limiting discharges into Lake Kingwood
  • A longer weir on the west end of Lake Kingwood to help control water levels in the lake. 

In my opinion, this development should not receive a permit. Instead, the property should be developed as an additional stormwater detention facility site and drainage channel.

Chris Bloch presenting his research to the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority board and City Council Member Fred Flickinger on 4/10/25.

Guest editorial by Chris Bloch, a flood activist who has studied Kingwood drainage issues for decades. Bloch holds 12 patents which fundamentally changed the way power plants, and petrochemical plants are commissioned

2782 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.

 

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 High School #3 site as of December 7, 2020
As of January 1, 2021.

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 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.

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!

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.

Development Watch List: Orchard Seeded Ranches From the Air

The Romerica high-rise project near the floodway of the San Jacinto West Fork was reborn recently as Orchard Seeded Ranches. Same property. Same developer. Undisclosed concept as of this date.

When the developer sought approval of their general plan from the City of Houston Planning Commission, the City deferred approval. Instead they asked the developer to consult with the City Engineer and Harris County Flood Control, before coming back to the commission.

Despite the location of the development in the floodplain and floodway of the West Fork, ironically, the City had only procedural comments on the plans. The comments had to do with things like the spacing and labelling of streets. Incredibly, they did not refer to potential flooding or wetlands issues.

Pending Regulation Changes Could Affect Development

However, regulation changes are pending. Harris County has made adoption of its Atlas-14-based stormwater design and floodplain standards a condition of participating in all flood bond projects. Those standards would require elevation of any homes built on the Romerica property. In practical terms, that means building on stilts. And that, in turn, means dollars.

Specifically, the County wants the City to change Article III: Standards for Flood Hazard Reduction in the Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 19 Floodplain (September 2018):

  • 19-33(a) Base Flood Elevation Requirements –Must also include a provision that no fill will be allowed to elevate structures proposed for the 100-year floodplain.  These structures must be on open foundations designed by a structural engineer.

Where Property Is

Here’s where the property is. It wraps around the Barrington, which was elevated significantly and still flooded during Harvey. It also wraps around River Grove Park Kingwood Country Club, and Deer Ridge Park.

Purple area represents proposed site of Romerica’s Orchard Seeded Ranches Development.

Large Concentration of Forested Wetlands

All aerial photos below were taken on 5/11/2020.

Looking southeast from the southwest corner of Romerica’s property. Hamblen Road enters the from on the middle right. That’s the San Jacinto West Fork cutting through the top of the frame.
Looking southeast while hovering over Woodland Hills Drive. The northern part of Romerica’s property lies between the front and back nines of the Kingwood Country Club Lake Course. That’s the Barrington on the right.
Those same trees serve as a nesting ground for hundreds of great egrets.
Looking southwest from near the entrance from Barrington. Deer Ridge Park wraps around the water tower.
Looking SE over Woodland Hills and the Barrington entrance. The property contains three artificial lakes, which I believe were excavated to elevate the Barrington. Note how high lake level/water table is. River Grove soccer fields are on right. Look closely and you can also see the Kingwood Diversion Ditch entering the park from the lower right.

From the ground, beneath the dense canopy of trees, you can see palmettos galore. Palmetto plants are an important biologic indicator of wetlands. They only grow where the ground is underwater at least part of the year.

Source: USGS National Wetlands Inventory. Blue areas = lake. Green = Forested Wetlands.

Role of Wetlands in Reducing Flooding

The EPA cites flood protection as one of the primary benefits of wetlands.

“Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, … and flood waters. Trees, root mats and other wetland vegetation also slow the speed of flood waters and distribute them more slowly over the floodplain. This combined water storage an braking action lowers flood heights and reduces erosion,” says the Agency.

They continue: “Wetlands within and downstream of urban areas are particularly valuable, counteracting the greatly increased rate and volume of surface- water runoff from pavement and buildings. The holding capacity of wetlands helps control floods… Preserving and restoring wetlands together with other water retention can often provide the level of flood control otherwise provided by expensive dredge operations and levees. The bottomland hardwood- riparian wetlands along the Mississippi River once stored at least 60 days of floodwater. Now they store only 12 days because most have been filled or drained.”

Reasons Romerica Application Previously Withdrawn

Last year, when Romerica tried to develop this area as condos and high rises, they ran into protests from US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps, environmental groups, and the Kingwood community. Major concerns included the filling of wetlands, nesting bald eagles, river migration, flood dangers to residents, and lack of evacuation routes.

Fence separating Romerica property from Hamblen road after Harvey.

All those concerns still exist. Romerica should take a cue from the Humble ISD. They’ve had two ag barns in this area. The District abandoned one (that was actually on Romerica property), moved to higher ground, is trying to abandon the second, and hopes to move to higher ground yet again.

As of this writing, Romerica has not yet reapplied to the City Planning Commission. Nor has the City adopted all of the County’s Atlas-14 regulations.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/27/2020

1002 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.

Planning Commission Concerns About Romerica Land Seem More Procedural than Flood-Related

Last week, the Houston Planning Commission deferred approval of the General Plan for Romerica’s Orchard Seeded Ranches in Kingwood. A City of Houston Planning and Development Department document obtained this afternoon suggests that concerns about the West Fork development may have been more procedural than flood-related.

Much of Romerica’s land lies between the Barrington in foreground and San Jacinto River in background. All 283 homes in Barrington flooded during Harvey.

Of the ten concerns listed in a letter to the permit applicant, only one had to do with flooding. And that came from Harris County Flood Control, not the City. Nine other concerns had to do with street spacing and layouts or labelling.

Half of Land in Floodway

Half of Orchard Seeded Ranches is in the floodway (below red line) of the San Jacinto West Fork.
Half of Orchard Seeded Ranches is in the floodway (below red line) of the San Jacinto West Fork. That line will shift north on new flood maps.

Half of the land lies in the floodway of the West Fork. The other half lies in the hundred-year floodplain. The development would be built on the same property that Romerica tried to get approved last year. The company wanted to build a series of high rises and 5,000 condominiums. That proposal drew a record 770 letters of protest to the Army Corps. Despite all that…

The Planning Commission document indicates that the City Engineer had no comments on the proposal.

Last week it appeared that the balance of power might be shifting at City Hall from developers to flood-weary residents. This week, it appears the other way around.

Only Harris County Flood Control Raises Serious Objections

Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) recommended deferral of any approvals until the master drainage plan for the development is reviewed. HCFCD also said, “This area has historically been prone to flooding with numerous home buyouts immediately to the west. The Flood Control District, City of Houston, Montgomery County, and San Jacinto River Authority are working on a planning study to reduce flood risk in this area.”

Those partners should complete the San Jacinto Regional Watershed Master Drainage Plan final report by September this year.

Part of that plan will include new flood surveys. They will likely show the floodway expanding to take in an even greater percentage of Romerica’s property.

Gear Up for Another Lengthy Fight

It should not take the developer much time to address City’s concerns. It’s unclear at this time whether the City will heed the HCFCD’s concerns.

As a result, this controversy could wind up back in the hands of the Army Corps and/or the US Fish and Wildlife Service again. Last year, the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote an uncharacteristically frank recommendation to the Corps, urging the Corps to deny Romerica’s permit. Their reasoning had to do with the value of wetlands on the property and the presence of American Bald Eagles, a protected species.

Bald eagle photographed adjacent to Romerica property in February, 2020.

In the meantime, the developer may realize that it still faces an uphill struggle even with City approval. Perhaps they will come to their senses and sell this land to a group or groups that wish to preserve it as green space for flood control and recreation.

Light pole near River Bend in North Shore as Harvey receded. Note the "wet marks" several feet up on pole. Photo by Jim Balcom.
Light pole by westernmost Romerica property as Harvey receded. Photo by Jim Balcom.

As if to underscore the value of that proposition, the Bayou City Initiative today announced a virtual meeting to discuss the difficulty of mass evacuations and sheltering during the hurricane season as the COVID crisis continues. Remember that most of this land was under 20+ feet of water during Harvey.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/5/2020

980 Days since Hurricane Harvey

Development Watchlist: Perry, Romerica, Colony Ridge and More

Here’s an update to last week’s watchlist. It includes seven Lake Houston Area developments – four from last week and three new.

Perry Homes’ Woodridge Village

On April 28, 2020, Harris County Commissioners approved the purchase of Woodridge Village from Perry Homes with two conditions: 1) that the City of Houston would defray half the cost by contributing $7mm worth of land that HCFCD needed for other flood control costs, 2) that the City would adopt new Atlas-14 rainfall statistics.

The next day, Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin discussed the deal on a Facebook live “virtual lunch” with the Lake Houston Area Chamber. At about 26:20 into the video, he said that the stipulations had already been agreed to. He said the City had already identified 11 pieces of property, 6 of which were presented to the County during its consideration of the deal in executive session the previous night. He also said the City would divert water from Taylor Gully to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and build a barrier between Elm Grove and Woodridge, while the county built a regional detention facility.

Perry contractors went back to work the next day before Martin spoke. They continued working all week. They worked near Mace in Porter, on N2 (the large detention pond in the middle of the western border), and N3 (another detention pond on the eastern border).

A reliable source who needs to remain anonymous told me that the work was at the request of Perry’s lawyers. The source said that Perry and its contractors were simply complying with their contract.

This week marks the anniversary of the first storm (May 7th) that landed Perry in hot water. And forecasters predict an above-average hurricane season, which starts in four weeks. The lawyers may have had that on their minds, too. As they say in legal circles, “The third time is the pen.” Woodridge contributed to flooding Elm Grove twice last year, in May and September.

Excavator working near Mace in Porter on April 29, 2020.

Romerica’s “Orchard Seeded Ranches”

This is the 331-acre project formerly known as the Heron’s Kingwood. It wound around the Barrington and River Grove Park. Romerica is now trying to develop the same land under a different name, “Orchard Seeded Ranches.”

However, on Thursday, 4/30/2020, the Houston Planning Commission deferred approval of the developer’s General Plan.

plat of orchard seeded ranches
General Plan of Orchard Seeded Ranches in Kingwood Texas

The Commission then asked the developer to consult with the City Engineer; the Planning and Development Department; and Harris County Flood Control before bringing further requests back to the Commission.

That should send a strong signal to the developer that rough waters lie ahead. Any proposal will likely be debated publicly when/if the developer returns.

The development is still listed in CoH’s PlatTracker. So we will continue to watch this one.

Holley’s Kingwood Cove Golf Course Redevelopment

A review of the City of Houston’s PlatTracker Plus Map indicates that Holley has not yet applied for any permits on the golf course in Forest Cove. City of Houston confirmed that via a FOIA request (Freedom of Information Act).

Note how golf course on left is unshaded. That indicates no activity with the Planning Commission. Compare that to the purple area on the right for Romerica’s property. That indicates approval of a General Plan is still pending.

A review of the Harris County Appraisal District website indicates a limited liability company in Pittsburgh, PA, actually owns the golf course.

Harris County Appraisal District info for property at 805 Hamblen, aka Kingwood Cove Golf Course.

It’s not unusual for developers to use other people’s money. I shall continue to watch this. Holley says his engineer is reworking plans based on input from people surrounding the course.

Ryko Property Near Confluence of Spring Creek and West Fork

This property is in Montgomery County and the City of Houston’s Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. The Montgomery County Engineers office says the company has not yet filed any plans that have been approved. The City of Houston PlatTracker Plus Map also shows the owner has not yet filed any applications.

US FWS Wetlands Map shows wetlands throughout the Ryko property between Spring Creek and the West Fork.

New Caney ISD High School #3

Dark green area in center between Sorters Rd. and 59 is future home of New Caney ISD High School #3.

The New Caney Independed School District plans to build a third high school south of the HCA Kingwood Medical Center and behind the car dealerships that front US59. I don’t know much more about this except that they plan to extend roads into the area that is now forest. High schools usually have large parking lots. And that means rapid drainage. It is unclear at this time whether MoCo will require detention ponds.

Northpark Woods

Looking northwest at Northpark Woods from over Sorters/McClellan Road. The drainage ditch on the left parallels Northpark Drive. Sand mines and the West Fork are in the background. Photo 4/21/2020.

This high-density development along the West Fork San Jacinto River in Montgomery County is now about one-third to one-half built. Construction continues.

The Colonies in Plum Grove

North of SH99 in Plum Grove and east of the East Fork in Liberty County, lies one of the largest developments in the Houston region without detention ponds.

In January of 2017, the Houston Chronicle wrote about how La Colonia was transforming Plum Grove. They interviewed local residents who lamented the loss of forests. ABC13 ran a story about the squalid living conditions. Yet the area continues to expand.

Formally known as Colony Ridge, some locals call it “The Colonies.” Colony Ridge bills itself as a “master-planned” community with six major subdivisions: Sante Fe, Camino Real, Grand San Jacinto, Rancho San Vincente, Montebello, and Bella Vista. Together they comprise 30,478 lots on approximately 10,000 acres at present. And they’re still growing!

The Colonies currently cover an area almost as large as Kingwood. Photo 4/21/2020.
Drainage empties into the East Fork San Jacinto. While flying over the area, I did not see one detention pond.
 Mobil homes make up most of the housing stock. Note open-ditch drainage.

Colony Ridge advertises itself as “an escape from the city, land on which to grow and build a home, no restrictions and easy credit.” Aerial photos reveal people scratching out hardscrabble lives on barren lots.

This is a blue collar neighborhood. The developer says his target market is poor Latino laborers. They see this as a step up from apartment living and a chance to own a part of the American dream.

But while flying over it, I did not see one detention pond.

As SH99, the Grand Parkway, pushes east from 59, this area will boom. Without better drainage regulations, Liberty County and Plum Grove will heap their drainage problems on those downstream.

FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer shows East Fork Flood Plains relative to Colony Ridge (right).

The good news is that Liberty County has joined with seven other counties to form a Southeast Texas Drainage District. The bad news is that Harris County is not one of the seven.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/3/2020

978 Days after Hurricane Harvey

Weekly Watch List: Perry, Romerica, Holley, Ryko

Those concerned about flooding in the Lake Houston Area should keep four potential developments on their watch lists. Here’s a brief update on each.

Perry Homes Woodridge Village

It’s back on the Harris County Commissioner’s Court Agenda again this week. Commissioners will discuss possible purchase of the 268 acres for a regional flood detention facility during an executive (closed) session on Tuesday.

Construction activity Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at Perry Homes’ Woodridge Village north of Elm Grove Village.

At the last meeting, Commissioners deferred action while staff investigated: A) whether the City of Houston would donate land to the Harris County Flood Control District to help defray the cost of several flood mitigation projects, and B) whether Montgomery County would adopt Atlas-14 rainfall statistics and close a loophole in its drainage regulations that allowed developers to avoid building detention ponds. Commissioners also discussed harmonizing City of Houston and Harris County flood plain regulations.

Perry’s original deadline for a County purchase was April 1, 2020. The company subsequently extended the deadline to May 15 to give the County time to explore the requests. Meanwhile Perry resumed and accelerated construction activity on the site. I counted 32 pieces of earthmoving equipment on my April 21st flyover. Since then, spotters have reported the arrival of additional equipment.

Woodridge Village contributed to Elm Grove flooding twice last year. According to Perry, a regional flood detention facility would reduce flood risk for approximately 800 homes.

The offer to sell while construction activity accelerates has many observers scratching their heads.

Precinct Four Commissioner Jack Cagle says he is “cautiously optimistic” that the sale will go through.

Romerica is Baaaa-aaaack

Last year, after the Army Corps withdrew Romerica’s application to develop 5,000 condos and 50-story high-rises in the floodplain of the San Jacinto, the company swore it would retool its application. Shortly after that, they fell off the radar. Romerica took down its many websites and its spokespeople did not return phone calls, but the company never sold the land.

Looking northwest across Romerica land. River Grove soccer fields are in upper left and Barrington is in upper right. San Jacinto West Fork in foreground. Harvey deposited the sand in the foreground which killed many trees.

Now, under the cover of Corona Virus, “they’re baaaa-aaaack.” But with a different name. Instead of The Heron’s Kingwood, they now call the development Orchard Seeded Ranches. I was reviewing the City of Houston’s PlatTracker website and noticed this item pop up on 4/20/2020.

Orchard Seeded Ranches2020-067604/20/2020General plan A-ConsentHarrisCityE;H4336H25100077339Humble ISD   KINGWOOD AREA3WOODLAND HILLS; HAMBLEN; KINGWOODGeneral Plan361.679600410470000014,0410470000028,0410470000143,0410470000144,0410470000145,0410470000161,0410470004001,0410470004007,0410470004012,0410470004016,0410470004017,0451270000001,0451270000005,0451270000006,0451270000012,0451270000018,0451270000026,0451270000029,045EIC SurveyingE.I.C. Surveying CompanyEmil Haddad281-955-2772Orchard Seeded Ranches

The location, Council district, acreage, street intersections, and applicant name all fit the previous application. Instead of Gregory Haddad, however, this time, it’s Emil Haddad.

The development name is a bit odd. But then, development names rarely have anything to do with reality. Look at Houston’s Heights. And what, after all, did the Heron’s have to do with 50-story high rises?

“Orchard Seeded Ranches” is in the very preliminary phases. Until we see a plat and construction drawings, we can’t know exactly what they plan. It could be 1200-square-foot gerbil ranches. Or it could be Times Square in the Floodway again.

The company does not yet have a web site up. Nor has the Army Corps/Galveston issued a Public Notice associated with a permit application. Kingwood residents should follow this one closely.

Anyone civic-minded groups want to make them an offer on the land? It really should remain wetlands and be dedicated to park land or forest that protects Kingwood from future flooding.

Forest Cove Golf Course and Ron Holley

Earlier this month, Lake Houston Area developer Ron Holley appeared on KPRC to discuss the re-development of the Kingwood Cove Golf Course in Forest Cove. Holley was in the process of revising his engineering plans to address neighbors concerns about flooding when I interviewed him. A Freedom of Information Act request to the City of Houston revealed that he had not yet filed any plans for the subdivision. PlatTracker confirms that. Holley’s name does not appear anywhere in the current six pages of new developments at various stages.

Regardless, Holley has a formidable record as a developer. You may remember that he successfully challenged the City over building in the floodway of the West Fork, before he sold his land east of River Grove Park to Romerica.

Ryko Between Spring Creek and West Fork

One of the largest undeveloped tracts of land remaining in the Lake Houston area lies northwest of the confluence of Spring Creek and the West Fork near US59. Wetlands cover much of the area. But it’s in Montgomery County. And you know what that means. No detention ponds may be required.

Looking southeast across Ryko land toward the US59 Bridge in background (center).

Pacific Indio Properties, Inc., a sister company of Ryko Development, owns more than 7,400 acres in the triangle below. To put that in perspective, that’s exactly half the size of Kingwood.

National Wetlands Inventory shows the site to be pockmarked with wetlands.

A Community Impact article from 2016 (before Harvey) says Ryko planned to build 7,000 homes in this area. Community Impact said at the time that the project had no timeline. Things may have changed since then, especially after Hurricane Harvey inundated the area.

A drainage analysis, soil survey, and environmental study usually come before plan submittal. And the Montgomery County Engineers office says no plans, studies, or surveys have yet been submitted for the property, though one source in Montgomery County believes the developer has had preliminary discussions with the county.

FEMA’s Flood Hazard Layer Viewer shows that virtually all of the land is in floodway or floodplain.

Ryko property lies in the floodways of both the West Fork and Spring Creek. Cross-hatched equals floodway, Aqua = 100 year floodplain, and Brown = 500 year floodplain.

Note that the floodplain map above is pre-Harvey. New floodplain maps using Atlas-14 data are likely to show an even grimmer picture when they become available in a year or two.

If the developer puts high-density homes on this property with no detention, people downstream can break out their scuba gear. All the more reason for The City of Houston, Harris County and Montgomery County to synchronize their flood plain regs.

That’s the roundup for my first weekly watch list. I hope this becomes a regular weekly feature. More news to follow the commissioner’s court meeting on Tuesday.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/25/2020

970 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.