Tag Archive for: Ryko

Building 7,000 Homes Here Would Accelerate Subsidence

4/19/25 – Ryko, a development company, has announced plans to build 7,000 new homes in an environmentally sensitive, flood-prone area immediately west of Kingwood. Moreover, the area already experiences the highest subsidence in the north Houston region.

Residents in the area currently use groundwater. Assuming an average household size of 2.5 people, Ryko would add 17,500 new residents to the area. That could accelerate declines in groundwater levels and increase subsidence.

Base map from Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. 1.83 centimeters = 0.72 inches per year.

Reviewing the Subsidence District’s latest annual report revealed that the issue at this one reporting station is part of a larger problem. And the problem is very bad in southern Montgomery County.

Impacts of Subsidence

I have been posting about the issue for five-plus years. Subsidence happens too slowly to notice in most cases. But over time, it can be very disruptive:

  • Excessive groundwater withdrawals can create bowls in the landscape that alter the gradient of rivers and streams. That can increase local flooding. For instance, when land at the county line sinks faster than land at the Lake Houston Dam, it tilts the lake toward the county line.
  • Projected subsidence rates upstream could erase your freeboard factor (the height at which your home was built above the 100-year floodplain). That would increase your flood risk.
  • Subsidence can also crack pipelines, storm sewers, and pavement.
  • Uneven settling can cause your doors and windows to stick; crack foundations; split wallboard; and break tile.
  • Near Galveston Bay, a whole subdivision even sank beneath the waves.
  • Subsidence can also trigger long-dormant geologic faults.
Front steps of Woodland’s homeowner Dr. Mark Meinrath in 1992 and 2014. Part of Meinrath’s home straddles a fault which subsidence triggered. Relative to the rest of his house, these front steps dropped 9.9 inches in 22 years.

For more examples of the impacts of subsidence in the north Houston area, visit StopOurSinking.com, a site developed by a Woodlands resident. There, subsidence has triggered faults and flooded multi-million-dollar homes through the “bowl effect.”

High Cost of a Little Flooding

Getting even an inch of water in your home can be very costly. According to FEMA, just 1 inch of floodwater in an average 2,000 square foot home can cost $10,000 to $20,000 to repair.

Higher-end finishes, such as wood floors, built-in cabinetry, granite, etc., can push those estimates past $25,000.

Why is one inch so expensive?

  • Flooring usually needs to be completely replaced (carpet, wood, sometimes even tile if the water gets underneath).
  • Baseboards and lower drywall (often up to 2 feet) usually must be cut out and replaced.
  • Insulation in walls may need replacing if water wicks up.
  • Cabinet bases and interior doors are often ruined.
  • Appliances like washers, dryers, and even low-mounted electrical outlets might be affected.
  • Mold prevention requires fast and sometimes professional drying and remediation.

In homes larger than 2,000 square feet, the cost would go up proportionately. For instance, FEMA estimates repair costs for a 3,000 square foot home to be 50% greater – in the $15,000 – $30,000+ range.

Disasters/accidents are rarely caused by one thing. They usually result from a combination of factors eroding margins of safety.

For instance, the risk of a driving accident increases when you’re tired, it’s dark and the pavement is wet. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to little things that can degrade your margin of safety. They may not be so little in the next big storm.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/19/2025

2790 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.

Bald Eagles Live Where Developer Wants to Build 7,000 Homes

4/18/25 – Just upstream from the Humble/Kingwood Area, residents of Benders Landing Estates in Montgomery County frequently spot bald eagles flying overhead and resting in trees adjacent to 5,500 acres that Ryko is trying to develop for 7,000 homes.

Frequent Eagle Sightings Suggest Nearby Nests

Susan Gillespie Marrero of Benders Landing Estates, near the Ryko property, sent me video of two bald eagles landing in a tree outside her window.

Video of eagles in back yard of Susan Gillespie Marrero in Benders Landing Estates.

Such sightings are reportedly common in that area. Marrero also sent me dozens of postings by neighbors on a community website. See example below.

One of more than two dozen social media posts sent by Marrero showing bald eagle sightings in/near the Ryko land.

Ryko’s property is one of the last areas in the north Houston region to be developed because of frequent flooding. Much of the area is covered by wetlands and swamps that make excellent habitat for wildlife. They also make excellent hunting grounds for the eagles. The Ryko property has likely become an eagle refuge.

Eagles No Longer Listed as Endangered, but Still Protected

Bald eagles, America’s official national symbol, were once listed as a threatened and endangered species, primarily due to habitat loss, hunting and pesticides.

But their numbers have recovered in recent years. In 1995, they were reclassified from endangered to threatened. And in 2007, they were removed entirely from the federal Endangered Species List.

However, they are still protected under other laws, such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. And it is still illegal to harm or interfere with them or their nests without specific federal permission. Violation carries stiff fines and even jail time.

Building Near Eagles Adds Significant Time, Cost, Risk

Permit approvals can reportedly add months or even years to a construction project when eagles are involved. You must apply for an eagle permit if your project might:

  • Disturb an active bald or golden eagle nest (especially during nesting season: usually late winter through summer)
  • Destroy or remove a nest (even an inactive one)
  • Cause repeated disturbances nearby (i.e., with heavy equipment)
  • Significantly alter eagle habitat (like clearing mature trees used for nesting or roosting)

Even if you don’t directly destroy a nest, frequent loud noise or heavy vehicle movement near an active nest can cause developers trouble under the law.

Moreover, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service often requires seasonal restrictions, such as:

  • No clearing, grading, or major disturbance within a certain distance of a nest during nesting season.
  • Sometimes, developers are told to wait until after chicks fledge (late summer) before starting heavy work.
  • Buffer zones are often required — for bald eagles, this can range from 660 feet to over 1/2 mile, depending on sight lines and level of disturbance.

How Developers Usually Handle It

If a development is near eagle habitat, developers usually hire a qualified wildlife biologist early to survey for nests.

Next, they avoid and minimize impacts first by making site plan changes. If that is not possible, they apply for a permit.

Permits can take 6-12 months, so that needs to be factored into project timelines.

Even with a permit, mitigation may be required, such as

  • Planting new trees.
  • Creating conservation easements.
  • Donating to eagle habitat funds.

Bottom line: If eagles are nearby, developers must avoid nests. Reportedly, it’s much easier and cheaper than trying to work through the permit process.

This could be an issue for Ryko as it seeks to build 7,000 homes and a four-lane thoroughfare stretching to Spring Creek.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/18/25

2789 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.

MoCo Commissioner Taking Townsen Blvd. Extension Off 2025 Road Bond

4/17/2025 – Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler’s office says he is taking the controversial Townsen Blvd. extension off of the County’s 2025 Road Bond. However, as of 4 P.M. this afternoon, the county’s website does not yet reflect the deletion.

Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler addressing Town Hall meeting about Townsen Blvd. and the 2025 MoCo Road Bond.

The change comes after a Town Hall meeting last night at which the commissioner heard a crowd of angry residents express their concerns about the Townsen Blvd. extension. The extension would open up 5,500 flood-prone acres, where a developer plans to build 7,000 homes.

No one spoke in favor of the road project, which includes three segments.

The cancellation of the County’s portion of the project could make it more difficult for a private developer to build a separate segment beyond that. The developer would have no thoroughfare to connect to.

Contractually, that separate segment must be completed by the end of 2030 if the developer hopes to get reimbursed $27 million from County tax revenues for building the road.

Road Plans Included Three Separate Segments

At the start of the meeting Wheeler explained that the entire road, as originally conceived, stretched from the Grand Parkway to Spring Creek on the south in three discrete segments. A bridge over Spring Creek was to have connected the Montgomery County portion of Townsen to the Harris County portion of Townsen Blvd.

Each of the three segments has different funding.

The first segment (shown above in yellow) is currently under construction using private funds.

Going into last night’s meeting, financing of the second segment (dotted green line) was to have come from Montgomery County’s 2025 Road Bond.

The third segment (shown in red) was to have been financed through a “381 Agreement” between Ryko, Montgomery County and several utility districts.

Controversy Surrounding 381 Agreement

Under a Texas 381 Agreement, if a developer builds a road and developments around it, the county reimburses the developer for their expenses. That reimbursement comes out of future tax revenues from the new residents. Such agreements encourage economic development.

According to Wheeler, his predecessor, James Noack, initially signed the 381 agreement with Ryko in 2018. The contract required them to complete the road by the end of 2027. But they still have not started construction, jeopardizing that deadline.

So, before Noack left office at the end of 2024, he signed an agreement to extend the deadline to 2030. That gave the developer three more years.

But Noack pushed the deadline extension through Commissioners Court on a “consent agenda.” Here’s where the plot thickens. Typically, consent agendas are reserved for non-controversial items, such as fixing a pothole.

However, the portion of the road covered by this 381 agreement was and is controversial for several reasons.

Last night, residents expressed concerns about decreases in property values along with increases in crime, traffic, flooding, and taxes. Residents also worried about the impacts on traffic safety and area schools.

This deal is very controversial and according to Wheeler should never have gone on the consent agenda.

Deadline Extension Also Fundamentally Changed Developer’s Obligation

Wheeler also pointed out that the deadline extension fundamentally changed the deal. The original agreement obligated Ryko to build the bridge over Spring Creek. However, the three-year deadline extension obligates them only to build the road – not the bridge. He also said the county has no plans to build that bridge, nor is it in the 2025 Road Bond.

Wheeler explained he had little to no power to stop the road or the agreement. “You cannot deny access to a public right of way to a property owner,” said Wheeler. But residents complained nonetheless.

Wheeler said that he met with Ryko and tried to buy the land from them. But he said they wanted “nine figures.” That would be somewhere north of $100,000,000 for 5,500 acres. And that would make the price per acre a whopping $18,000…for land that is largely in a floodplain and pockmarked with wetlands.

The land sits at the tip of a funnel where the San Jacinto West Fork, Spring Creek and Cypress Creek all come together. FEMA’s flood map below shows just how flood prone the area is.

Ryko and its partner, Pacific-Indio Properties, own the land bounded by red box. Cross-hatched = floodway. Aqua = 100-year floodplain. Brown = 500-year floodplain.

Montgomery County Appraisal District currently values the land at approximately $4,000 per acre, not $18,000.

Wheeler also said that Harris County Flood Control previously offered to buy 1,800 acres of Ryko’s land – the portions closest to the West Fork and Spring Creek. However, the developer wanted $15 million. Flood Control couldn’t afford it. The land would have cost more than $8,000 per acre.

County commissioners on both sides of Spring Creek (Wheeler and Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey), have said publicly that they would not support building a bridge over Spring Creek.

So Ryko is now battling connectivity issues to its north and south. That will limit the appeal of any developments built there. And that’s probably a good thing.

The Case for Caution

As the Federal Government reduces support for flood-mitigation and disaster relief, the financial burden will fall increasingly onto states, counties and cities to do the job by themselves. And the lowest cost way to do that is by preserving land along bayous, creeks and rivers. Prevention is always cheaper than correction.

Taking that center portion of the Townsen Blvd. extension off the Montgomery County road bond won’t prevent Ryko from developing its land. But it could make it more difficult. And, in my opinion, that is a step in the right direction.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/17/2025

2788 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.

New Kingwood-Sized Development Upstream from Kingwood

4/4/25 – A Kingwood-sized development just upstream from the I-69 Bridge over the San Jacinto West Fork is half built out and growing quickly thanks to the construction of Townsen Blvd. which began recently in Montgomery County.

The area is bounded by the Grand Parkway, Spring Creek, and the San Jacinto West Fork. It lies almost entirely within floodways and floodplains. And it’s pockmarked by wetlands. A respected hydrologist told me that further development in that area would be “like aiming a fire hose at Kingwood and Humble.”

Townsen construction will open up many thousands of acres to new development. That has the potential to increase flood risk if newly developing areas receive insufficient mitigation. And that has many people asking questions.

Location and Size

Let’s begin by looking at maps that put the area and plans for it in perspective.

Both outlined areas include approximately 13,000 acres. Kingwood on right. SH99 is yellow line running left to right across top of frame. I-69 runs N to S between red outlines.

Construction of a major new thoroughfare in the area on the left will open up thousands of remaining acres to development. It’s called Townsen Blvd and will be four divided lanes.

Construction on the first segment began recently. And Montgomery County voters will decide whether to fund the next segment in a bond election on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

Townsen Blvd. is labeled 01 in this screen capture. Purple section is already under construction. Green section proposed next phase as part of MoCo’s 2025 Road Bond.

The green section is a major link in bigger plans that could eventually take the road across Spring Creek to hook up with Townsen Boulevard in Humble. Right now, plans show that section terminating at Rayford Road. But what about plans beyond that? The map below from MoCo’s 2021 transportation plan shows Townsen eventually pushing through to Spring Creek.

Townsen Blvd. from 2021 MoCo transportation plan is long, dotted line running through center of frame and terminating at County line.

In 2022, I wrote about a related proposal to build a bridge across Spring Creek that would connect to Townsen Blvd. in Humble on the Harris County side of the creek.

Map shown on Page 25 of Army Corps Permit Application for the bridge across Spring Creek. Deadline for an application extension expires next year.

Construction Already Starting at North End

Recently, work on the first portion of MoCo’s Townsen Boulevard started near SH99 (Grand Parkway). Photos below show contractors have only finished small segments of the first section so far. But new subdivisions and schools are already springing up adjacent to those sections and creating a stir that has area residents buzzing. See representative photos below.

Looking S from over SH99 at clearing that will become Townsen Blvd.
Reverse angle. Looking N toward SH99 at clearing for Townsen Blvd. Note new school under construction in top left. Intersecting street on left is Waterbend Cove.
Looking S along another portion of Townsen Blvd. near Lexington Blvd. intersection in distance.
Looking back N across Lexington toward SH99 shows one of many new neighborhoods under construction.
Same approximate location, but looking 90 degrees west shows lots for sale, but not yet built on.
New school will host the children of families who buy into this area.
Ground level view shows how high Townsen is being built up.
Raising the road will keep it passable during heavy storms. Note wetlands on far side.

Wetlands and Floodplains in Abundance

FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer shows that floodplains cover almost all of the area where the first two legs of Townsen Blvd. will be built. The map below is so busy that for reference, I had to superimpose a bright red line where Townsen will go.

Approximate location of Townsen Blvd shown in red. FEMA base layer did not have new street marked yet. Striped area = floodway. Aqua = 100-year floodplain. Brown = 500-year.

This map will likely get worse. It is based on data acquired after Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. Experts say the floodplains and floodway will expand 50-100% when FEMA updates the map with new Atlas-14 data developed after Harvey.

But the quantity of wetlands in this area represent an even bigger problem. See the map below from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory.

#1 and #2 mark intersections of Waterbed Cove and Lexington Blvd with Townsen Blvd. See photos above.

Wetlands are nature’s sponges. Paving them over increases runoff and the risk of downstream flooding. The developers seem to be constructing a series of “lakes” around which they’re building homes. Such lakes are really detention basins in disguise. But because of the old flood maps, uncertainty remains. Will they offer sufficient mitigation?

Is Bridge a Real Possibility?

Neighbors want to know more about impacts of the road. That will depend on how far south Townsen Blvd. goes and whether a bridge across Spring Creek is a real possibility.

I asked several officials what the probability of such a bridge is.

Jason Stuebe, Humble City Manager, said, “Honestly, I don’t have much information to share. The developer completed the portion of the roadway within Humble, stopped at the city limits and that’s about the last we heard from them.”

Eric Heppen, Harris County Precinct 3’s head engineer, said, “We heard a few … rumors but nothing formally.  To be fair, I hear rumors about it once a year at this point. Harris County has not been contacted about it and we have at least some of the jurisdictional rights over the creek. We reminded Montgomery County recently that we cannot do a joint project with them unless they adopt current Harris County Drainage Criteria.”

More impact data to follow as I learn more details.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 4/4/25

2775 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.

 

A Townsen Bridge Across Spring Creek?

Developers are working toward building a bridge over Spring Creek and a road that would connect Townsen Boulevard in Humble with the Grand Parkway in Montgomery County. However, City and County authorities on both sides of the county line say they know nothing tangible about the bridge yet.

I’ve talked to several engineers about this property. One said that if the bridge gets built, it will open thousands of acres to development. A second said that if the property gets developed, it would be like “aiming a firehose at Kingwood and Humble.” A third cautioned that when the developer sees the new floodway and floodplain maps, a bridge will likely become cost prohibitive.

The developers in question have not returned calls, but here’s what we know so far based on publicly available information and several Freedom-of-Information-Act Requests.

Bridge Rumored for More than a Decade

The Army Corps of Engineers first issued a permit for a bridge in 2009. Last year, it issued an extension of the permit that requires completion of the work by 12/31/2026.

Map shown on Page 25 of Corps Permit Extension shows a 100-foot-wide right of way with twin bridges north- and southbound.

However, the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office and Harris County Flood Control say no one has applied for any permits with them yet to actually build a bridge. Regardless…

Company Purchases Land, Sets Up Mitigation Companies

The landowner on the north side of Spring Creek has purchased a small parcel of land on the south side of the creek at the current terminus of the Townsen Blvd. extension. Thus they would control the land needed for a bridge.

Pacific Indio owns thousands of acres north of the creek and one little parcel south of the creek where a bridge would terminate. From HCAD.org.

Pacific Indio controls another company called the Townsen Road Association and has also set up two mitigation companies. The latter are significant because the Army Corps permit contains an extensive discussion of mitigation needs.

MoCo Transportation Plan and Developers Promotional Material Show Bridge, Road

The Montgomery County Transportation Plan shows the extension of Townsen north to the Grand Parkway from where Townsen currently ends at Spring Creek.

Detail from Montgomery County Transportation Plan posted on MoCo Engineer’s website.

Also, a sign on westbound Grand Parkway indicates an exit for Townsen, but the road does not go through yet. Does TxDOT know something we don’t?

Ryko, the developer associated with the Pacific Indio land has announced its intentions to build the connecting road and 7,000 lots.

Subsidiaries Formed

Another company, Skymark, also has considerable floodplain holdings in Montgomery County under a variety of corporate shells, such as Hannover Estates, Headway Estates and the CFW Family Limited Partnership. The Secretary of State SOS Direct database shows that Skymark principal Clinton F. Wong controls 231 companies including Townsen Holdings and Townsen Landing.

From Texas SOS Direct. Note notation in lower right. This is page 7 of 24 containing a total of 231 companies.

The Montgomery County Appraisal District website shows that many of Wong’s holdings border Pacific Indio’s. And Skymark owns most of the land south of Spring Creek where the bridge would be built. See more below.

References in Intercontinental MUD Minutes

June 2022 minutes of the Intercontinental MUD board meeting reference Townsen Mitigation, one of Pacific Indio’s subsidiaries.

The minutes also reference a settlement between the EPA and Skymark.

Purchase Offer Reportedly Turned Down

Harris County Flood Control reportedly offered to buy this land several years ago, but Ryko wanted “an insane amount of money.” This could have been an indication that the owner felt confident in its ability to develop the land and profit from it.

…But Project Would be Very Difficult to Develop

FEMA shows large floodways and floodplains on both sides of the creek that any road would have to go over or through. Keep in mind that the map below does not yet show the new Post-Harvey flood hazards. They will reportedly expand by 50- to 100%.

From FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Note: the image shows Pre-Harvey flood hazards. Post-Harvey maps have not yet been released, but should be soon.

Permit plans also show at least 9 other stream crossings along the way north. Those would expand, too, with the new floodplain maps.

Finally, the project would cross numerous wetlands.

Wetlands on Pacific Indio Property near the confluence of three major waterways: West Fork San Jacinto, Spring Creek, Cypress Creek. From from National Wetlands Inventory,

Legal History

The Bender Estate, which previously owned approximately 800 acres of undeveloped land in the northwest quadrant of Humble, granted a Right-Of-Way easement to Ryko Development to construct a road that would ultimately cross Spring Creek and service the planned development between Spring Creek and 99 on the Pacific-Indio Property.  

Skymark Development later purchased those 800 acres from the Bender Estate and started to develop them.

According to Jason Stuebe, Humble City Manager, after Humble began to re-construct Townsen, Ryko presented the easement to Humble and stated they intended to connect into Townsen Blvd.

This caused consternation as it didn’t fit with the city’s plans for reconstructing Townsend. All parties (including Ryko and Skymark) went to court. They reached a settlement sometime in 2018 that gave Ryko two years to begin constructing the roadway. 

EPA Delays Road

However, a cease-and-desist order from the EPA delayed the work; Skymark inappropriately filled in some wetlands elsewhere on its property. Once the EPA recognized that Ryko’s road was not affiliated with the wetlands issue, EPA allowed Ryko to proceed with constructing the road. 

In 2019, Humble City Council approved the plat dedicating the roadway as a public Right-Of-Way once completed. Then COVID delayed the road again. An exception to the settlement was made. Construction has since resumed, albeit slowly. 

New Townsen Landing development
Extension to Townsen Boulevard under construction where it stops at Spring Creek. Photo taken 9/26/2022.

Stuebe stated, “Because the road actually leads out of our jurisdiction, I have no further information on the status of its permitting with either Harris County or the state with regard to crossing Spring Creek. Once the roadway is completed, inspected and approved by the City Engineer and Public Works, it will become a right of way of Humble.”

I suspect that the bridge is more of a dream than a done deal at this point. Despite obstacles, attempts are being made to put all the pieces of the puzzle into place. But high hurdles remain.

Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/19/22

1908 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.

 

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.