Look what we found as we biked under 59 near G. R. Brown! Getting ready for the parade.
I’m a little sore today after bicycling from my office in the Heights to the East End and down the wonderful hike and bike trail that runs more or less east and west just off Harrisburg from near the Ballpark almost to Wayside. I had seen the trail many times as I trade often at Hendricks Feed on Harrisburg and had always wanted to ride it, but didn’t understand quite where it started. Monday, my assistant Lance Marshall was surprised when he arrived to work and had to change into biking clothes. It had been a long time since he had bicycled and he was a little rusty but he only ran into one post (tee hee, he wasn’t hurt.) We had a handy map published by the city of all the bike trails but going long distances in the city is still pretty tricky if you don’t like sharing lanes with cars. The parts of the trip that were on linear parks either along the bayou or converted rails were the most pleasant for riders of the caliber of Lance and me and you can really make good time if you’re not worrying about traffic or road hazards. The trip, even with all our backtracking took only about two hours. A great way to see the city. Next week kayaking? There really are many ways our neighborhoods are connected.
Because my career has been as a Realtor and because Realtors traditionally champion property rights, some folks might assume I’m not a preservationist. In fact, I am a strong supporter of preserving historically significant structures, both homes and commercial structures and have traveled widely to study other historic cities around the country. I’ve been very clear with builders that my company has represented that we would have no part in projects which violate the laws that are in place. The neighborhood I live in has struggled and has in fact lost historic homes which we all mourn. I myself own a 2nd home in Galveston built in 1876 which is very dear to me. Of course Galveston has very strong city ordinances that have been in place for many years. As a business owner, I actively support the Galveston East End Historic District. I was elected to and served on the board of directors for the Houston Heights Association. To enact measures that please a majority of us who are concerned about preserving our city’s historic structures and still respect the rights of property owners is a difficult task but it is a cause we must persevere to solve. Some neighborhoods like the Old Sixth Ward, the City’s oldest protected historic district, seem to have found viable solutions that suit the majority of property owners and protect significant structures that enrich our entire city. Other neighborhoods have not been so successful. We still have work to do. I’m told by one successful activist that building consensus is key to success. How many structures will we lose before that consensus is achieved? This is not an easy issue but I am committed to working for better solutions for our historic neighborhoods.
I’ve been out meeting more Houston residents from all over, at various events and many have concerns that their neighborhood has been forgotten. Concerns that while many areas of Houston have prospered over the past decade, some have been left out. Neighborhoods are the building blocks of our city and each deserves clean streets, free from both debris and crime, successful and contributing businesses to provide services and products that neighbors want close to home, green space for leisure and healthy activities, schools that inspire and educate close to the homes of the youth who attend them, while maintaining a sense of neighborhood heritage and pride that makes each unique among Houston’s diverse communities. Homeowners want their neighborhoods to be a good investment too. I don’t think that is too much to ask. Each unique neighborhood in District H should be a place where you’d either love to live or at least enjoy visiting. If you’d like for me to visit your neighborhood association to hear your concerns, please contact me.
Even though the election is not until November of 2009, I’m out and about meeting neighbors and attending neighborhood meetings already. Today, besides the Opera in the Heights Board meeting, which I am a member of, I attended the Houston Heights Board meeting to do a short presentation on our progress with the constable patrol program. Then I rushed to the Old Historic 6th Ward meeting to say hello, tell them in person that I would be asking for their vote in the election and hear some of their concerns and issues first hand. Of course, rapid development brings with it traffic, noise and parking issues and with so many new FUN establishments on Washington, Old 6th Ward faces a different set of problems than they did even five years ago. What’s fun for some is disruptive to others, especially after at 1:am. The 6th Ward citizens attending had some good ideas and are working with the transitional office of the District H to maintain their quality of life. I look forward to exploring solutions with them. It would be nice if these new establishments could be an asset to the neighborhoods they are joining. I’ve seen it work out in other areas.
Richard Buentello, myself and James Oxford.
I attended the rally at city hall this past Saturday with friends. I didn’t stay for the whole rally which was slated to run from noon to 5:30 but for the time I was there, it was inspiring. For a protest (and it was a protest) it was oddly uplifting and invigorating. If there were anit-Gay folks there, they didn’t disrupt. I’m always touched by PFLAG members and their support of their family members. Houston is such a wonderfully diverse and accepting city. At least I have seen it in that light and many of my friends live here because they believe it to be so. I know there are members of the GLBT community who have experienced hate right here in Houston and that is horrible and shameful. But seeing so many friendly faces from all walks of life out Saturday, chanting for equality left my friends and me feeling like a lot of things are right with our hometown.
The Greater Heights Chamber breakfast networking meeting has always been a great place to bounce ideas off fellow businesspersons and get a feel for the pulse of small business owners all over Houston. I attended today for the first time since my announcing my run for City Council. I looked forward to reconnect ing with old friends and making some new ones. The meeting was hosted by Memorial Herman Northwest Hospital. I was so pleased that many of the attendees had heard about my intended run for office already and came up to me to offer their congratulations and support. It has been gratifying everywhere I’ve gone at this very premature stage in my campaign to be greeted with support and good wishes from so many. I’ve been warned that the race will be tough but I’m determined to enjoy the whole process. I’m already working with a great team with Lance Marshall, Diane and Bruce Mosier and many others who are just waiting for the election to be officially called to begin work. On a visit to City Hall today, I was told that will not happen until after the new year begins.
I attended my first WOBA meeting tonight and it was very well attended. I knew several attendees from varioius meetings regarding hike and bike trails. The program was quite in depth with multiple speakers on several subjects but this is their one big meeting per year (and they served you dinner.) For the rest of the year they have lots of committee meetings. It is a diverse group with many interests ranging from recreation to preservation of our bayous. A large portion of the programming tonight dealt with flood issues and I learned some interesting facts regarding low impact building of single family residential properties. With water conservation and energy savings in the forefront of many of our minds, revisiting cisterns or rain barrels was of interest. I had not realized that they were a viable method of run off management, recognized by the city of Houston. Of course, in Houston rain barrels have to be mosquito and child proof. Very interesting. There was also a presentation about the history of flooding in Houston. As you can imagine, we’ve struggled with from Allen’s Landing forward.
Longtime friends Diane and Bruce Mosier blogged on OffTheKuff.com that they will be supporting my campaign for City Council. If you don’t know the Mosiers, they are wonderful long time Heights residents who have been very active in Houston and Harris County politics. Bruce Mosier is an attorney and has helped many residents regarding the City’s flood plain ordinance. He often speaks to groups explaining the recent changes to the flood plain ordinance and tonight will be addressing the Brookwoods Civic Club about deed restrictions. Diane has been involved in many city council campaigns for the past decade or longer and was a key supporter for Adrian Garcia. She also has worked for Representative Jessica Farrar. I am proud to have them on my team.
Karen Mann and me at Heights MKT Trail Demonstration in 2007
If you haven’t noticed the stretch of bike trail running up Nicholson and across the old railroad right of way through the Heights is now under construction. Over a year ago we rallied in a symbolic walk down the proposed trail and petitioned our elected officials to help get the stalled project on schedule. If you’ll recall, the funds for this portion of the trail had been approved in 1998. It sure looks good to see it finally underway. Top photo is 11/14/08.
Tonight I went to a strategic planning meeting for Reagan High School. There were parents, school staff and community members there to brainstorm. What a great meeting. Someone earlier today commented that as a city council person I would not get to attend meetings like this anymore. I think I will more than ever attend meetings about our schools and youth and that I can be a valuable resource for groups striving to enhance education in the neighborhoods. From safety, to street lights, to speed bumps and community connections, a council person can touch on many aspects of quality of life. And not everything costs a lot of money but many simple things can greatly improve a community. One of the most delightful things the Reagan PTO president is raising money for is a huge blow up bulldog for the football team to run onto the field through. We thought of a dozen other ways the blow up dog could be used in the community with youth of all ages when we get it. One silly simple thing that an energetic parent is determined to get to show that her son’s school is the best choice for his education in HISD. You can bet I signed up to help her raise the money through business sponsors and pledged to ante up myself.
