Submitted by Darlene Wayt, SNC-14 Correspondence Secretary, dwayt@comcast.net

Super Neighborhood Council 14 (SNC-14) meets the second Thursday of even months from 6:15 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. at Lazybrook Baptist Church, 1822 W. 18th Street.  The next meeting is October 11.  An HPD Officer and a City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods (COH DON) representative attend these meetings, providing a good opportunity to speak directly to HPD and the COH.

The August meeting began with HPD Officer Kenneth Bigger providing crime statistics and answering questions.  Burglaries from Motor Vehicles (BMV’s) continue to be a city-wide problem.  The best defense for BMV’s is prevention by not leaving anything of value in your vehicle. Officer Bigger fielded many questions about speeding & illegal parking and made note of problem areas to report back to HPD for future patrols.  Regarding traffic control measures like the installation of traffic lights or changing the configuration of turn lanes, it is best to contact CM Ellen Cohen’s office, districtc@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3004 , for guidance as to how to proceed for such requests. Contact Officer Bigger at kenneth.bigger@houstonpolice.org.

Area Housing Developments

Record attendance at the SNC-14 August meeting indicates that residents are very concerned about the housing developments that are surrounding and within Timbergrove, some in progress and some planned:

• Stanley Park, south of Timbergrove (which has been halted by the City and the Harris County Flood Control District pending a flood impact study)

• Palisades Park, south of Timbergrove

• Timbergrove Yards, Timbergrove Green and Timbergrove Trails all on W. 11th Street

• Timbergrove Heights on 12th Street

• Ella Timbergrove at 12th Street & Ella

• Ella Grovewood at Ella & Grovewood;

• Potential development of property next to Minimax.

Concerns are flooding, runoff and lack of drainage; stress on infrastructure; traffic; and access, especially during a flood event. Residents are concerned that filling in a ravine; eliminating permeable soil, removing trees/grass/shrubs/bushes and replacing them with concrete will exacerbate flooding and that the City and County need to make public safety the first and primary consideration in the permit process for all development projects.

What can you do to help?  The SNC-14’s COH Department of Neighborhoods representative strongly encouraged residents to contact CM Ellen Cohen and the five at-large council members:  CM Ellen Cohen at districtc@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3004; Mike Knox at atlarge1@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3014; David Robinson at atlarge2@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3013; Michael Kubosh at atlarge3@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3005; Amanda Edwards at atlarge4@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3012; and Jack Christie at atlarge5@houstontx.gov or 832-393-3017. You do not have to be an engineer (it will probably help, though) to express your concerns and opinions about the impact of these development projects on public safety, livability and the very real concern of even more devastation from a flood event, given that more permeable ground and tree transpiration* will be eliminated.

Thanks to Our Volunteers

A huge thank you to Ashley Stubbs, SNC-14 Correspondence Secretary and Chair of Parks & Beautification, and to John Zavala, SNC-14 Vice President and Chair of Infrastructure because they have devoted an enormous amount of volunteer time and effort attending COH Council meetings; Harris County Flood Control meetings; and meetings with various departments within the COH and County; researching regulations, land sales and permit applications; voicing their findings and residents’ concerns to City and County officials and reporting back to the SNC-14.Visit www.snc-14.org for their contact information if you would like to help.

West 11th Street Park Renaming

The renaming effort of W. 11th St. Park to the Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve is progressing thanks to Friends of W. 11th St. Park, especially their board member Michelle Colvard. In May the application with over 700 petition signatures was submitted to the Houston Parks & Recreation Department (HPARD). On July 20, HPARD called for an e-meeting and an e-vote of the Park Naming Committee Members. The TMCC and the SNC-14 voted in favor of the renaming. As of the date of this Timbergram submission, HPARD has not reported the final results of the vote.  The SNC-14 will continue to follow up.

Please visit www.snc-14.org and we hope to see you at the October 11 meeting.

*A tree is an gigantic water pump that can absorb enormous amounts of water and convert the water into vapor that is released into the atmosphere.