Poor Farm Ditch - restrictor
1. When the planning for the repairs and enhancements to the ditch were made three years ago everyone involved in the project was aware of the requirement for a downstream catchment basin. Houston City Councilwoman, Anne Clutterbuck made a proposal, three years ago, to swap Houston’s catchment basin in Meyerland for West U’s land in West Houston. Why did West U city manager, Mike Ross, not follow up on Clutterbuck’s proposal when it was made?
2. County Commissioner, Steve Radak, said that the county never had a solution to West U’s downstream problem. Such being the case, what was Ross’s solution to the downstream problem three years ago and at any time thereafter?
3. Ross is now in favor of Clutterbuck’s proposal. What changed in the interim to change Ross’s position?
4. Ross was handling the downstream problem for three years. Did West U Mayor Bob Kelly know of a plan in the works to remove the restrictor when the citizens, whose homes were at risk, came to Kelly demanding an answer? If so what was the plan?
5. If not, why not, and why would Ross tell the press that Kelly caused a fray by suggesting that citizens contact their elected officials to find out when the restrictor would be removed?
6. Radak said that he knew who created the fray but had to be asked before he would say who. Who will ask Radak to tell the public who is creating frays?
7. When will the restrictors be removed from the ditch so that the citizens of West U can rest easier when we have the next flood?
Bungalow people
1. I live in a remodeled bungalow and my sense is that bungalow people are not represented on city council. My personal experience which gives me this sense happened in 2009.
2. Bardwell the builder put his fence on one of his spec homes on my property. When I asked him to move the fence his first response was that he would sue me.
3. He hired 3 law firms to threaten me with a law suit
i. Coates Rose
ii. Andrews Kurth
iii. Gardere Wynne
4. Because the facts were on my side we prevailed and Bardwell moved his fence off of my property but I felt threatened.
5. After the fence was moved, the Bardwell house was then in violation of the city’s setback ordinance. The West U board responsible for this matter gave Bardwell a variance. My wife and I felt that the West U board was very solicitous to Bardwell and condescending and insulting to us.
6. At the hearing, Mrs. Bardwell even said that “the Shields ought to be pleased that we tore down that ugly brown bungalow and built a beautiful home next door.” She seemed oblivious to the fact that we live in an ugly brown bungalow and we were not pleased that their “beautiful” home encroached on the setback that protects the value of our home.
7. I don’t know if these are council matters or not but I am sensitive to the changing nature of West U.
City Center
1. Who authorized the process or investigating the proposed razing of the store on Edloe and building a 4 story garage?
2. I am opposed to rezoning this part of West U. This little strip is part of what makes West U unique.
3. The increased traffic around the school would not be good.
4. Would the city have to underwrite the building of the garage or would the developers bear this cost?
Police Station
1. Why was this project undertaken with CO’s rather than bonds which would require voter input?
2. This increased the debt of the City. Several council members said that after the police station, they would not vote to increase our debt then they voted to increase our debt by purchasing the Wells’ home.
Basements
1. Using the argument that property rights ought to take precedence over zoning laws in a city that is proud of our zoning is contradictory. Why would someone even make such an argument?
2. Two independent boards recommended that basements should be banned in West U. What do the 3 council members who voted against the experts know that they do not know about basements?
