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wilcal

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Posts posted by wilcal

  1. 10 hours ago, steve1363 said:

    The fundamental pain point is the opposition’s voice was ignored and hence why we’re still discussing this 6 months later.

    Not following what some people want ≠ didn't hear/ignored

    I think it was very apparent that many people didn't like the potential changes. Not everyone can be appeased. 

    • Like 3
  2. 19 hours ago, steve1363 said:

    Doesn't the job of a coordinator require representation from multiple departments? 

    From my understand, they aren't calling meetings. They are just attending most others or working as a different POV.

    Quote

    And isn't that what caused the misalignment to begin with with Houston Avenue?  The fire and police departments were not consulted about the changes? 

    Fire is an enormous part of road design elements. They are involved with writing the rule book (the IBC) and many many many of the rules are designed specifically for them.

    For example, the shared driveway length for 16' shared driveway (think townhome communities) was dropped from 200' to 150' last fall. Fire trucks don't drive on shared driveways and have hoses that are 300' long. There is a 3' Emergency Access Easement that runs around the properties, and it allows them to get their fire hoses to every inch of all of their properties. 

    Turning radii and reverse curves are also designed specifically for minimums for fire trucks to be able to navigate through. Again, part of our codes is that fire is a huge part of the process. 

    As for HPD, I'm not sure why they would have any design input. They just drive normal SUVs. They complained because a motorcycle officer drove into the median after it was built because they didn't see that it had been created (?). I think that the HPD officer was just used to (illegally I might add) cut through the painted median to speed up the turn from Washington onto Houston. There's a reason why they leave traffic barrels and put up signage when road configurations change. A bunch of people just don't pay attention. I think that there was a thread here about Fairview/Tuam @ Genesee and people are still just blowing through the intersection.

    As for fire (and METRO) it is my understanding that the street design did meet the standards, but it was much tighter than usual and was passable by both fire and METRO buses, but it was uncomfortable to drive through. 

    That was south of Lubbock by the court parking lot. It was really dangerous because of the elevation difference AND there is a bus stop right there. It is one of those things that you don't have many options when putting a band-aid on a dangerous spot. The current rules would never let it be constructed this way. They were trying to make it a true 90 degree turn instead of this lazy 30-degree slip lane thing. We don't allow intersections this close together anymore. I believe the minimum is 60' or 65' and this is like 40ish. So again, the result is going back to an overall less safe design to facilitate larger vehicles and their professional drivers.

     image.png.655eba0afd84b4f699e334d91d8c9f45.png

    This is kind of the crux of the issue in terms of fire especially. We have to design streets so that they fit XXXXL vehicles like fire trucks and METRO buses, but that appears to result in big tradeoffs. Roads that people feel more comfortable speeding on, the reduction in the size of sidewalks (because lane widths need to be wider. yes this happens), and corners with radii that make it easier for large vehicles to turn... but smaller vehicles can turn faster in.

    • Like 2
  3. 4 hours ago, steve1363 said:

    This philosophy is extremely bureaucratic.  I can see how it might consume a ton of “wasted” meetings in the Whitmire administration and he clearly wants his team focused on different priorities.

    The city has a single planner whose job is to primarily make sure that all road users are accounted for in projects and is considered a vision zero coordinator. They are just part of the normal process.

    Quote

    I have mixed feelings about this.  This program at least gave visibility to the fact the city is committed to improved walkability.  My priority for Houston is improving the quality of life for its residents (I.e. ample parks, trails, affordable housing).  Whitmire must feel that Vision Zero has gone overboard with road diets and bike lanes.  It doesn’t help that the bike lanes are seldom used.  It’s not improving the quality of life for the majority of residents and he’s hearing the complaints of his constituents.

    Yeah, most people don't realize how much carnage there actually is on the roads and that the design of the roads themselves are such a large component. Whitmire clearly doesn't get it either. I think it is mostly virtue-signaling/culture wars. 11th bike lanes get used quite a bit, but I'm sure that won't matter. There are a large contingent of people that think that slowing down their vehicles or making it harder or more uncomfortable to drive is an affront. I have heard directly from some people within HPW that the administration is basically against any type of slowing for any reason. Not Whitmire himself, but a designee. 

    Will be interesting to see if he kills off a city project like Commerce St which is tied to several other projects by different entities (including the sorely needed railroad eliminator grant). It is only two massive lanes and the street itself is shit. It aligns with the existing Harrisburg Trail and there is plenty of room for bike lanes, so it will be interesting to see if he goes out of his way to not build bike lanes in such a no-brainer corridor. 

    • Like 3
  4. I'm pretty sure that if it is rebuilt that they can keep the building as it sits a foot or two off of the public street, but I'm annoyed by our building setback rules. Navigation is a major thoroughfare and will require a 25' setback if a new structure is built. That is basically the width of the front face of the building right along the parking lot.

    So what does the city want built here instead? Surface parking?

  5. 10 hours ago, samagon said:

    and this too.

    Dollar General Bill White though.

    I mean, I will say that every time I drove on this stretch, 1/4 of the cars didn't pay attention to the lane directions anyway.

    I know, lots of enforcement issues. Seems like 4/5 of the driers have no problem speeding. 

  6. On 2/23/2024 at 1:20 PM, HoustonMidtown said:

    If this listing is correct, looks like they are tearing down the existing buildings and putting in townhomes ?

    https://www.har.com/homedetail/3406-lamar-houston-tx-77003/16697037?cid=WALKERR

     

    This doesn't pass the smell test. No change in ownership. No replat submitted. The shape of the parcel doesn't make sense with the listing photo of the 3 homes.

    Says bike lanes directly in front of the subdivision.

    Maybe they meant 3405 Polk? Still not platted, though.

  7. Happy to explain the variance. Basically, Hackney St has a stub that dead-ends into the property.

    image.png.fc71d0e3355fc3791bce9819eaa1768d.png

    In most situations (and all when you are developing a commercial site) you are required by ordinance to either extend the street or terminate in a cul-de-sac. They are asking to do neither, and leave it as it is. 

    The interesting thing about this site is that TXDOT pretty tightly controls how many curb cuts they allow onto their streets and right now there is only one (with exits onto local street Munger and Telephone). There's a chance that TXDOT keeps them at one and makes them connect to Munger.

    • Like 4
  8. They've submitted a parking variance. They took the property from 6 units to 11 units without the proper permits.

    I think that they are required 14 parking spaces and actually have somewhere between 3 and 0 with the revised construction in the driveway.

    Public notice is required, so signs and mailed notices will go out soon. Will be interesting to see how the neighborhood reacts. 

    • Like 1
  9. Was out by the church Sunday morning and they actually pay for security to close the median on Washington Ave and escort pedestrians from their parking lot across the street. Hypocrisy much?

    Edit: also, deconstruction is supposed to start today. CM Castillo called for a one week pause. Unclear if Whitmire will do it.

    image.png.8969008cbaf6dea9e91c64725245ae62.png

    • Like 7
  10. New plat came in last cycle and was deferred at the planning commission on 1/25. 

    It is a combination of a few parcels that front Harrisburg Blvd and the Harrisburg Trail

    image.png.9fff795557fca503178fa14f9b1ead54.png

    The plat was likely deferred due to Harrisburg being a TOD street, and it having pedestrian realm requirements that aren't being shown. I would say that the landscape reserve is... unusual. I would think that this would normally just be included within the unrestricted reserve and then they would have the choice to leave it as open space. Maybe they have a specific plan? Or maybe they don't know what they are doing? We won't know until later!

    image.png.1da8a302c51f52430081305fb8b771da.png

     

    They have it split into two unrestricted reserves and a landscape/open space reserve (which typically can't be paved at all). 

    The owner on the plat is showing on HCAD to have owned the property since 2003, but the property is currently listed for sale for an undisclosed price. It appears to have been listed for sale for at least 1 year and possibly 3 years. 

    image.png.cb2e63d1a5a3633fa041086ae90b3768.png

    image.png.fef9c885e8b6396ef6d7f3c964dd95a1.png

    • Like 2
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