Jump to content

fwki

Full Member
  • Posts

    462
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

Posts posted by fwki

  1. Judge for yourself.  I think the HAHC has completely lost the plot.  Any Houston politician who enables or in any way supports this type of zoning control over one's domicile needs to be thrown out of public service.  Vote with your vote:



    1207 Harvard gets toasted by the zoning commission.
  2. Breaking news from the HAHC!  Attention all potential buyers of HD homes, attention all potential sellers of HD homes....the peak is in, prepare yourselves for market adjustment.....3,000 sf is too big to get CoA, adjust property value to accommodate life how it was in 1929 when we packed 6 kids into 1200 sf.

  3. Got the video...The HAHC voted 7-3 against approval. Douglas Elliot played the fool and did all the talking....."the overall scale and scope of the house is out of character"....."I know you can't even see the house due to the apartment complex next door, but"......"we've been having a lot of complaints from the Heights about large structures"....."the addition is large compared to the original house"....it was pitiful to watch them all fiddle with their ipads refusing to make eye contact with the owner while she spoke.  This is a 1700 sf addition to a 1300 sf house, smaller than the scale of houses up and down the street. 

     

     

     

    The addition complied with the requirements of the ordinance and Elliot acknowledged that was not the problem. The owner implored them for recommendations and Elliot got all twisted up and told her to go the demolition route, adding "I know that sounds silly" and the owner pushed back that she wanted to preserve as much as possible. The owner showed that the house was surrounded by large additions and the only thing out of character is her current run down shack next to a hideous apartment complex. The next door neighbor on the other side wrote a letter begging for approval because the current structure devalues the neighborhood.

     

     

     

    Phoebe Tudor said NOTHING, collected her check and left.

  4. Right, the staff recommended denial last week after reviewing the application, but it was still on the agenda for 24Jan. The hahc could have concurred and denied, concurred and deferred final action with recommendations or gone against staff and approved. I don't know the outcome.

  5. I sense an approval coming....

     

    I think so.  The Subject line of my email was "HAHC political liability", the District H fool didn't even respond, at least not yet.  I cc'd the Executive Director of the GHPA, maybe it will be a conversation piece next time the crumpets get together, and she can ask Phoebe "WTF? Over!"...."Bad for business! Over!".

  6. I have encouraged the Kelmans to make their own case before the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission.  The Commission is an independent body, and it is not appropriate for the Mayor to intervene.   However, as I have told the Kelmans, while the Commission takes into account staff recommendations, it also listens to the homeowners and then weighs all the information it has received.I got a message this morning that said the HAHC again told them to shove it and completely disregarded the petition.  They apparently (this is 3rd hand information) did not budge on their requirement to make the camelback larger and to move it back 3 or 4 feet thereby rendering the garage useless.

     

    It's on the agenda for the January 24th meeting, warts and all.  Ellen Cohen sent me the application for COA with all the staff comments recommending against approval.  So it's up to the HAHC and Phoebe Tudor to show whether or not they have lost their minds.  A deferral or rejection and the applicant can take it to the City Council for vote.  That's when it gets political and the  gloves come off because we can all show up at council meetings.

     

    Edit: I also received a letter response from the mayor: "I have encouraged the Kelmans to make their own case before the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission.  The Commission is an independent body, and it is not appropriate for the Mayor to intervene.   However, as I have told the Kelmans, while the Commission takes into account staff recommendations, it also listens to the homeowners and then weighs all the information it has received."

     

    So just because staff recommends reject, the HAHC can keep it in house if they concede enough or accept to the Kelmans' pleasure.

  7. I wonder what the health insurance industry employees think about competing against the Walmart business model.  Their current model priced their product out of a viable range for US companies to offer heath care and compete. 

  8. Yesterday I wrote a suprisingly civil email to the Mayor, Ellen Cohen and my council-hack about this and other HAHC actions that will blow up in their faces politically if it continues.  I received a timely response from Ms. Cohen's office with details demonstrating she is definitely concerned about her constituents who are victims of unwarranted HAHC control.  She finished as follows: "If the request by the Kelman family is denied they may appeal before City Council . We will certainly take your comments into consideration if this item comes for a vote."  If it goes to the Council, it will get mainstream press coverage.  And I would love to see the hundreds who signed their petition show up for the cameras in front of the historic structure on the day of the vote calling out these HAHC overlords and their realtor/develper cronies personally.  Embarass them publicly as the elitist political hacks that they are.

  9. I don't see the media picking up a story about how the city abuses the power that it dishonestly vested in a bunch of know it all snots....I have found the media to be pretty much worthless at covering anything at all that actually matters....well at least in an unbiased way.

     

    You have well connected snots controlling every day people.  Its sickening but it is exactly what we knew would happen.  A few builders/architects who these well connected snots have wine/cheese with will have their process go smoothly - everyone else - well you should have picked their friends to do your project!  Everyone else just go ahead and get your checkbook out and prepare to design your house to the whims/desires of the snots who make up the HAHC.

     

    You're right about the lame media and its puppet masters, what was I thinking.....crumpet master Martha Turner and her contractor/developer cohorts are ready and willing to take your money to influence their pals on the HAHC.

  10. This story needs to go mainstream.  It is time to call out each member of the HAHC personally and expose these elitists for the political power pigs they are.  They have their tea and crumpets over at the GHPA in River Oaks laughing at likes of the Kelmans just trying to get by on a budget......can't wait till SM weighs in on this one.

  11. Don't forget their favorite red herring:

    The chicken little cries of bridge collapse armageddon are way overblown. Everyone knows that plastic crap from China doesn't weigh much. That's why it is so cheap. Those Walmart semis are not exceeding the weight limit because Chinese crap doesn't weigh enough. School buses with elementary school children on the other hand...

    bus-off-cliff-259x300.jpg

  12. Anti-zoning is part of Houston culture, admit it or not. Three referendums plus the initial debate and the pro-zoning elitist minority is oh for four. This HD Ordinance flies in the face of our history, culture and Charter. You want to save history? Save this, and note the prophetic drawing of the HAHC:

    post-6469-0-85988000-1358442394_thumb.jp

  13. .....

    Lastly, I just ran across this:

    http://www.marthatur...toric-districts

    Another example of the overwhelming opposition to the historic districts and how nothing will ever get built in the HDs. But, I obviously created that blog entry in order to spread more of my lies.

    Let me get this straight. You are citing an award given by the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GHPA) to Martha Turner (Realtor, Director of GHPA) "for her exemplary leadership in the community and outstanding contributions to Houston’s growth and prosperity."

    And why would she receive such an honor? Because Martha Turner Properties is "flourishing with new projects in The Heights Historic Districts."

    “Their secret? An excellent, on-going realtionship (sic) with the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission (HAHC).”

    And who is Chair of the HAHC? Phoebe Tudor, also a Director of GHPA and gal pal of fellow Director Martha Turner.

    And as Martha goes on….”That’s a win-win for everyone."

    It sure is! The Good Ole Boy Network is alive and well, with a new twist….the boys are all props. Want to get in on the action? First off, make sure your name is on this list….http://www.scribd.com/doc/68654482/Annise-Parker-campaign-finance-form . Then move to River Oaks.

    Minorities saw through this BS and wisely voted down the zoning referendum figuring River Oaks wasn’t opening up anytime soon. Wannabes and social climbers in the Heights are not nearly as shrewd believing that handing over our neighborhood as a toy to these elitists will somehow get them in the club. But to quote King in Platoon “Ever'body know, the poor are always being [screwed] over by the rich. Always have, always will.”

  14. I believe that minorities in Houston are not simple, ignorant victims of targeted ad campaigns but can think for themselves, and they voted down the Zoning referendum for the third time because they are smart enough to know what makes Houston great.

  15. apples and tennis rackets comparison.

    The 'de facto zoning laws' you mention are a very clear set of instructions that every building that might fit specific criteria has to fit within, unless they get a specific variance, and outside of the minimum lot size (a few years back they removed the minimum lot size from inside the loop developments, which ironically is one of the main factors that led to the heights becoming so popular for knockdowns), there are no restrictions based on a specific location.

    The other is a very subjective set of outlines that govern land use in very specific areas.

    based on the what zoning is (and even discounting the clear set of instructions vs subjective outlines), your 'de facto zoning laws' do not fit, which unless you misunderstand the definition of de facto, is why they are apples and tennis rackets comparison to historic districts.

    Wereas Historic Ordinance does fit the definition of de facto zoning in that they prescribe different land use rules based partly on geographic location.

  16. Ok, now where were we? O yeah, the Historic Preservation Ordinance is an affront to the history, culture and Charter of Houston, Texas.

    History: see the photo of the sawed-off house herein.

    Culture: “Zoning goes down for third time” read the morning headline of The Houston Post last November 3, 1993. As they had in 1948 and 1962, Houstonians voted once more to remain America’s largest city without a zoning ordinance….Yet, the vast majority of Houstonians were not crying out for zoning. Hispanics and low-income blacks voted overwhelmingly, 58 percent and 71 percent, against a measure touted as the way to “save” their neighborhoods.

    Charter: “There are other laws that affect land use, such as the new historical preservation ordinance, which allows citizens to petition the council for designation as a historic area, which comes with additional restrictions. These are all government measures that, in my opinion, operate as “de facto zoning”— they prescribe different land use rules based partly on geographic location.” Professor Matthew Festa - South Texas College of Law

  17. The general traffic pattern in the Heights changed due to population shifts, not business locations, and of course the obvious infrastructure changes. Ten years ago and earlier, we had a sleepy little neighborhood that didn't even wake up until noon on weekends. During the week we had moderate traffic and some hustle and bustle, but on weekends my then-little kids owned the streets on bikes and skateboards, it was peaceful. Football and softball in the streets went barely interrupted. When I visited freinds in the burbs I noted the complete opposite pattern. Now the weekends are crazier than the weekdays with tourists driving about lost and newcomers excited to do their suburban thing shopping and going out for coffee and lunch. The Great Influx occurred when suburbia emptied its bowels into the Heights, and that's what changed the traffic, not business locations.

    • Like 1
  18. That just means a city CAN regulate land use. It doesn't mean a city should, or that a city will fo a good job of land regulation. In fact, it's my view that city regulation should be avoided entirely for esthetic items, and should be restricted to life safety and infrastructure issues. Want to preserve an old building? Great! But don't try to force your neighbor to fit your idea of what a building ought to look like, especially if you do it after the fact.

    Spot on. And if the political class desires to get up your butt retroactively wrt your domicile aesthetics, nothing is sacred.

  19. My partner trades with the Vichy Regime as a cover for my Underground activities along Mom and Pop Row on 11th. So far I am alone as none of the shops are aware we are under occupation. Recruiting is difficult with all the new bars and restaraunts distracting potential foot soldiers. Also the new Kroger seems to be a gathering place for female Russian spies, and I have been attempting to draw them further into the occupied lands with no success. I will likely have to lose 30 pounds and disguise my hairline for the cause.

×
×
  • Create New...