ISMDAVID

Do you know how the two Boulevard properties owned by the Heights Association were listed ??- 712 Heights Blvd. 1800 Heights Blvd. Per their website, "At its June 21 meeting, the Board of the Houston Heights Association voted to take no position at this time on the temporary discontinuance or any of the changes that have been informally proposed"

City owned Esplanades counted towards this percentage they needed? Really? Really? Your joking right.

Is a list of all of the supporting homeowners that signed the list for Heights South available for public record? I would be interested in viewing that approval list but haven't seen such a list online. Is anyone knowledgeable of its location or how I can have access to the list?

The land that the 90 year old houses are sitting on is worth what it is today in part because of the re-development activity that has occured in the last 10 years. Not all of it "bad" as some would argue. I can recall land now selling for $250k that was once selling for $75k with a house on it ten years ago. You wouldnt be excited if I offered you $75k for your bungalow now would you? While I'm not a lawyer, I'm fairly certain that the Heights currently has no "view preservation" codes as some coastal communities do. Without it, I believe you have zero(0) rights to protect your sunlight access by restricting your neighbors development. Its not that your rights are more important than anyone elses, its simply a fact that however unfortunate it sounds to you, that you as an individual, cannot take away the rights that I have as your neighboring land owner to folllow the existing codes and restrictions and develop within those guidelines.

Thank you for contacting the Planning Department regarding the proposed historic preservation amendments. Your input is valuable as we move through this process. Please note the following information regarding a public hearing before the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission this week: Notice of Public Hearing The City of Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission will conduct a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Historic Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 33), Thursday, August 19; 6:30 p.m. at the George Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, General Assembly Hall B, 3rd Level. For a map and directions to the George R. Brown, please go to http://www.houstonco...apsParking.aspx. Some street parking may be available or attendees can park in the Hilton/George R. Brown parking garage located on Polk Street subject to availability. Attendees can submit their parking stub for validation (from that garage only). Speakers will be allowed one minute to make their comments at the public hearing. To view the proposed amendments and other information about the process, please to the following web page: http://www.houstontx...pres_amend.html. If you cannot attend the meetings, but would like to comment please email historicpreservation@houstontx.gov or mail your comments to Historic Preservation, City of Houston, Planning and Development Department, P.O. Box 1562 , Houston, Texas 77251-1562 by September 1, 2010. Thank you, Diana DuCroz, AICP Senior Planner, Historic Preservation City of Houston Planning & Development 611 Walker, 6th Floor (713) 837-7924 phone (713) 837-7996 fax www.houstonplanning.com

Your points are well thought out and presented very articulately. Well Done.

Funny that you mentioned the permits as I then searched quickly online and found a link that specifically mentions that they were going to specifically enforce dumpster locations not being located in the city right of way ---this press release goes back in 2004. http://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/press-dumpsterpermits.html It appears that the permit application itself doesnt mention where the dumpster is to be located, but there would probably be an ordinance that outlines where they can be placed. However there is an interesting affidavit that looks to be required for the permit that spells out a few more legalities. http://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/dumpster-affidavit.pdf

I love the convenience of having our very own neighborhood hardware store - Many a trip to the big box store it has saved me! I noticed today that the were chain link fencing in their store dumpster thats along the back of the building on Arlington Street-it caught me by surprise because that dumpster is located between the street and the sidewalk. Something tells me that its placemenet is not quite up to city code. As I drove around to the front entry I recognized that they were quite land locked on a place to put a dumpster like that as they dont really have another clear cut place for such a thing so I could understand it, but thought it wasnt the most neighborly thing to do. Does the city normally regulate the placement of dumpsters so they arent quite so "in your face" or at least on your own property?

946 Arlington, today is listed on Swamplot as receiving a demo permit. Does anyone know if this is for the garage or the house itself? After years of efforts to save this cute little bungalow, has it finally been axed by the new owners? http://swamplot.com/...red/2009-12-02/

Has anyone else noticed at least 2 new billboards being erected along North Durham between 11th and 26th Street this week? As if this street wasn't full of enough visual pollution already. This must be part of the agreement that was made some time ago to remove and "relocate" some of the city billboards.

I agree about the Memorial Herman cake topper! - What on earth was the architect thinking when they decided to place this atop this building. If he had the budget to build it, certainly he had the budget to create a 3d model that would have enlightened him of its inappropriateness. The central design relationship of that octagonal cake topper is only apparent when viewed from a head on vantagepoint and one gets that view only for a split second while driving 70mph on I-10. From the remaining angles as you approach the building, I have always thought that the topper looked disconnected from the rectangular body of the building. It seems obvious to me that there is too much money in health care if they could afford to spend it on this control tower appendange and it not be looked at as a frivolous expenditure that could be better spent elsewhere. Now we will have to look at this for future generations to come.

I have noticed a change in search engines finding this site. I often use google or yahoo to find and share this site with other co workers or aquaintenaces, but recently its either not been showing up or I get redirected after clicking on the top link. Has something changed to cause this recent problem? Has anyone else noticed similar results?

Ive thought that the strip between Shepherd and Durham should be purchased by the city, cross streets eliminated at most intersections and a large greenspace created from the land that would be quite the opposite of the current situation. It would take quite a boatload of $ but its possible.

Disappointing is an understatement. What could have been and will now never be ! - lots of design detail "misses" already and I haven't seen the inside. The stone treatment on the turret has to be the cheapest thing Ive seen done on a feature element in quite some time on a comparable home. It looks to be flooring material placed on the vertical surface and gives off no dimension or depth to the surface. I also believe the quantity of porches is overdone. This house has an abundance of porch areas with columns that aren't centered on doors/windows but just simply placed at an equal spacing with no regard to the views out from the interior. Have you seen the roof covering over the garage door. To say that it is out of scale with the facade is an understatement. Was this home designed by an architect? or is this simply a building designer modification to a previous home he has built. I sure wish more money was invested in the design and I believe the house could have commanded a higher price.