A Little Green Space For A Change!

[pineda]

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Amid urban growth, a plan for green space

Montgomery,Harris counties are teaming up for a park project

By RENEE C. LEE

Staff, Houston Chronicle

In the next decade, Montgomery and Harris county officials envision a major tourism spot along a meandering creek nestled in dense woods, where people can picnic in parks, hike on nature trails or spend the day canoeing.

Montgomery County Precinct 3 and Harris County Precinct 4 are working to develop an 8,000- to 12,000-acre regional preserve along Spring Creek, the dividing line between the counties.

With commercial and housing developments quickly moving north, officials from both counties say now is the time to protect the creek and the forestland around it.

The goal is to balance growth and green space to ensure people have a place to relax and commune with nature.

"It will be a place where people can go, bring their families and enjoy nature and see how the creek was in the beginning," said Robert Collins, who heads the project for Montgomery County. "And what's so nice, it's in our back yard."

The project will include a system of parks and undeveloped green spaces connected by trails and bridges to provide access to the creek and its surrounding natural habitat.

Each county is working to buy or have land donated for the project, which will stretch from U.S. 59 in Humble to FM 2978 near Tomball.

They also have jointly applied for a $2 million grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help fund the project.

Spring Creek is a hidden oasis of white sandy banks lined by a thick forest of cypress, sycamore and Eastern red cedar trees, many more than 200 years old. A variety of wildlife and birds, including bobcats, deer, white cranes and red-shouldered hawks, live in the area and sometimes can be spotted from the shore or through the woods.

The creek is one of only two in Harris County still untouched by development. Clear Creek is the other.

Expanding greenway

Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole initiated the greenway project last year as an extension of a park project launched in the early 1980s by former Harris County Judge Jon Lindsay.

Eversole realized that since the county already owned several tracts of land bought for the earlier project, it needed to purchase only a few others to connect them all to create a 10-mile linear park along the creek's south side.

The county owns about 1,500 acres south of the creek and is negotiating with developers and individual landowners to buy another 700 acres between Old Town Spring and U.S. 59, said Dennis Johnston, park administrator for Precinct 4.

The 2,200-acre linear park will connect the Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center in Humble with the new 300-acre John Pundt Park under construction, just south of Lexington Woods in Spring.

Johnston said the county also is designing a launch for the Jones park, but a construction date has not been set.

Harris County has three other sites on the greenway: Burroughs Park, Cypresswood Golf Club and Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens.

Montgomery County joined the project early last year after Eversole approached Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance.

Both sides of the creek

Chance said he was excited about the opportunity to develop the county's first green space and brought in Collins in August to work full time on it.

"It makes an excellent facility to have parks on both sides of the creek," Chance said. "It's probably the last land like that in the area to build a park facility."

The county will preserve about 6,400 acres along the creek's north side but plans to develop only 25 miles.

Collins said the developed area will include entrance parks equipped with parking, picnic and restroom facilities. Some parks will have canoe and kayak launches and sports facilities.

Several acres of green space and multiuse trails will separate each park.

The county also wants to build nature and education centers, where schoolchildren and organizations can go on tours or field trips and conduct research projects.

Other sites that could be added to the project include the 25-acre Peckinpaugh Reserve at Riley Fuzzel and crossing bridges at Interstate 45, Kuykendahl, Gosling and FM 2978.

Before joining the Spring Creek project, Montgomery County had begun preserving the creek and tapping it as a resource.

In 2002, it opened the Montgomery County Preserve, west of I-45 at Budde and Pruitt roads. The 71-acre site includes a one-mile trail that eventually will be extended to the creek, and a recycling center.

Adjacent to the site is a 24-acre sports complex and 25 acres of football fields under construction.

The land for the preserve was acquired with help from the Legacy Land Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting natural areas in the Houston region.

The trust negotiated the land through wetland mitigation, in which areas are restored or preserved to compensate for wetlands that will be developed. It's a creative, fast and cheap way for developers to fulfill their wetland-permit needs, said Jennifer Lorenz , executive director of the trust.

The 71-acre site also is a designated conservation easement, which means commercial development on the property is prohibited.

The trust also has worked with Harris County on several wetland-mitigation deals to acquire land for the project.

Most of the land targeted by both counties is floodway and floodplain property.

Because Montgomery County has no budget for the greenway project, it is trying to persuade as many landowners as it can to donate property.

The county already owns 162 acres and recently acquired about 225 donated by developer Thomas Lipar, the Houston Audubon Society and Houstonian Patricia Peckinpaugh-Hubbard, whose family once owned 1,200 acres of land along the creek.

Other deals, totaling 418 acres, are being negotiated through wetland mitigation secured by Legacy Land Trust.

Montgomery County also will rely on state and federal grants and corporate and individual donations to fund the project, Collins said.

Completion by 2013

Chance estimated it will cost $2.5 million for park and bridge construction, which should start in about four years and be completed by 2013.

Harris County is using$2 million from a 2001 bond issue to build Pundt park and is counting on another $1 million from the state grant. It also has $1 million set aside for incidentals, Johnston said.

Although funding is limited, that has not hampered enthusiasm. Officials from both counties say they're optimistic the regional preserve will pay off in thousands of tourism dollars.

"The amazing thing about it is, when you interconnect all these communities, in and out of green spaces and parks, and you bring in the water aspect, it will spur a lot of ecotourism and development in the area," Johnston said. "It has a lot of potential. That's why I think it's catching on. It's exciting."

. . .

COUNTIES BLAZING A TRAIL TO NATURE

Key steps in developing the Spring Creek Greenway project:

Harris County Precinct 4: Will purchase additional 700 acres to create 10-mile linear park on south. County owns 1,500 acres.

Harris County: Now building a new 300-acre John Pundt Park that will be a part of the linear park

Montgomery County Precinct 3 : Plans to develop 25 miles of parks and trails along the creek's north side

Montgomery County: Already owns 162 acres and recently acquired about 225 acres of donated land

Montgomery County officials: Negotiating deals for an additional 418 acres

Both counties: Have jointly applied for a $2 million grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help fund greenway project

[Guest danax]

Man, I sure hope that actually comes to pass. I used to live near Cypress Creek nearby and that is really some nice real estate, that is rapidly being erased and clear cut a-la KB Homes and the like.

The day will come when this proposed park will be an island of nature amid a sea of hardy plank.

[bachanon]

looking at my keymap and a recent map of the woodlands; "creekside park", the final village to be developed here, will connect with this linear park. creekside park will consist of over 2,500 acres of park land/nature preserve along spring creek.

this is great news for northern harris and southern montgomery counties. in fact, it's great news for our region.

[The Great Hizzy!]

I agree. I wish there were similar plans for the San Jacinto and Brazos rivers as well. I've always thought those two waterways were underutilized and underappreciated.

Great news about Spring Creek, though.

[H-Town Man]

Way back in the 70's they had aspirations of making a "green belt" along Cypress Creek. It ended up being a disconnected patchwork of parks and golf courses. Flooding risks staved off development for a time, but now huge tracts have been cleared for shopping centers (like the intersection of Cypresswood Dr. and Stuebner-Airline). Still, the area maintains its dignity, and Cypresswood is a nice drive. Perhaps the most beautiful part of that greenway awaits its fate as Hewlett Packard determines how to sell its land.

I think the outlook for Spring Creek is a lot better, mainly because its flooding risks are more severe.

[LTAWACS]

so they put a park in the middle of the forest, eh?

[pineda]

so they put a park in the middle of the forest, eh?

That is funny, but true!

Spring Creek is such a beautiful wild place still. It will be interesting to see what homogenization will be taking place in the future. It makes me wonder how the Woodlands can be building so close to the creek when so much, if not all, of that area is clearly not only in the floodplain but also in the floodway. How much dirt will have to be trucked in to compensate for this, how high up will those foundations be built, how many detention pond (i.e. "lakefront properties") will have to be constructed to offset all this?

Spring Creek, although very beautiful is very inaccessible as well. This is good for the wildlife in the area, especially since the overabundance of housing starts in the northwest area is forcing the wildlife to flee their natural habitats. How much of the "new and improved" Spring Creek will be set aside and left alone as an inaccessible to humans habitat to protect the wildlife or will the whole thing be set up as a giant petting zoo, with only "good" animals allowed to stay, and ridding the area of "bad" animals? How long before the new residents of Creekside Park start complaining about the deer eating their ornamental shrubs in the front yards?

I heard recently of a teenager from the Woodlands who went four-wheeling with some friends along Spring Creek. The four-wheeler got stuck and try as they might, they couldn't get out. So, they gave up since it was getting to be quite cold and quite dark and decided to return first thing in the morning and if they still couldn't get it out, they would call a wrecker. The next morning, they got there at 6:00 a.m. to find not only a wrecker on the scene (in a totally deserted and not able to be seen from the road, remote area) but a game warden as well. They asked how this came to be and the game warden informed them and their parents that Spring Creek is regularly patrolled by not only the game wardens but the DEA as well. The entire Spring Creek area is a known drug dealing spot, but not just the kind where kids buy pot from each other. This remote, deserted area hidden in Montgomery County/ Harris County is notorious for the exchange of big-time money and drugs between drug lords and their "mules". Scary stuff! That kind of "wildlife" being run out of here would be very welcome change. I wouldn't have even considered this a possibility when I see people canoeing down the creek, but now I think I'd have second thoughts before trying it.

[kjb434]

I do acknowledge that the floodplain is wide for Spring. First let me say that I'm a hydraulics and hydrologic engineers (branch of civil engineering) and I do lots of work for the Woodlands through my company. The Woodlands will not develop houses in the 100-year floodplain. If houses are placed in the floodplain, they were built prior to recent studies that suggest the floodplain has changed. Also, if a house is built in the floodplain, the slab of the house is elevated out of the floodplain while the rest of the lot will remain in the floodplain. The entire lot will not be elevated because of the Woodlands committment to preserving trees.

Harris County had already planned a public park and golf course for Spring Creek just West of where Creekside Park is to be built. Money ran out and golf course was just cleared and never finished. The Woodlands just bought the land the planned golf course sits on. They haven't decided what they want to do with it yet.

The main reason a park is so favorable along this creek is because most development can't build extremely close to the creek itself. The park will utilize this space and make developable land more favorable to developers.

[pineda]

Harris County had already planned a public park and golf course for Spring Creek just West of where Creekside Park is to be built. Money ran out and golf course was just cleared and never finished. The Woodlands just bought the land the planned golf course sits on. They haven't decided what they want to do with it yet.

I never read or heard anything about this. Do you recall the name of this proposed public park and golf course?

Also, if you have access to any maps or descriptions of Creekside Park, could you please post them here?

[kjb434]

The name of the park is the Ray Cambell Burrough Park. i think some of the park is built, but the backside where the golf course would be was never finished. The trees were cleared for the fairways but not finished. It would be on Key Map page 249 on the righ center of the page.

Creekside park is supposed to be between Gosling and Kuykendahl Roads closer to Gosling on the Harris County side of Spring Creek. It is not noted on the Key Map page 250 in grids M and R. On the west side of Kuykendahl Road right next to spring creek is where Carlton Woods will be built. The golf cours is being built now. The lots that are being sold range from 0.5 to 2 acres. The lots will be left with trees. The main roadway and several of the residential streets had to be redesigned and configured to avoid several old growth trees. The Woodlands would rather pay us to redesign them than tear down the trees. I have plans of the subdivision, but i can't put them on this site because of a confidentiality agreement with my company and the Woodlands.

[bachanon]

The name of the park is the Ray Cambell Burrough Park.  i think some of the park is built, but the backside where the golf course would be was never finished.  The trees were cleared  for the fairways but not finished.  It would be on Key Map page 249 on the righ center of the page.

Creekside park is supposed to be between Gosling and Kuykendahl Roads closer to Gosling on the Harris County side of Spring Creek.  It is not noted on the Key Map page 250 in grids M and R.  On the west side of Kuykendahl Road right next to spring creek is where Carlton Woods will be built.  The golf cours is being built now.  The lots that are being sold range from 0.5 to 2 acres.  The lots will be left with trees.  The main roadway and several of the residential streets had to be redesigned and configured to avoid several old growth trees.  The Woodlands would rather pay us to redesign them than tear down the trees.  I have plans of the subdivision, but i can't put them on this site because of a confidentiality agreement with my company and the Woodlands.

carlton woods already exists. isn't this the second golf course and, perhaps, a new section for carlton woods?

[pineda]

Burroughs Park

The park's been there for a long time. Never heard anything about a golf course being built in connection with the park, though.

[kjb434]

If you look at aerial photos as i have to do a work and the key map, the golf course is clearly present, but never finished.

The actual title of the Woodlands developent on the south side of Spring Creek in Harris County is Carlton Woods at Creekside Park. There is some more to this official title. If there is another Carlton Woods, then yes this will be the second one. It under construction now and probably can't be seen at all from Kuykendahl Road because of the trees. It'll probably stay that way except for the entrance road.

[pineda]

If you look at aerial photos as i have to do a work and the key map, the golf course is clearly present, but never finished.

Wow, I'll have to take another look at the aerials on that section. Thanks for the information, I'll ask Eversole's office what happened to the project!

It under construction now and probably can't be seen at all from Kuykendahl Road because of the trees. It'll probably stay that way except for the entrance road.

It may not be visible from Kuykendahl, but it sure is from Gosling. The bulldozers are going non-stop removing all the trees hidden behind that laughable fringe of trees left along Gosling. Lots more deer and smaller animals running from the area and ending up dead all up and down Gosling lately. Kinda sad to see..

[bachanon]

Creekside park is supposed to be between Gosling and Kuykendahl Roads closer to Gosling on the Harris County side of Spring Creek. It is not noted on the Key Map page 250 in grids M and R. On the west side of Kuykendahl Road right next to spring creek is where Carlton Woods will be built. The golf cours is being built now. The lots that are being sold range from 0.5 to 2 acres. The lots will be left with trees. The main roadway and several of the residential streets had to be redesigned and configured to avoid several old growth trees. The Woodlands would rather pay us to redesign them than tear down the trees. I have plans of the subdivision, but i can't put them on this site because of a confidentiality agreement with my company and the Woodlands.

Village Map

above is a link to the village map of the woodlands. notice the existing carlton woods section. i've not read or heard about anything in creekside called by the same name.

i'm wondering if the management company or developer of carlton woods is the same?

i don't understand why there would be a second village also called carlton woods inside creekside.

[MidtownCoog]

Bachon. Here are some aerial pics of your hood:

http://www.dl-digital.com/Family/ScenicAirplane.htm

http://www.dl-digital.com/Family/2005-Family-Airplane.htm

[kjb434]

Village Map

above is a link to the village map of the woodlands. notice the existing carlton woods section. i've not read or heard about anything in creekside called by the same name.

i'm wondering if the management company or developer of carlton woods is the same?

i don't understand why there would be a second village also called carlton woods inside creekside.

Yes, I know its confusing. Carlton Woods is not a Village. It's just a subdivision within the Creekside Village. There will be many more sections to come in Creekside with various names.

The name of Creekside side has changed many times. At one time it was called Harmony Bend. I think this still might factor into the final official names. The official plat name for the Carton Woods sections is about 10 words long.

And yes, the Woodlands Land Development Company is the developer for Carlton woods.

It is important to remeber that the developer and the home builder are not always the same thing. Often developes just prepare the streets, utilities, and lots. Then they sell the lots to the builders to places houses on them.

There are a few builders who develop also. It just depends. But in the Woodlands case, most if not all the lots have been developed by the Woodlands and then sold to home builders to put houses on them.

The commercial areas are primarily sold to a commercial developer and the Woodlands just keeps a close scrutiny on the development.

[bachanon]

thanks for the additional info. that helps a little. i love maps and new development. i'm a real geek about it.

[kjb434]

no problem,

I'm pretty much a geek for it too. Now I work with it all the time.

[pineda]

fun with maps!

[Lowbrow]

mmm fun. 96% 5 miles 224 seconds. ive lived in half of them and been to the other half so makes sense i know where they are.

Now if we just had one of those for all the neighborhoods in Houston I'd be lost.

[pineda]

more about the Creekside Park project

Thanks, Anne Linehan at www.bloghouston.com for bringing this to us!

[pineda]

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01/25/2005

County requesting $2 million in grant funding for park

By: Burton Speakman

The Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department will present a $2 million grant application to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department next week.

The application, approved by county commissioners during Monday's meeting, would help fund the Spring Creek Greenway in south county.

Robert Collins, special council for Precinct 3, compared the project to Central Park in New York and several of Houston's large parks.

"It's the obligation of our generation to come together to make this park come to be," Collins said.

The grant is for the first phase of the park, which includes an 18-mile section from the Montgomery County Preserve to Pruitt Road just west of Interstate 45, he said.

Spring Creek Greenway will be between 12,000 and 15,000 acres when completed, Collins said.

This grant would require a $1 million match from Montgomery County and Harris County. The counties are partnering on the project to preserve the land on both sides of Spring Creek, Collins said.

Montgomery County already has its share of the match program, he said.

"We've got four years to purchase land and four years to build it," Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance said.

The county owns 162 acres, including 220 lots, Collins said. There are several other land donations the county is processing.

The Woodlands Development Company, formerly The Woodlands Operating Company, owns 1,700 acres that will become part of the greenway, Chance said.

"This is an ambitious project, and it will be a great project for the people of this community," County Judge Alan B. Sadler said. "It's a project that is direly needed for Montgomery County. There's nothing like that here for a growing population."

Traffic enforcement: The Montgomery County Sheriff's Department is applying for a $152,714 grant from the Texas Department of Transportation for a "selective traffic enforcement program" that relates to speeding enforcement.

Lt. Dan Norris said the grant would allow the department to use deputies for at least 80 hours a week on traffic enforcement.

"We need to do something about traffic," Sheriff Tommy Gage said.

The department needs to work within its inherited budget, so the grant would be a step toward being able to do more in traffic enforcement, he said.

"Thank goodness we have the constables' offices and the local police departments to help us with this," Gage said.

If the grant is received, Montgomery County would need a $36,661 match.

Computer equipment: Commissioners agreed to spend $160,398.70 of bond funds to purchase computer equipment and software for the new library in south county.

This equipment includes 84 computers, $6,500 of software, two video projects, nine printers, a television, DVD players and videocassette recorders, said Mark Bosma, purchasing agent.

Health Services: Montgomery County will allow the Texas Department of Health Services the use of space at the Lone Star Convention Center in the event of a declared national disaster.

Acquisition: The county has reached a right-of-way acquisition deal with the Texas Department of Transportation to purchase property along FM 1488. Montgomery County will receive a 90 percent reimbursement for funds used for approved right-of-way purchases.

Sadler said this type of agreement must be reached for the county to receive credit for right-of-way purchases in terms of the matching agreement.

[bachanon]

TWOC Changing Its Name To Reflect New Focus

by The Woodlands Operating Company

The Woodlands Operating Company, L.P., developer of The Woodlands, Texas, is changing its name to The Woodlands Development Company and adopting a new logo, according to Thomas J. D

[pineda]

updated info on Creekside Park

Creekside Park Village, unlike the rest of The Woodlands, is located in the Tomball Independent School District. While new residents may initially go to existing schools, property has been sold to construct schools within the village, Welbes said.

[woody_hawkeye]

In looking through some Chronicle archives, it appeared to me that the 20 year plan by Harris County includes the Montgomery portion and the Harris county portion of the creek all the way to Lake Houston. Now I have kayaked the creek, and it is normally not navigable. Will they dredge it? I doubt it. Then only the lower portions would be for kayaks and canoes I would guess.

[Dobiestud]

When you look at satelite view of the area along Spring Creek just west of 45 up to Creekside Village, theres clearly NO development in most of that area, which also seems to be the only area in the north that hasnt seen development. Any ideas? I know alot of the area sits in the flood plain, any other thoughts on this? Will or can the flood control districts do anything to improve flooding along this area?

[bachanon]

update

Aug. 9, 2006, 11:42AM

County continues efforts to acquire park land

Development continues for project along Spring Creek

By BETH KUHLES

Chronicle Correspondent

Montgomery County has begun the process of acquiring more land for the Spring Creek Greenway project.

The linear park, which will stretch from FM 2978 in Spring to U.S. 59 in Humble, will be the largest park ever developed in the Houston region.

full story

[bachanon]

UPDATE

Sept. 5, 2006, 11:46AM

County continues efforts to acquire park land

Development continues for project along Spring Creek

By BETH KUHLES

Chronicle Correspondent

Montgomery County has begun the process of acquiring more land for the Spring Creek Greenway project.

The linear park, which will stretch from FM 2978 in Spring to U.S. 59 in Humble, will be the largest park ever developed in the Houston region.

The 8,000- to 12,000-acre joint effort between Harris and Montgomery counties will offer many recreational opportunities, including trails for hiking, biking, nature walks and horseback riding as well as canoeing, playground and picnicking areas.

Harris County also is busy plotting out paths and bridges for a 7.5-mile section that will run between Old Town Spring and Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center in Humble. Harris County Flood Control District recently acquired a 125-acre tract near the end of East Hardy Street and Interstate 45 and is preparing the preliminary plans to use a state grant to develop some trails there.

A new park, Pundt Park in Spring, is scheduled to begin construction in early 2007, and trails are planned for a two-mile stretch out of that park as well as a half-mile stretch from Jones Park in Humble. The trails will include a 10-foot-wide asphalt trail with a parallel horseback riding trail, said Dennis Johnston, director of parks for Harris County Precinct 4.

"We are into the nitty-gritty details," Johnston said. "It is slow work, dealing with flood plains, Army Corps of Engineers and wetlands stuff."

Pundt Park, located behind Lexington Woods, will feature a pavilion, picnic areas, playground, parking lots and restrooms.

Adding land

While Montgomery County has been successful in getting several major land donations for the project, it is now looking at tax foreclosure sales and right of way acquisition, which may include condemnation, to get additional land. Montgomery County recently dedicated $1 million in certificates of obligation to obtain park land.

"There is so much going on behind the scenes," said Robert Collins, special counsel for Montgomery County. "The pieces are coming together. We are really getting excited now."

Montgomery County is targeting about 100 tax foreclosure properties in the Timber Lakes/Timber Ridge area of South County and Spring Acres, properties that are located in the flood plain. These properties had been offered at a county tax foreclosure sale but were never bid on. If the taxing entities agree, the county can settle the outstanding tax debts on the lots and use the property for parks.

"Nobody wanted to bid on something they cannot build on," said J.R. Moore, Montgomery County tax assessor/collector. "These properties can be brought and sold to the county for the tax liens."

Three properties were approved by Montgomery County Commissioners Court to proceed with tax trust, the process of the county obtaining the land by paying off the debts owed to schools and utility districts. One tract in Spring Acres was 2.5 acres, while there were two smaller residential lots available in Timber Lakes.

In addition, Montgomery County hired KDM Property Acquisitions to obtain right of way for 20 tracts along Spring Creek. The estimated cost of the services is $38,000 and it will target property on the northern side of Spring Creek.

this paragraph makes me wonder if the high & dry areas of timber lakes/timber ridge will increase in value due to being next to preserved park space and close to town center and i-45. these non-woodlands neighborhoods have devalued greatly in past years due to repeated flooding; however, many streets have been unaffected by high waters.

FULL STORY

[pineda]

Timber Lakes/Timber Ridge residents wary of new park project