Yankee_in_TX Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Does anyone smarter than me know anything about public rights of way in Houston? I had a guy from up the street follow me home to yell at me for walking my dog on his property and I kinda' lost it. I live on 25th. It goes his fence, about 3 feet of grass, drainage ditch then the street. No sidewalk in front of his bungalow. Any help would be appreciated because we can't always walk in the street and I would like to know the law. There is no sidewalk.In the alternative, if there is a sidewalk before and after his house, what are the chances of petitioning the city to extend the sidewalk along his property? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I'm willing to bet his property line ends at his fence.Did you dog make a deposit or something? Maybe he should next time :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Most of the streets in the Heights have 70 foot ROWs. The street takes up 30-40 of the ROW, and there is 15 to 20 feet of City ROW on each side of the street. The drainage ditch is absolutely City ROW, and there is certainly a few more feet of ROW next to the ditch. If there is a sidewalk on either side of the property, that most assuredly means the grass between the sidewalks is City property. A stiff middle finger to the property owner is in order.What block of 25th is this house located on? I'd like to look at it on Google Maps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 What block of 25th is this house located on? I'd like to look at it on Google Maps.I'm happy to take my dog on a tour of the area as well :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 What block of 25th is this house located on? I'd like to look at it on Google Maps.The HCAD maps might help too... based on the given location in shady acres on 25th street, I think the property we're discussing will be in this facet http://hcad.org/cgi-bin/IMap.asp?map=5259B in area 9, 10, or 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 LOL.I just had a vision of a bunch of HAIF'ers having a massive dog walk along this guy's property. What really has me giggling (literally) is that the real potential is there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 The property in question is in between (brain fart - street that dead ends at 25th and picks up later - west of Durham) and Bevis on the north side of the street.My neighbors have informed me I am not the first nor will I be the last. He also claims to put poison down so that any animals crossing his property will get sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 My neighbors have informed me I am not the first nor will I be the last. He also claims to put poison down so that any animals crossing his property will get sick.Do you live in the same neighborhood? Is there a home owners' association with which you could speak?Also, if you really are on the ROW (and it sounds like you are), then his following you home - as stated in your original post - might constitute harassment. If he's done this to others in the neighborhood, the HOA may have something to say about it - or perhaps the local police precinct.Also, I imagine the city wouldn't look kindly upon someone putting a poison down on what is effectively public property. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 No HOA whatsoever. Maybe it'll be my new goal to get that sidewalk finished. Not 100% sure about ROW - but if draw an invisible line from one sidewalk to the other across his property, that's where I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Is it between the two sets of townhomes between Brinkman and Beall? I see power line poles on the north side of the street. That is absolutely the ROW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 The property in question is in between (brain fart - street that dead ends at 25th and picks up later - west of Durham) and Bevis on the north side of the street.My neighbors have informed me I am not the first nor will I be the last. He also claims to put poison down so that any animals crossing his property will get sick.From E to W the streets are Durham, Beall, Bevis, Couch, Ella. {EDIT: nevermind... saw red got the right street boundaries}If the claims of poison can be recorded/proven/etc, I think the police should get involved ASAP. Someone crazy enough to follow you home is probably crazy enough to sprinkle rat poison on his yard (or, more accurately, what he thinks is his yard but is actually public property). You can also file a report or contact the Houston SPCA. Do you have a smartphone? Keep the camera running next time you walk near his property.It's nutjobs like that that give people a bad name... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksmu Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 From E to W the streets are Durham, Beall, Bevis, Couch, Ella. {EDIT: nevermind... saw red got the right street boundaries}If the claims of poison can be recorded/proven/etc, I think the police should get involved ASAP. Someone crazy enough to follow you home is probably crazy enough to sprinkle rat poison on his yard (or, more accurately, what he thinks is his yard but is actually public property). You can also file a report or contact the Houston SPCA. Do you have a smartphone? Keep the camera running next time you walk near his property.It's nutjobs like that that give people a bad name...It is illegal to poison or kill a dog, especially if its not an immediate threat to person or property (private property). The SPCA, HPD, and others can all get involved. It never ceases to amaze the audacity of some people.If someone threatened to poison/shoot my dogs....again....its likely that I would be the one in the police car when it all shook out. My last involvement with a guy like that who threatened my dogs ended with a 4am meeting with his wife forcing him to apologize to me for fear that I might kill his whole family and burn his house down....suffice it to say that I may have over-reacted on the initial meeting, and his wife was not willing to see if I was willing to carry through with everything I said I would do...I did feel vindicated though...his threats just made me mad and after I cooled off I forgot about it...my threats got his wife so worried she forced him to get up at 4am get fully dressed and offer me an apology. I guess that sometimes crazy isnt so bad. These days though, I would probably do time for a terroristic threat or some other garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 What's great is this guy is getting surrounded on both sides and across the street by townhomes, bringing ever more people to walk in front of his house . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Is it between the two sets of townhomes between Brinkman and Beall? I see power line poles on the north side of the street. That is absolutely the ROW.Across the street from the new construction, you can see the sidewalk on both sides of his property. Right about halfway in between Brinkman and Beall. Townhomes on both sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 The HCAD maps might help too... based on the given location in shady acres on 25th street, I think the property we're discussing will be in this facet http://hcad.org/cgi-...p.asp?map=5259B in area 9, 10, or 11.Facet 11 #29 B. Does that tell us anything about ROW? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Facet 11 #29 B. Does that tell us anything about ROW?No, if you really want to see the ROW boundaries, you'll need to look at the City of Houston GIMS maps. I used to know exactly where it was, but haven't looked in awhile.But, sidewalks are always in the ROW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 No, if you really want to see the ROW boundaries, you'll need to look at the City of Houston GIMS maps. I used to know exactly where it was, but haven't looked in awhile.But, sidewalks are always in the ROW.http://www.gims.houstontx.gov/portalWS/MainPortal.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 http://www.gims.houstontx.gov/portalWS/MainPortal.aspxThat's it! Thanks, Jes.If you go into GIMS database and zoom in to this location, you'll see a big gap between the parcels. This is the ROW. Go into 'Toolbox' and select 'Measure Distances'. By measuring both sides of the ROW, you'll find it to be 70 feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 Do you carry scooping equipment? If not, maybe he was concerned you wouldn't pick up doggie doo doo.Anyway, that's really interesting. I had no idea the ROW was quite that big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Probably NOT a coincidence - the public right of way coincides with the sidewalk line - so yes, where I (and everyone else walks) and where he claims to lay poison is public.I will call HPD in the AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Soke to the HPD storefront. Since he did not set foot on my property and make an actual threat, nothing for them to do.I am to check with TXDOT to confirm the public right of way.If it is a public right of way and he claims to be putting posion down, the local HPD will pay him a visit to tell him no, knock it off.I will talk to the wife - if she wants to let it go or not. If she says ok, I plan to walk over (which will get him in his front yard instantly), inform him it is public right of way and confirm he is putting some kind of posion down (and have her video it). Then I'll call HPD again. She may not want to deal with all that.Ugggh, HPD says call TXDOT. TXDOT says call COH.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 City Right of Way. Call COH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 ASPCA might want to get involved too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Official response from public works:Public works official response:'Official right-of-way drawings can be viewed on the basement level of 611 Walker for rest of this week. The drawings and employees who manage drawings will move this weekend to the new location (1002 Washington). Beginning Monday, the right-of-way drawings can be viewed at 1002 Washington. 'I guess I will wait until next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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