Houston Chron: Midtown Rules Cloud Urban Village Design

[HtownTX]

Sept. 11, 2006, 12:36AM

Existing development rules clouding vision of pedestrian-friendly Midtown

Obtaining variances for regulations focused on automobiles proves difficult

By MIKE SNYDER

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Like explorers hacking a path through the jungle, a small but determined group of developers, planners and civic leaders has struggled for 12 years to create a unique urban environment in Midtown.........

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4176842.html

[musicman]

good article but I find the statement that having 25' setback outside of downtown misleading. There are numerous structures that have less than 25' setback now, even in Midtown. If the land is restricted that way because of deed restrictions, then the middown association should spend money to get it altered via the state mandated process. I would imagine that Midtown on the books is really a group of different neighborhoods each with restrictions.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Oye. Great article.

I always thought urban-development in Midtown was what was always wanted from our city leaders. Why is Midtown not allowed to have exceptions to ordinances that encourage sprawl?

[Houston19514]

good article but I find the statement that having 25' setback outside of downtown misleading. There are numerous structures that have less than 25' setback now, even in Midtown. If the land is restricted that way because of deed restrictions, then the middown association should spend money to get it altered via the state mandated process. I would imagine that Midtown on the books is really a group of different neighborhoods each with restrictions.

It's not deed restrictions. It's city ordinances. The structures with less than 25' setbacks are either grandfathered in (i.e., they were there before the ordinance was adopted) or sought and obtained waivers from the city. They have the very same issue in the Medical Center; if a developer wants to build to the curb they have to get a waiver from the city. It's amazing to me that the city has not altered this ordinance for the areas of town where seemingly everyone wants to see more urbanization/walkability. It seems to me they should reverse the ordinance for Midtown, Uptown, Medical Center, Montrose/Museum District, Upper Kirby/Rice Village, and the Heights at the very least and make the default requirement a ZERO setback.

[barracuda]

I agree. The (1) 25' setback and (2) requirement to provide off-stree parking explain a lot in terms of the suburban development in Midtown. Fixing these should be top priorities on the redevelopment authority. If they can't change the restrictions b/c doing so would constitute zoning, then let Midtown residents vote on it, and I'm sure people would vote overwhelmingly to eliminate them in favor of urban development.

[musicman]

It's not deed restrictions. It's city ordinances. The structures with less than 25' setbacks are either grandfathered in (i.e., they were there before the ordinance was adopted) or sought and obtained waivers from the city. They have the very same issue in the Medical Center; if a developer wants to build to the curb they have to get a waiver from the city. It's amazing to me that the city has not altered this ordinance for the areas of town where seemingly everyone wants to see more urbanization/walkability. It seems to me they should reverse the ordinance for Midtown, Uptown, Medical Center, Montrose/Museum District, Upper Kirby/Rice Village, and the Heights at the very least and make the default requirement a ZERO setback.

I doubt most Heights residents would agree with you on the front setback issue.

looks like ch 42-155 Urban area-Major thoroughfares wtih planned right-of-way of 80 ft or less - retail commercial center requires less than 25' setback. It would authorize a setback of 5' as long as certain requirements are met. I guess it would be setup kind of like Dietrich's at Hazard and Westheimer. not sure what the right of ways are in midtown.

I think parking is a REAL concern. While i understand it isn't aesthetically pleasing, just imagine if you worked there and couldn't find a parking space. It defininitely would be irritating at the minimum. I hadn't been to the Villiage in a couple of years parking definitely sucks during the day. Luckily Benjy's has their own parking lot.

[MidtownCoog]

Having personally been involved with this board, I'd say a huge part of the failure is with Charles Le Blanc and Co'.s failure to effectively communicate their vision.

This "Urban Village" village is news to me. All we ever heard was talk about benches, lamp posts and trash cans. I must have missed the "Urban Village" press release.

Now they are boo-hooing lack of urbanity?

Please.

[musicman]

Having personally been involved with this board, I'd say a huge part of the failure is with Charles Le Blanc and Co'.s failure to effectively communicate their vision.

This "Urban Village" village is news to me. All we ever heard was talk about benches, lamp posts and trash cans. I must have missed the "Urban Village" press release.

Now they are boo-hooing lack of urbanity?

Please.

Well many volunteer boards have members that don't really understand the various processes for dealing with the city.

[TheNiche]

I agree. The (1) 25' setback and (2) requirement to provide off-stree parking explain a lot in terms of the suburban development in Midtown. Fixing these should be top priorities on the redevelopment authority. If they can't change the restrictions b/c doing so would constitute zoning, then let Midtown residents vote on it, and I'm sure people would vote overwhelmingly to eliminate them in favor of urban development.

This is why I can't stand individuals that come along and want to implement solutions to neighborhood's problems in the context of ordinances that have a citywide impact. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. And the City is limited in the kinds of ordinances that it can create for specific neighborhoods because of the zoning issue.

Except possibly where visibility at hard corners is concerned, it is my opinion that the City shouldn't have official setbacks. Let it be the domain of deed restrictions.

[musicman]

Except possibly where visibility at hard corners is concerned, it is my opinion that the City shouldn't have official setbacks. Let it be the domain of deed restrictions.

But most areas aren't deed restricted which is why the ordinance was probably developed.

[MidtownCoog]

If they wanted an urban village they should have said so ten years ago. That would have helped.

The city knows me well in Midtown. From street cutting, to missing METRO trash cans, to Tony Sanchez' litter, and male toots, they know me.

Search the Midtown site for "urban village".

No results: http://www.houstonmidtown.com

[infinite_jim]

I'm no expert, but I've heard that buildings within the old CBD do not have to provide parking

so I'm curious to see exactly where the line is drawn for the CBD.

[musicman]

I'm no expert, but I've heard that buildings within the old CBD do not have to provide parking

so I'm curious to see exactly where the line is drawn for the CBD.

It is definied at the area surrounded by i-10, 59, and 45

[infinite_jim]

It is definied at the area surrounded by i-10, 59, and 45

that was my orginal thought on the matter aswell, but a friend of mine is the project architect on new niteclub in midtown and told me that they qualified within the old CBD.

[musicman]

that was my orginal thought on the matter aswell, but a friend of mine is the project architect on new niteclub in midtown and told me that they qualified within the old CBD.

Per ch 42-1 in the code of ordinances....

Central business district shall mean the area beginning at the intersection of the centerline of US 59 and the centerline of IH45;thence in a northwesterly and northerly direction along the centerline of IH45 to its intersection with the centerline of IH10;thence in an easterly direction along the centerline of IH10 to its intersection with the centerline of US59;thence in a southwesterly direction along the centerline US59 to its intersection with IH 45, the point of beginning.

[Subdude]

Having personally been involved with this board, I'd say a huge part of the failure is with Charles Le Blanc and Co'.s failure to effectively communicate their vision.

This "Urban Village" village is news to me. All we ever heard was talk about benches, lamp posts and trash cans. I must have missed the "Urban Village" press release.

Now they are boo-hooing lack of urbanity?

Please.

It's broader than a failure to communicate the vision. I really don't think Midtown can be turned into an "urban village," no matter how many visions they toss around. To do so would require land use planning and street modifications that aren't going to happen. We've all seen "visions" produced for Main Street, downtown, Midtown, and Buffalo Bayou, and at the end of they day they remain just that.

[The Great Hizzy!]

So while we're on the "Houston Sucks" train once again, I'd like to know, for example, how the Buffalo Bayou plan hasn't been put into motion? I'm awfully anxious to see the myriad reasons.

[Subdude]

I wasn't saying that "Houston sucks," or implying criticism of Houston. It's just that I find these kind of articles frustrating. I don't think Midtown is cut out to be an "urban village," and these guys should realize that if they want an urban village in Midtown, it's going to take a lot more than visions to make it happen.

As far as I know, the main drawback to the Buffalo Bayou plan is cost and land ownership, particularly with respect to the new channel and island north of downtown and the natural flood retention areas.

[Guest danax]

It's broader than a failure to communicate the vision. I really don't think Midtown can be turned into an "urban village," no matter how many visions they toss around. To do so would require land use planning and street modifications that aren't going to happen.

There are some groups and individuals pushing for Transit Oriented Development around town so who knows, we could get some changes from the City Planning end of things in the years ahead.

The main themes for the "urban village" seem to be;

1) Mass transit

2) Density

3) Pedestrian oriented development, meaning mostly buildings right up on the sidewalk.

In Midtown and around town, #1 and #2 are happening at a normal pace, which is too slow for most of us. #3 is happening in one way, that being that all new townhomes are built very close to the sidewalk., even though we see some gates, walls and doors facing away from the street. Privacy amid the masses is a real need and urbanist pointy heads should understand that, even if the resulting picture is less than textbook perfect. Retail fronting the sidewalk is the real "village" ingredient missing in Houston and, if nothing changes law-wise, we'll end up with an urban village, all right, but it will be Houston-style, meaning a mish-mash of urban style housing with suburban style retail favoring the car.

I get the feeling the urbanist forces will eventually outlast and outnumber the traditional Houston non-planning forces and the results will be seen in areas in the future and Midtown will be mostly developed by then and will be mostly an exhibit of the Houston old-school ways of urban non-planning.