kris3179 Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Everyone on this forum has always been very helpful and a great wealth of information to me in the past, and now I feel the need to share too.The City of Houston could soon lose over 20 acres of Urban Forest located inside the 610 loop to real estate development. It is the last remaining un-protected forest in the city and if $3.5 million is not raised by 12/31/2006 this natural preserve could be lost forever.At a time where Houston AIR QUALITY is making headlines locally and nationally for being ranked among the lowest in the nation, we could sustain yet another blow to our air quality through the loss of this urban forest.I urge everyone to get involved and SPREAD THE WORD and let City Hall know that air-quality is a major concern and that chopping down 20 acres of trees only makes our air WORSE.www.savethispark.org - Grass-roots website to spread the wordwww.west11thstreetpark.org - detailed information about the parkwww.houstonparksboard.org - On-line donations to save the park Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 I am gonna have to be in the opposition to your crusade here. 20 acres of newly developed land is not gonna make a big dent, besides, there will be lots of trees left in place I am sure. I am also sure that Houston's Urban development has done plenty of research into that area to insure proper standards are met in the development of said area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris3179 Posted October 3, 2006 Author Share Posted October 3, 2006 I am gonna have to be in the opposition to your crusade here. 20 acres of newly developed land is not gonna make a big dent, besides, there will be lots of trees left in place I am sure. I am also sure that Houston's Urban development has done plenty of research into that area to insure proper standards are met in the development of said area.You are doing alot of assuming.Do you the know the impact of over 1800 mature trees to the quality of air? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 You are doing alot of assuming.Do you the know the impact of over 1800 mature trees to the quality of air?You think we'll lose all 1800 trees ? Are they just building a 20 acre parking lot ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris3179 Posted October 3, 2006 Author Share Posted October 3, 2006 You think we'll lose all 1800 trees ? Are they just building a 20 acre parking lot ?I think you might be missing the point. This is a 21 acre urban forest benefitting all Houstonians. Once this is gone, it cannot be re-created. This is not just about the tree, but a quality of life issue for all of those living in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 I think you might be missing the point. This is a 21 acre urban forest benefitting all Houstonians. Once this is gone, it cannot be re-created. This is not just about the tree, but a quality of life issue for all of those living in the city.Do you have a survey of just how many Houstonians use this park everyday for jogging and biking ? Does it rival Memorial Park ? Or, is it just another nice area for Bums, to lounge around and set up camp, or for drug users to go run off and get their highs ? What kind of developments have been announced for going up in this area ? Is there a townhome development in place to start breaking ground on Jan.1,2007, or is that just speculation from your groups part ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 This belongs in another section. And it might help to turn off the CAP LOCK when typing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris3179 Posted October 3, 2006 Author Share Posted October 3, 2006 Do you have a survey of just how many Houstonians use this park everyday for jogging and biking ? Does it rival Memorial Park ? Or, is it just another nice area for Bums, to lounge around and set up camp, or for drug users to go run off and get their highs ? What kind of developments have been announced for going up in this area ? Is there a townhome development in place to start breaking ground on Jan.1,2007, or is that just speculation from your groups part ?If you use the links I originally provided you would not have these questions. This will be my last reply to you.Have a nice day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 If you use the links I originally provided you would not have these questions. This will be my last reply to you.Have a nice day! I did, there is nothing there mentioning numbers, just a history of why HISD didn't build. When's the last time anyone from your organization was out there ? I noticed there are no pictures of the makeshift campgrounds. I am sure the neighbors in Timbergrove use those every weekend with their families to spend some quality time ? You have a nice day also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 This belongs in another section. And it might help to turn off the CAP LOCK when typing. Montrose, they are stressing those words. I type EXACTLY like that to emphasize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 I'll help spread the word, kris. I've taken my dog to this park on a couple of occasions. It is a very nice wooded area.(BTW, please only start one thread per topic.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscarbor Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 I wish I owned that property! Hope the city can raise the money, that could be a great place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 It's basically for the residents of Timber Grove Manor. A park for all of Houston would at least have somewhere for people to park.I thought HISD still owned this land? It's an un-offical park if anything. It's still a very nice piece of property. My friend used to live on Shirkmire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houston-development Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 a park? pfht! the possibilities are endless cvs liquor store pawn shop nudie bar repair shop i mean the list goes on and on. trees? we dont need no stinkin' trees. just kidding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 HISD is planning on getting rid of the property which put the residents in position to fight for the parks board to purchase. The city will chip in as long as the citizens that want the park put up the remaining cost.I live literally within a mile of this park. Technically if this park is cleared, the neighborhood wouldn't have a lack of tree problem, neighborhood is pretty much a forest already. I'm supporting in just having a public space preserved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Somebody call Sting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 And it might help to turn off the CAP LOCK when typing. I AGREE, typing the topic in CAPS is annoying to look at, but, it got my attention. It is sad, I am surprise that Carolyn Farb is not all over this too. Where is Marvin Zindler. and yes, this is in the wrong section. I think it belongs in Houston and the Environment, in the duplicate thread. I went ahead and reported this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 This will be my last reply to you.Have a nice day! I say we remove this member, even though her cause is great. She is simply here to SPAM her news and leave, rather than add to the forum, or be annoying like me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Another yes vote and I guess I need to chip in too. I like seeing grass roots groups like this in Houston offsetting the historic demolitions and greenspace demolitions. Greenspace will be so rare once density becomes a reality and not just an urban wet dream.The City should've just bought the dang thing though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 You are doing alot of assuming.Do you the know the impact of over 1800 mature trees to the quality of air?You know, people are going to move to this town with or without this park being in place. In order to accomodate them, we're going to have to build housing. If you provide housing at this site, then you don't have to provide it at other sites...and with 20 contiguous acres, you can very efficiently pack people in, whereas similarly-located and smaller sites tend to be used less efficiently (i.e. fewer units per acre), so that more land area must be used to house the same number of people.One way or another, mature trees will likely be removed as the result. So the environmental argument is for the most part deflated. Incidentally, trees only improve air quality in a limited number of ways. They don't absorb significant amounts of ozone or particulate matter; that's where most of our pollution problems come from. I just thought that you might like to know about it so that you can adapt your argument to a more user-centric style.EDIT: On the other hand, it also seems that when we were discussing prevailing lot sizing and the Sawyer Heights apartment complex, there were also some Heights NIMBYists who may very well have been very simply concerned about the impact of density upon their little slice of inner-city suburbia. Could this be a roundabout means of attempting *gasp* selfish profit-maximizing through underhanded political means? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Timber Grove Manor should buy the property and improve it with park facilities. Doesn't Timber Grove have an active homeowner's association? If so, they should get a consensus of its members, figure out financing and buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 One way or another, mature trees will likely be removed as the result. So the environmental argument is for the most part deflated. Incidentally, trees only improve air quality in a limited number of ways. They don't absorb significant amounts of ozone or particulate matter; that's where most of our pollution problems come from. I just thought that you might like to know about it so that you can adapt your argument to a more user-centric style. Sounds like air quality is not a big concern of yours. That is a good attitude to have, living on the East Side. Could this be a roundabout means of attempting *gasp* selfish profit-maximizing through underhanded political means? No, actually it is simply a selfish quality of life issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 No numbers to back up it's usage, it is overgrown, and is not being used. Red, you've walked your dog there twice in, I'm sorry, how long you been livin' here again ? My point is, there IS better use for the area. I was looking for a house in that area about 1 year ago. We were driving around that greenspace, and my wife and I witnessed a drug deal going down, no B.S. Now, I am no prude, and I know that is a nice part of town that backs up to Montrose, no pun intended. ....and this wasn't my first rodeo when it comes to drug deals goin' down. We were like, "WTF ! We know we didn't just see that HERE." Nobody is using this space for biking trails or walking dogs, ok, ok, maybe one to two dogs a day, that does not constitute a save our parks fundraiser. I know, I only saw ONE drug deal, but I have no doubts that there are more drug deals goin' on around there per day, than there are dogs being walked there. Just one man's opinion though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Red, you've walked your dog there twice in, I'm sorry, how long you been livin' here again ? Now, I am no prude, and I know that is a nice part of town that backs up to Montrose, no pun intended. To be honest, TJ, I only found out about this park in the last 6-8 months from a post on THIS forum. Plus, it is over a mile from my house, so I don't walk over there often. I ride my bike over there, but that would be without the pup...ya dig? BTW....backs up to Montrose, huh? Since when did the Montrose move over to 11th Street? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 To be honest, TJ, I only found out about this park in the last 6-8 months from a post on THIS forum. Plus, it is over a mile from my house, so I don't walk over there often. I ride my bike over there, but that would be without the pup...ya dig?BTW....backs up to Montrose, huh? Since when did the Montrose move over to 11th Street? Fair enough, since you just found out, I concede. That is fair. I know I am thinking of the same space, right off of T.C.Jester. Let me look at the map again. Ok, I looked at the map again, YES, that is the place, and NO, it really doesn't back up to Montrose persay, I am just remembering that Montrose is where we came from to get over there to look at the neighborhood those couple of times, and we used to take our 4yr old to that park by the softball park just a bit south of there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 No numbers to back up it's usage, it is overgrown, and is not being used. . It's being used by the birds and butterflies too, don't forget. I think, regardless of how many deals are going down, that it will be well cared for and well used once it is secured and the area gets more and more filled in with new development. The cracktastic element is continuing to be squeezed elsewhere over there so we can assume that the park will only get better in time, not worse. The urban landscape should be like breathing; in, out, in, out. Pure development is suffocation. The need for relief from the concrete will only increase in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris3179 Posted October 4, 2006 Author Share Posted October 4, 2006 While I concede the CAPS is annoying, I did this to get anyone's attention who cares about preserving greenspace in the city. I did not intend to SPAM the group, but rather try and get support from a group that displays interest in the happenings of our city. I visit the forum weekly and have received wonderful information on many occasions.I currently live in Rice Military and anyone who is familiar with the "townhome disease" in our neighborhood would not want to wish this on anyone. This 21 acre is in a deed-restricted neighborhood and this parcel would not be subject to any restrictions and therefore anything could be constructed. It currently has over 99 species of birds, 1800 trees and the tallest cluster of pine trees in Houston.The recent study on air pollution identified downtown and the ship channels areas as having the highest levels of particulate matter. The proximity of this forest to downtown does help filter some of this. Greenspace inside the loop is finite and once it is gone, that's it. People will continue to move to Houston but who wants to move inside the loop if you can't enjoy the outdoors because the air quality is so poor? People will just continue to choose the suburbs over downtown.Besides the nature argument, it is wrong that HISD used tax-payer money to purchase this parcel from UT 55 years ago for education purposes and now wants to charge the city and tax-payers $9million to have it back. They have never paid taxes on this property and after 55 years now they want to sell to the highest bidder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I was playing Devil's advocate again kris, I really did go look for houses in that area. I know the area is coming back, I have a couple of friends who DO live int hat area, and a couple of more who have rentals in the area. I did see a drug deal, I have seen homeless living out there, I do think the property could be better used as development instead of park space, but I agree with keeping as many trees as possible, and not trying to change the landscape into a Super Wal-Mart. @What immediate actions would you take to insure the problems I mentioned would go away ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 maybe we could call daryl hannah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 maybe we could call daryl hannah. I would not mind seeing her in a tree any day. she still rocks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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