Leonard

Houston19514, did you see the link I posted previously to the approved planting plan? That plan is no longer valid. I don't have a link for the new plan, but if I find one, I will post it. I do appreciate you asking for the data and I wish I could provide it to you now.

Red, the City is on the hook for around $115K worth of cosmetic work on the current bridge - plus 20% overhead and unknown interest. Yay new balusters and paint!

Yes, my comment about giving all the city's property to Walmart was silly - we don't need to give them anything else.

But it's not silly that the City told us that the 380 will make the development better, specifically as to sidewalks and trees when it actually makes the development worse as to sidewalks and trees. The public expected tree-lined sidewalks, instead, they got more than nine 22-year-old oaks cut down and replaced with four 1.5-inch crepe myrtles. It's wrong. The City isn't holding Walmart to Chapter 33, they aren't holding them to the replat of Koehler that required 4-inch trees on Koehler. They aren't even holding them to the original approved planting plan. This is not a "better" development, it's subpar.

kylejack, maybe you and red can sponsor an ordinance to give all our public property to Walmart. Why not?

Parking lot trees probably aren't "shade trees". And they belong to Walmart, not the public. This development was supposed to be "better" because of the 380, specifically as to sidewalks and trees. It's not. It's worse. Yale and Koehler should be tree-lined.

Redscare, we're going to pay for the parking lot trees. And for them bulldozing $200 - $300K worth of public trees.

fwki - April is a terrible month to plant trees in Houston. Do it in November.

Just FYI - The tree plan for the Walmart has been changed quite a bit. There will be no street trees except for four 1.5-inch trees at Yale and the feeder - probably crepe myrtles. No trees at all on Yale or Koehler. Fewer trees on the Heights esplanade. They are mitigating all the caliper inches removed except for 6 inches (the four crepes) within the parking lots (and not on the edge to shade the sidewalks).

And we're paying for this via the 380. We're paying to remove $200K to $300K worth of live oaks and replace them with Walmart parking lot trees.

here's the tree mitigation plan. it's on page 5 or 6. http://rudh.org/archives/341

The one tree on Yale closest to the bridge that was supposed to be saved was also bulldozed.

H19514 I don't have a link.

RS -This forum is about the Heights Walmart - I'm just trying to share some information with those that are interested. I'm on topic.

I understand that you believe that everyone thinks as you and SilverJK do, that the 380 is worth Yale with less trees (both in number and caliper), even though one of the major points selling the 380 was sidewalks and trees.

H19514 - from the landscaping plans approved by the city. It has the caliper inches on them too.

"diamater" - was that quick enough?

RS, I disagree that I've lost every singe argument about this development and the 380. Even you think the developer should plant trees lining both sides of Yale. The issue is that they are not. The issue is that there will be 75% less tree caliper inches (over 150 caliper inches lost) on Yale and 6 fewer trees.

The Mayor pushed the 380 saying the development would be better, specifically in regard to sidewalks and trees. Clearly, Yale will be worse after the development as to trees.

JJxi - some of the scrub trees can probably be removed with out having to offset the caliper inches. Only certain species/sizes have to be offset.

Porchman - I wasn't aware that Ainbinder was involved in the Montrose HEB. It is interesting how different the 2 developments are, especially since HEB got no 380 money for that store.

JJxi - at least I found some trees you care less about than the 9 live oaks.

I didn't count the trees, or measure them for that matter. The City and the developer did. The City's rules decide which trees "count" and which ones don't.

They are removing a total of 19 trees from Yale. They are adding a total of 13 trees to Yale. Net loss: 6 trees. Net loss in tree caliper inches on Yale: 176.5.

The 12 extra caliper inches will not be on Yale, but on the Heights esplanade.

Barracuda - they aren't planting anything along Yale between Koehler and the bridge.

Aha haha - yeah, maybe a little bit, RS. But the 380 is supposed to be all wider sidewalks and thicker trees. And Yale will have 75% less tree caliper inches than previously. We're not getting our money's worth. The 380 was publicly announced as making the development better, it's clearly designed to transfer our tax dollars to the developer for the developer to spend as he sees fit. We're not getting thicker trees. We're not.

No matter how many people say that historically, there shouldn't be any trees here, because once it was an underwater dinosaur breeding ground.

We're not getting thicker trees for the 380. Not. Getting. Thicker. Trees. Not.

Marksmu - we're paying over $6M for the equivalent of one extra 20-year-old tree (12 more caliper inches total added than removed from the ROW).

Why so many tree haters on an architechtural forum? weird.

They removed 9 live oaks on Yale near the bridge that were most likely planted in the early 90's making them at least and probably more than 20 years old. This part of the street will be not be replanted, even with smaller trees.

The developer is making up his "tree credits" by planting in the Heights esplanade. The taxpayers are paying for all of this via the 380.

The live oaks removed averaged more than 11 inches in caliper. They will not be replanting trees on this stretch of Yale. The trees did look like they grew a lot during the year and a quarter since the google picture was taken. While the Walmart probably won't turn into a swamp, they will be sending more water faster down stream.

The developer just took out 9 mature live oaks on Yale near the bridge. They were supposed to leave the one nearest the bridge, but they didn't. This stretch of standard-width (not extra wide) sidewalk will be unshaded from now on.

To make up their "tree credits" for trees taken down on Yale, they're going to add trees to Koehler, I10 and the Heights esplanade. Yale will mostly be unshaded with about 75% less tree caliper than before the development.

http://documents.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/traffic/tia_faqs_ver5.pdf

"Property owner shall be responsible

to implement the mitigation measures."

All the roadwork is required via the TIA. They can't get a Certificate of Occupancy without it. Therefore, it's required. From the TIA:

As part of the proposed retail development

additional roadway improvements are planned as a deliberate effort to enhance mobility, provide

access and reduce the impact of this development on traffic. Some of these major improvements

are,

��

Installation of fully actuated traffic signal at intersection of Koehler Street at Yale Street

��

Widening and extending Koehler Street from Bass Street to Heights Boulevard

��

Extending and reconstructing Bass Street north of Koehler Street to IH-10 EBFR

��

Constructing a northbound left turn lane on Heights Boulevard at Koehler Street

��

Widening Yale Street to provide dedicated left turn lanes to the proposed development

samagon: "is there an expectation that if you buy a piece of land that previously had a building on it (and therefore had all sewer, water, electric) that you re-do all of those lines even if they work properly? I didn't bring up the park, cause well that's such a small component of the overall cost. But the drainage is a pretty big component, and if there is no rule in place that they would normally have to upgrade all sewer lines, then why would they unless compelled through a mechanism such as this?"

This is a great point - if the lines all work properly and are adequate for the development, they should not be redone by anyone. It would be a waste of money.

You're right, Redscare. They would only do half the street at a time. We'll see when they're done.

The Exhibit C list in the 380 is preliminary, they have eliminated the onsite detention and the traffic light at Heights and Koehler/2nd (the City did not want the light). They've also eliminated resurfacing the Yale Street Bridge (the surface was deemed "adequate") - not sure about resurfacing the Heights bridges.

Oh, sorry - makes sense. Do not like Parker.

"I told you what a snake she was during the historic district fight, but you gleefully supported her then." WRONG!

You just make stuff up don't you? I don't support Parker and I never have. I didn't during the historic district fight and I don't support her now.

Again, they only repaved half of Bonner (one lane) and that's because they tore it up.