AftonAg

Baloney. Westheimer doesn't cut through your neighborhood. I also doubt you will see many more people cutting through the neighborhood when the LRT goes through, from now. If there is no stop in Afton Oaks, how will that "bad" people go into AG? Also, the streets won't be cut off. I am sure there would be a median opening there.

Trae You shouldn't be smoking that crap this early in the day.

I didn't say that Westheimer cut through Afton Oaks, I said that Westheimer was a boundary on one side, and that we had freeways on two other sides (610 to the West and 59 to the South).

If there is no stop in Afton Oaks, how will that "bad" people go into AG? Also, the streets won't be cut off.

Please explain to me what in the hell you are trying to say with this collection of words and punctuation.

Regarding the ingress and egress it is already difficult to get out of Afton Oaks onto Richmond, especially Eastbound Richmond during peak hours, so let's add a train flying through the intersection every three minutes and see how that helps the ingress/egress situation. Even a caveman could understand that.

This LR Toy Crap is ridden by 40,000 people a day to school, work and entertainment. If not for this train more busses and cars would be on the road. Before a city can have a "real Train" from outlying areas a strong infrastructure of "LR toy crap" needs to be placed around the core so when the individuals came in on "Real Trains" they can get to their point of destination. The main line is the first step and is a successful one.

I don't understand how people in your neighborhood complain about a quiet clean LR running down Richmond when the road already is full of potholes and cars blowing exhaust and noice into your neighborhood. The LR will help this problem. What are you guys going to do when Richmond needs more lanes added and more noice and exhaust is blown throughout your neighborhood?

The issues that my neighborhood and I have with the "Railroading of Richmond" are well documented in the media and on this forum. The Main Street line does not split any neighborhoods that are surrounded on two sides by freeways, on a third side by a street as busy as Westheimer @ the Galleria. If the rail was constructed on Richmond egress and ingress to our neighborhood would be next to impossible. Drivers would intentionally avoid Richmond so that they wouldn't have to deal with the train, which would increase traffic on Westheimer, and cut through traffic in a neighborhood with a demographic that is changing to younger families with kids. How many more years do we need to wait for the businesses to come back to Main? Keep in mind that the coalition against Rail on Richmond also includes many, many businesses on Richmond, not just Afton Oaks.

It was TMC that did the study because they were concerned about their patients. It seems they've been requesting data from METRO and well, METRO hasn't responded so TMC went to the press with their study's results.

Darn Musicman - more confusing facts - if Houston is to get a train it should be a real train not this LR Toy crap! that is really not much faster than driving it was.

Not to defend METRO, but leaking current has absolutely zero to do with the number of people who ride the thing.

It amazes me that you take a simple sentence and put it out of context. Surely you're better educated than that. You seem to be using some liberal tactics that are used in the media. perhaps your affiliation is changing to suit your needs. In regards to "once it's built out properly" means: "Built out to various lines to help meet various living, employment, and tourist destinations. As far as the "Ballyhooed" main street line's leaking electricity, perhaps it you should actually read the thread properly as this was addressed by various people more intelligent than I in pointing out that "Leaking electricity" is not an uncommon problem in most major cities from a wide variety of sources. Reading the thread properly should allow you to answer a question that is relevent to what you're answering to. Remember, it's best to reply to a question or issue that is brought up. It's quite unseemly to answer a question/issue of your own making if you take a statement out of context. If this is the course you're taking, then perhaps you should do something that is more deserving of your habit, like politics. I understand that the Sugarland District is in need of proper representation since the current position seems to be fairly helpless at the moment.

Those numbers are very broad. While I'm not going to dispute those numbers, I assume it's for the entire nation, is it only for the city of Houston? Are you saying that the population of Houston is slowly shifting from Public transit? If so so I'm not surprised, considering how spread out we are.

I'm not saying that Rail is the end all of all congestion, but I believe that once it's built out properly and reaches more population centers people would at least use PART of the rail to complete their journey from one area to another. I've been stating this argument for quite some time as you (and others, I believe) have been saying the same thing for years.

As the major areas of Houston become more dense (like some of our users), driving will be a total pain and will use rail as an option. Those who INSIST on driving will continue to do so regardless of whether rail is there or not, but at least an option should be available for those of us that either chose or not have the option to do so.

I have been away on an extended work assignment so I didn't have an opportunity to reply to this in a more timely fashion. THe fallacy I see in your argument is that one little phrase, "once it's built out properly". The problem is that you are relying on METRO to build it out properly - seems like I read a recent article that there are several places along the much ballyhooed Main Street Line where electricity is leaking into the ground around the rail bed - built out properly indeed.

Actually, I always recommend that users read (or rather skim) some of our larger threads because quite a bit of it is still relevant, or it was at the time it was posting and puts the various arguments into some sort of perspective as opposed to a whole bunch of us simply summarizing our perspective arguments.

I'm just rather curious as to whether you are willing to put up with all the road improvement on Richmond in the next few years.

Ricco -

that will depend entirely on whether or not I decide to keep working at my current vocation or quit to pursue one of my hobbies as a source of income. If I keep working I will stay in Afton Oaks and live through whatever happens on Richmond. . . . .

My comments weren't aimed at you Ricco - you know full well what my stance is and why - we disagree - but have been less disagreeable about it lately.

Exactly.

I was pleasantly surprised to see all of the "Rail On Richmond, Where the People Are" signs in yards in places like Southampton, Boulevard Oaks, the Museum District, Upper Kirby, Castle Court, Montrose, Ranch Estates, West U, etc...

It shouldn't be a surprise that the West U folks want it on Richmond - the bunch of NIMBY'S!

Hey, its coming whether you like it or not. Even if the ballot said Richmond instead of Westpark, do you really think the vote would have went the other way?

You might as well sell, smile, or shut-up.

I don't know how the vote would have gone, and neither do you, so you may can that smug attitude. We can both guess what might have happened and both guesses are equally valid. Perhaps if you would go back and read all of the posts you might discover that the purpose of my post listing the Afton Oaks Reasons for being against rail was purely informational for a new poster.

I will refrain from pummeling you with clever repartee for the time being.

The argument for concrete over asphalt is durability. Concrete will last much longer before breaking down than asphalt. However, concrete is much more expensive, leading to the age old debate of spending more now or later.

The City seems to have taken the approach of replacing many heavily travelled roads with concrete. An example would be Studewood, or closer to Richmond, Kirby. Stormwater pipes were replaced under both streets. I don't know if the stormwater aspect dictated the decision or the fact that these heavily travelled streets will not need to be disturbed for repairs for a longer period. I would suspect that Richmond would be a prime candidate for concrete.

Isn't it interesting though that the only part of Richmond that has seen any significant upgrade is that area just outside 610? That portion was done when the whole Galleria area got its face lift, and all of the silver arches, new street lights etc. I doubt it was just politics and money, who was the Mayor when that was done anyway? It wasn't our current mayor Guillermo Blanco . . . I am thinking that was under the Lanier Regime - and he just happens to be good friends with one Gerald Hines - owner and developer of the Galleria. Sorry for straying off topic - I am sure I will be chastised accordingly - it is an intriguing aside though . . . . .

Does anyone know whether Richmond would need to be completely reconstructed (even without rail along it) or whether it could just be resurfaced? Most of the OST resurfacing project was minimally disruptive, even though some issues with the contractor made it last longer than it should have in places, and OST was about as torn up as Richmond is before the job was done.

Leave it to Niche to ask the $64 dollar question. The answer to your question will definitely cut to the very heart of this topic - I wish I had the answer, but alas, road construction isn't my area of expertise. I guess the CoH would ultimately have to make this decision and I wouldn't want to hazard a guess on their criteria for re-surface versus replace . . . .

I hope they put a line down Richmond. Like you said above it needs improvment why not put a rail line down one of Houston major streets. Why are people living in and around Richmond fighting it I thought the rail line will raise the price of their homes.

You must be new to Houston, or to this post - The people in Afton Oaks are fighting it for several reasons. None of them according to the popular posters on this forum are worthwhile reasons, but then I am the only poster on this forum that actually lives in Afton Oaks right now. In a nut shell:

1.) The referendum that approved rail called for a line in the Westpark Corridor - to the people that live and own businesses on Richmond that meant Westpark, not Richmond. METRO apparently is of the opinion that the Wespark Corridor is anywhere between Interstate 10 and South Loop 610.

2.) During the prolonged construction period those that live in Afton Oaks will be virtual prisoners to traffic. Richmond will be virtually impassable, traffic from Richmond will shift to Westheimer.

3.) Newcastle will experience an even higher incidence of "cut-through" traffic typically driving too fast and jeopardizing any and all foot traffic in the neighborhood.

4.) The constant noise associated with the rail line, a train every what 15 minutes?

5.) Closure of businesses up and down Richmond - just like those on main street - if you can't get to a business it can't turn a profit, no profit - no business.

6.) The Afton Oaks neighborhood would generate little if any ridership - we don't need it.

7.) there is absolutely no proof that a rail on Richmond would raise the property values. Rail in other cities in other states may have had raised property values, but the rail on Main, which was also supposed to raise property values can offer zero proof that it raised property values. If property values on Main went up they may have gone up in spite of the rail - of course there aren't really any residential neighborhoods on MAIN that the rail cuts through are there?

I drove Richmond the other day, from Downtown all the way to Hillcroft - the only railroad tracks I saw crossed Richmond, there weren't any on Richmond - so much for irrelevant - The Coalition to Stop Rail on RIchmond Lives!

Well, there isn't much news to talk about, as soon as there is news, this topic will pick up once again. We have a number of topics that dies for awhile until something new pops up.

While it's hard to say whether or not it's dead, we have to wait until the fat lady sings. Remember how SOMEONE kept talking about the various projects were dead and only relented after they saw (or seen pictures of) actual work being done.

I subscribe to metro and I keep up with it as much as I can. One can't post about something that isn't happening.

It's not like we're ALL AftAg, right?

For once I agree with you ricco. Actually none of you are AftAg - there is and always will be only one of me; and I am so thankful for that as are you I am sure. As much as you and so many others on this forum might hate it, I am not going away anytime soon. As for posting something that isn't happening it hasn't stopped you or Nmainguy before, though I must admit he is far worse about that than you.

Did you just acknowledge that an AO boycott would be hard to enforce or that even if it could be enforced, it wouldn't be a huge impact? I was expecting you to chime in and say something to the effect that AO solidarity will prevail.

That there is solidarity in AO is (or should be) obvious. All that I was agreeing with was your comment regarding the business owners along Richmond and their concern about access for their patrons, suppliers, employees, etc. and the detrimental affect it would have on their liveliehood.

Intimidated into supporting the anti-rail measures because of a threat of boycott by Afton Oaks? That's just crazy. AO is just too damned small a customer base to matter, and everyone knows it. On top of that, AO boycotts are hard to enforce as many people just won't care enough to shop with the herd. Far more likely (if anything) in my estimation is that businesses have been intimidated into supporting the pro-rail side.

...but I don't even think that that is necessarily a big concern. They're worried about construction driving away traffic and about lost accessibility upon completion. Main Street scares retail owners, and rightfully so. Look at it.

TheNiche speaks the truth - The businesses supporting the anti-rail measures do so to preserve their liveliehoods. It is just that simple.

My garage/workshop/laundry is (according to the date scratched in the concrete) 60 years old, was apparently built without the aid of "engineering", and is now on the verge of implosion.

I've been debating tearing the thing down and rebuilding the garage with an apartment-style space on top - not to rent, but to use as a home office and to stick people in when they come to visit.

My neighbor (who has a 1000 sq ft garage apt with a full workshop below) however told me that the city of Houston now limited you to a total of 900 sq top and bottom combined for a garage/garage apt structure.

Does anyone know if this is true? I suspect he may just not want me to obstruct his view...

I live in Woodland Heights and couldn't find any mention of such in the deed restrictions. 900 sq ft is a problem as the design that I've been modeling in ArchiCad is 620 sq ft each level, for a total of 1240 sq ft!

That is BS - I just got plans and permits for a rent house I own in SW houston - that will have 1200 sq. ft of Garage with living space above.

All of my nieces and nephews (6 of them) have gone to private high schools except one. She went to HSPVA. She is a succesful actress on Broadway while the other five are working as a spec writer/checker at an architectual firm, baristars at Starbucks and the last two are still in private school. One of those is going to be quite successful and the other will probably end up being a biker chick. If you have a choice in your area, pick the best and if your kids are already bright, they'll do fine. If any of your kids are artistic, apply to HSPVA and see what happens. I understand your $$ issues from our discussions so the best I can give you is to hang in there and look for what's best for your kids-not what some article says is the best.

Can I get the phone number of the biker chick? I have a son that is really into biker chicks, and his birthday is coming up.

Hi,

I'll be closing on my first house in August. My parents will pay cash for the house, but I want the title so that I can sell in a few years without a capital gains hit. My parents don't mind me having title, but they don't want to take a tax hit on selling it to me. Has anyone done this before, or know how I should structure it?

My lawyer friend was saying that it's common in Texas for one party to buy a property, and sell it to another for a nominal fee of $1 so there is no tax consiquense. My parents are hesitant to do this since they aren't sure it's ethical and they don't want to be hit by an IRS audit.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

First and foremost Titles to real property in Texas are not required to list any sale amount. Typically the wording on the title is "for the sum of Ten Dollars and other consideration", or something to that effect. Register the House as your homestead and you will be protected in many ways. Regarding the Capital gains if the house is your homestead you will have a period of one (it may be two) to re-invest the capital gain in another homestead with little or no tax consequences.

You parents could also give you a tax free gift of $20,000 per year (from each parent) They could give that give in the form of equity in the house.

The agents should be in jail. I don't care if they shot at a drugrunner or not. You do not shoot at someone running away from you that is unarmed. And the person shot at should be able to sue, regardless of his citizenship: he was unarmed, running away from the officers, and they shot at him. Those facts do not seem to be disputed.

The United States Constitution protects the Rights of American Citizens and all persons in this country legally. If you aren't here legally you are by definition a criminal. Unfortunately the Border Guard didn't kill the guy . . . dead people don't sue. Maybe the next Border Guard will let someone go that runs from them and they will turn out to be a terroist with truly evil intent.

Expect to see President George W. Bush issue a pardon to the Border Guard. I hope that when the Drug Runner shows up for the civil suit INS cart's his sorry, ILLEGAL butt away, and that he is treated respectfully all the way back to the border.

The sad part is, while Houstonians sit around and bicker amongst ourselves, other cities will gladly take OUR federal tax dollars and use it to expand their systems.

We've lost out on federal funding once while cities like Dallas-Ft Worth, Minneapolis, and Portland got lavished in dollars that could have been ours.

While our pols fight about corridor definitions and call for horribly expensive and totally unnecessary elections (after the rail line was already started), other metro areas are working together collaboratively to expand their service. They see that while they themselves might not be a fan of lightrail or other transit options, that by offering it, they can help do other things (like hopefully decrease car dependency, help with pollution control standards, spur development in the central cities, and lure today's creative class that likes things like public transit, urban living, and cities that care more about quality of life than making a quick buck).

If the people in those cities are behind what their transit org's are doing and those transit org's aren't playing BS games with the verbage on the ballot regarding routes then more power to them. I am glad we are not wasting tax dollars on an ill conceived, unwanted line on Richmond.

You Go John Culberson!

Why can't it be about me? The AO people think its all about them. The whole city has to suffer because a few people with money paid a congressmen to support them. I'm just following the AO model.

Note - same mistake - different poster - the Anti rail on Richmond coalition is much more than just Afton Oaks, and just because the current planned route avoids our neighborhood doesn't mean that AO is happy. You see we committed to our coalition, and the folks on lower Richmond that still don't want rail still need support from AO - we will be there for them, just like they have been there for us. We won't cut and run.

I thought that I'd presented a balanced viewpoint. Why should my own opinion change based upon the day? It might change based upon reason and logic, but never upon the day.

"Conspiracy" has an extremely negative connotation, and in legal terms, requires that the intent of an agreement between multiple people or entities be to perform an illegal act. If I am correct and METRO is simply playing a political game, then they would be no different from other government agencies and politicial organizations. Culberson has done it much more overtly than METRO has. And neither would be breaking the law, either.

I guess my objection to you referring to AO residents as "political pawns" stems from the fact that it was only after METRO announced that the route would not run through the neighborhood. Not once that I can recall, in all of your posts prior to the announcement did you make that observation, or mention how astute METRO was at playing political games. Shortly after that announcement I chided all the "railies" on this forum for underestimating the Anti Rail on Richmond Coalition and BAM! You have a sudden revelation that METRO used AO as pawns in some much bigger scheme. I hope you can understand how from my perspective it sounds like a great big case of sour grapes on your part.

It is, but it will make me feel better.

and it's all about you isn't it?

METRO is under no obligation from the ballot language to put the route along Westpark, Richmond, or any other street. They can put the line along any of these streets, but have chosen not to use Richmond through Afton Oaks. AO people think that they won a victory; I think that they were political pawns in a larger game. In either case, if METRO has decided not to put LRT along Richmond through AO, they probably would also decide not to put BRT along Richmond through AO. ...but again, they aren't constrained or necessarily obligated by ballot language.

Here we go with the conspiracy theory again . . . . same BS differewnt day eh Niche?

It has been confirmed in an article about a year ago that adding a subway in Houston is feasible. I'll find the article and post it later.

Feasible - adj, Capable of being done or carried out.

I didn't say, imply or infer that it couldn't be done. (Read the quote at the bottom of my posts) It could certainly be done, it is just much more expensive to tunnel here than it is in Dallas.

What MM may have meant Tom Delay (there may have been others I'm not aware of) would approve federal funding for Dallas mass transit but not for Houston. Now it looks like Culberson is picking up the ball and standing in the way of federal funding for mass transit in Houston. That is, if he and a small vocal minority in Afton Oaks get their way.

A small vocal minority - as I said before - the railies underestimated us and that is one reason we were successful. The Anti rail on Richmond Coalition is much larger, better organized, and better funded than the railies or METRO anticipated.

"Over? Nothing's over until we say it is. Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?" Brother Bluto - Animal House

"I mean if Dallas could do it, what is the problem with Houston?" is confrontational.

I have to ask how both cities have access to the same resources? That is just not true IMO.

While both cities may have access to the same resouces, the SOIL conditions in the cities are dramatically different, as is the distance from the surface to the water table - a major concern when running any substantial tunneling efforts. Houston is also has a phenomenon known as subsidence (sp?) which means we are slowly sinking, complicating tunnelling operations even further.