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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAprilWEST UN1VEX2SITY PLACE Volume 22, No. 4 April 1995 1 Yo or NO Yo Subdftr;tll-~~`I(s By Teresa Fogler An issue of paramount concern to me for as long as I have lived in West University Place has been zoning. Among other things, zoning controls the amount of open space and permeable area we must have on our lots. It also controls lot size. An issue which has been getting a lot of attention lately is the case of the "oversized lot" and its potential for subdivision into smaller lots. Possibly you have read about this issue as it pertains to one resident who owns a large lot he is seeking to subdivide. As is usually the case, however, the issue affects far more than one individual and his property. Part of our job on Council is to assure that we make fair decisions which are in the best interest of all or at least a majority of the residents of West U, rather than allowing one voice to hold too much sway. I want to take this opportunity to flesh out the issue of lot subdivision and Council's handling of it for you. First, let me explain what the zoning ordinance says about subdividing prop- -ty. The ordinance generally refers to building sites and requires any new - uilding site created after October 24, 1987, to be a minimum of 75 feet in width and a minimum of 105 or 110 feet in depth, depending on its location within the City. Some of the "oversized" properties within the City are actually more than one platted lot, and can usually be freely split along the existing plat line by the owner. Some of the "oversized" properties, however, were originally platted at their larger-than-average sizes. In most cases, these parcels could not be subdi- vided under the zoning ordinance unless each remaining building site after the division met the size requirements stated above. Council has been approached by the citizen mentioned above in his quest to subdivide his "oversized" property, which measures 100 feet by 150 feet and is platted as a single lot. He cannot subdivide unless Council amends the Zoning ordinance, which would require examination by the Zoning & Planning Com- mission, a recommendation by the Commission to Council that such a change be made, notice to all affected residents of the City, a j oint public hearing of the Council and the Commission, and two votes of Council approving the amended ordinance. In short, it is a protracted process, as it should be. On January 9, 1995, Council met in workshop to discuss, among other things, general zoning ideas. There was no proposed amended ordinance before us for a vote and no other action item before us for consideration. It was merely an opportunity to discuss the subject. The idea of lot size and permitting subdivi- sion of larger lots under the Zoning ordinance was raised by the Mayor and discussed at some length by Council. The minimum lot size, enacted in 1987, -as put in place to preserve the status quo on density in our City as much as .issible. I made it clear at that meeting that I am opposed to changing minimum lot size requirements, especially without considering changes in other aspects of zoning which could preserve the open space which would be lost by subdivision See Subdivide, Page 8 Spring is Here! On Saturday, April 8, 1995, the West University Little League will hold its Opening Day Ceremonies at West University Elementary School, 3756 University Blvd. A day of fun, including a carnival and barbeque, begins at noon and lasts until 4:00 p.m. Tickets for the Goode Company barbeque meal are available for $6.00 each and will benefit West University Little League. For more information regarding the carnival and barbeque, contact Pam Hahn at 665-8472 or Diane Kruger at 664-5377. West U. Little League provides the opportunity for 880+ children from West University, Southampton, Southgate, and Southside Place to play Little League baseball. What's nsfide? Inside City Hall New Public Works Center.... Page 2 A Fond Fare%vell Page 3 No Place Like Home .................Page 4 From the Chief-s Desk :.......Page 5 Seniors Page 6 Community Bulletin Board .......Page 7 Did You Know? Noise created from the use of lawn maintenance equipment and construction or repair of building sites should be limited to the hours of 7 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. Kay Holloway, City Secretary Inside Council Chambers Page 2 From fhe Mayor's Desk "At the risk of tempting fate, I must say that there doesn't seem to be any major problem or controversy that I know of, or that Council has on its agenda." - Bill Hl'atson I am pleased to report to you that it is a slow news day The day-to-day administration of your City affairs is proceeding in an orderly fashion. The change over to surface water apparently has not offended our residents' palates. At the risk of tempting fate, I must say that there doesn't seem to be any major problem or controversy that I know of, or that Council has on its agenda. A citizen called me the other day about organizing a West U. home tour. Is anyone interested? Is it a good idea? She mentioned benefiting the Fire Department or Police Depart- ment or some other civic cause. The West U. Elementary School PTA conducted some home tours about ten or so years ago, so I made some calls to learn more about prior experience with such an enterprise. Costs of security made the previous home tour unprofitable, someone told me. Concern about the possibility of a stranger appraising household contents with a view toward informing a burglar or returning to burglarize was one of the drawbacks men- tioned. Our home was on one of the tours in 1983 or 1984 and it was a pleasant and conscientiously conducted affair. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the other home owners who participated, and years later, we find people who recall the tour. I suppose that should be no surprise because my wife and I remember the lovely homes we visited. It may be a neighborly thing to do; however, I will not recommend it to anyone because I do not know, at this writing, the extent to which those tours create security risks. I plan to ask Chief Griffith and will appreciate your comments on whether or not you think this is a good idea, and if so, what part of our City or City government do you think such a tour should benefit? Let me encourage you to come to City Council meetings and express your views on ways to beautify our City. From as Council ember's Desk "This Council is uniformly dedicated to the provision of first rate City services from first rate City fociiities." - Teresa Fogler In February of this year, preliminary approval was given by City Council to create a new Public Works Center at the Milton Street location in the heart of our City. A prelimi- nary plan for a new 4150 square foot building, providing office space for all of the public works divisions, including the building inspection division, was presented by architect and West U resident John Stone. The one story structure will be an efficient, attractive facility, designed to be a "good neighbor" to surrounding residences and Milton Street Park. Moving all divisions of Public Works to a single location will increase efficiency as well as improve customer service. The existing facilities at Milton Street will also be renovated to provide much-needed locker and restroom facilities, a lunch room which can double as a meeting room for departmental gatherings, office improvements, garage and truck maintenance improvements, and an attractive entry for the entire facility at the intersection of Milton and College. Eventually our plans include the creation of a drop-off recycling facility to dovetail with our current curbside program. I hope the addition of the drop- off will permit us to begin to accept additional recyclables not currently accepted curbside like cardboard, mixed metals, and plastics. Plans for the new facility and the renovations will be finalized during March and April, and submitted to Council for final approval. If all proceeds as planned, ground breaking on the seven month construction process should occur in May. We anticipate the cost for the entire facility will approximate $500,000, which has been budgeted from our reserve funds. This Council is uniformly dedicated to the provision of first rate City services from first rate City facilities. We think the development of this exciting new Public Works Center is a step in the right direction; we hope you will agree. Mayor Bill Watson (665-3969) Mayor Pro Tem Tom Rushing (666-0434) City Council Members Teresa W. Fogler (664-6433), Linda Lewis (662-5812), Stan McCandless (669-1230) City Manager Michael Tanner (662-5812) 3800 University Boulevard - Houston, Texas 77005 668-4441 City Life Page 3 Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction Committee From Cindy Neal, Chairperson Good News! We've collected almost 3 tons! Due to your over- whelming, positive response, the City Council and City Staff have agreed to allow the monthly cardboard drop-off to continue indefinitely. From Sam - 3pm on the last Saturday of each month, bring cardboard of all kinds to the parking lot behind the Police Department. It is a (slight) source of income for the City, so if your neigh- bor doesn't participate, ask if you can bring their cardboard with yours. The more, the better! We would like more volunteers to help receive cardboard, flatten it, and load the trucks. Can you help? After considering several types, West U. compost bins will be avail- able Monday, April 3, 1995. Our first shipment of 100 bins will be offered at the reduced rate of $15. Call to reserve one in your name and learn where to pick it up. Training will be offered in the upcoming weeks. As usual, for information on these and other recycling issues, call Cindy Neal at 665-3949. 2nd Annual S01firncl Cllb Tennis Tournameltf Ayril 21, 22 & 23 Mien's and lades Doubles For i0onnation, call Jinn & Nano CoX 668-7283 Second Saturday Concert April 8, 1995 at 7:30 p.m. Featured performers: Aileen and Elkin Thomas are an acoustic country/folk duo with beautiful old country harmonies. Favorites at such festivals as Walnut Valley, Philadelphia Folk, Musikfest, and the Winnipeg Folk Festival; their music reflects a lifestyle of down-home, back-porch, easy country living. Together or singularly they have performed on projects with artists such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, Waylon Jennings, and Ramblin' Jack Elliot. They have a new songbook along with a half dozen-plus albums of their own, with Elkin writing most of their songs. Aileen and Elkin set their stage as though they were singing at a family reunion. They have many followers who feel that they truly are family. The concert will be held at the West University Scout House, 6108 Edloe (just south of Rice Blvd.). Tickets are on sale at the door: Adults: $6 Senior Citizens: $3 Children under 12 (with adults) are free. This is a family show. Homemade refreshments are available. Call 347-3235 or 495-2923 for more information on the concert. Second Saturday Concerts are presented each month by the Houston Folklore/ Music Society on the second Saturday of each month. The Houston Folklore/Music Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of folklore and folk/acoustic music. In every organization there are employees, (usually only a handful) who always go out of their way to help others in the accomplishment of their tasks. Susan Riedle has served as the City Manager's secretary for three years. A quiet, unassuming individual, Susan can always been seen "on the front line" in the City Manager's office. As the City Manager's assistant, she has a very busy work schedule. Yet, she has found the time to assist all of the department heads with their responsibilities. For example, during the last three years, her assis- tance has been invaluable with the production of the City Currents. Not only does she help with typing material into a format that we can use, she acts as a proof editor to catch all of our mistakes. She has always been willing to help the department heads with the preparation of bid packages, specifications, reports, projects and the coordination of special events. Susan leaves the City to move to Florida and assist in the care of her sick grandmother. We wish her the very best. Her big-hearted kindness, willingness to assist and strong work ethic will be missed by all of us. Police Chief Steve Griffith, Director of Public Works Ed Menville, Parks and Recreation Director MarkMailes, Fire Chief Terry Stevenson, Director of Finance Chris Taylor Parks & Recreation Page 4 Spring Update Please note, renovation to the Community Building has started and will continue for the next several months. If you have any questions regarding class sessions, times, availability or building rentals, please call Adrienne Weigand at 662-5881. All new class sign-ups are continuing in the Senior Wing office between the hours of 5:00-8:00pm. If you should have any questions after 5:00pm, please call Vidette at 668-8096 and she will be happy to help you. Easter Egg Hunt: The City of West University Place will host its 1995 Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 15th at West U. Elementary Baseball Field #1. Activities will begin at 9:00am and the Easter Bunny will be on hand to greet the children! All children up to I Iyrs. are invited to attend. Each participant will need to bring an Easter basket. Admission is free! Summer Day Camp: Kids, Ms. Debbie Ellis will direct our Summer Day Camp this year so expect tons of fun! Activities include arts & crafts, songs, games, pool activities, volleyball, and much more! Limited to 20. For ages 4-10. (Parents, children must be 4 years old at the time of registration for that particular session.) Registration starts May 1 st in the Sr. Wing of the Community Building, between the hours of 5:00-8:00pm one. Location of ca o: Colonial Park Recreation Center Day/Time: Monday thru Thursday 8:30am - 1:30pm Session: #1 June 5-15 #2 June 19-29 #3 July 3-13 (No class Tues. July 4th) #4 July 17-27 #5 July 31-August 10 Fees: Per 2 week session - $80 res. $90 n/res. Shorts Camp: Instruction in tennis, racquetball, and volleyball followed by lunch and a refreshing swim. Enrollment is limited. For ages 8-12. The following is a list of supplies needed for each child: Racquetball racquet, can of racquetballs, goggles, tennis racquet, can of tennis balls, towel, swimsuit, and lunch. Location of camp: Colonial Park Recreation Center Session: All session dates are the same as Day Camp (Monday-Thursday). Fees: Per 2 week session - $75 res. $85 n/res. J1wre J 11o Place -Arne! On Friday, April 7, 1995, the West Univer- sity Little League will hold its annual fund- raising auction at the Wyndham Warwick. The silent auction starts at 6:30 p.m. and a buffet dinner will be served at 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $30.00. This year's theme is "There's No Place Like Home". Just as Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion and the Scarecrow sought help from the Wizard to achieve their goals, West University Little League will look to supporters to achieve theirs. Greenwood King Properties and John Daugherty Realtors are this year's major auction underwriters. Other generous con- tributors include American Bank, Daily Court Review, Fisk Electric, Skeeter's, Larry Phipps Insurance, Diagnostic Center, Gary Skakun, M.D., Rider & Associates and Pheasant Ridge Vineyards. The auction provides 20% of the fund-raising for the League; registration donations cover only 30%. The West University Little League Auction has become one of the most eagerly antici- pated events in our community. With gener- ous support from area businesses, it will feature highly coveted auction items and lively bidding. All contributions to the League will be acknowledged in our Auction catalog and are tax deductible. Deadline for inclusion is Friday, March 24, 1995. For more information regarding the Auc- tion, reservations or donation of an item, contact Tanya Emmons at 668-8494 or Frances Boswell at 667-0704. ~p A complete list of summer classes will appear in the May issue of the Ci(y Currents. PLACE April 1995 Crime Up Close February Aggravated Robbery 5300 Belmont - On February 26th at 11:45pm, the victim was walking out to his car after visiting with friends who live on Bissonnet. As he got to his car, he was approached by four black males. One suspect took a sawed off shotgun and held it to the victim's head. He demanded money and jewelry. The victim gave them his keys, wallet, and jewelry. The suspects took the property. Appar- ently upset that the items were not of much value, they took a crowbar and broke the windshield on the victim's car. The suspects left. The victim in .,is case has been able to give us an „xcellent description of two of the suspects. Detectives are working with several other agencies to find similar occurrences. Burglary of Habitation 4212 Judson - Between February 3rd and 4th, unknown suspect(s) broke into this house under construc- tion and took several power tools and appliances. 6727 Vanderbilt - This resident came home and left her garage door open for a few minutes. She observed two Hispanic males riding two bicycles from her garage. She ran after them and yelled for them to stop. The two suspects dropped the bi- cycles and ran away. Initially our personnel were unable to find the suspects because they were hiding. Later they were found walking down Holcombe. The complainant viewed `he suspects and made an I.D. -harges were filed. Burglary of Building 6723 Stella Link - Some checks that were waiting to be mailed were stolen overnight at an office building. Auto 'T'heft 4200 Riley - At 7:25pm on February 20th, an unknown individual stole a pickup truck. A black vehicle was seen following the stolen truck. 5502 Kirby - Unknown suspect stole an employee's vehicle from Big Frank's restaurant. Burglary of Motor Vehicle 2600 Pittsburg - During the night of February 25th, an unknown suspect broke out a small window on a car and stole the car stereo. 6435 Belmont - On February 12, at 2:30 pm, a resident was loading equipment in his vehicle. He went back in his house to get additional equipment. When he came back, a duffle bag containing several pieces of camera equipment was gone. He had earlier observed a suspicious vehicle driving slowly through the neighbor- hood. 6100 Fordham - During the night of February 10th, a briefcase was taken from an unlocked vehicle. 6100 Charlotte - During the night of February 10th, a window was broken out of a vehicle and several garment bags with clothes were taken. Remember there is a special events ordinance that governs events that are being held in the city limits. If you are planning a block parry or another event that will use part of a city road or public area, please contact Sergeant Mike Peterson @ 662- 5862. 31pom Me Chiel's Desk Many times it is difficult for resi- dents to understand some of the actions that our officers take. Usually the concern arises over an enforcement action that officers may or may not take. For example, recently a resident, who had been drinking, backed out of his driveway and hit a car that was parked in the driveway across the street. Neighbors have been con- cemed because we only arrested the individual for public intoxication, instead of Driving While Intoxicated. In my discussions with the officer, I have found that due to the drivers age (in his 60's), his clean record and a subjective judgment about the level of intoxication, he decided only to pursue the lesser charge of public intoxica- tion. The officer used his discretion to make an appropriate judgment call. Others may not agree, but the officer was simply doing what he felt was in the best interest of everyone con- cemed. Steve Griffith, Chief of Police City Currents Of West University Place, Texas is published by the Communications Committee Larry Massey, Chairman Production for this issue provided through the efforts of Steve Griffith and Susan Riedle. City Currents welcomes your contributions. Forward to 3814 University Blvd., Houston, Texas 77005 c/o Chief Griffith ley the 10th of the month preceding publication to assure consideration. It is the policy of the City of West University Place not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, veteran status or disability. Seniors Page 6 Activity Calendar For reservations, call 668-8478 Tuesday, April 4 - 10:00am - 1:00pm - Free Although we will be meeting at the Fire Department this year, the Health Fair should be as interesting as usual. We have cholesterol and glucose screenings lined up as well as tests for vision, hearing, feet, bones and skin. We will try to have every part of you checked out while you visit the fair. We will also have booths with information on housing, investments and more. The Zoomobile will also be here for a little fun of the animal nature. Friday, April 7 - 10 -11:00am - Donations Accepted As a member of the British Diplomatic Service, Michael Wenner, has met countless international personalities and officials and traveled around the world. He will share these experiences with us as he reviews his book, So It Was. His view of world events, both past and present, should prove to be very interesting. Volunteer of the Month Senior Services has many people to thank this month. Our honorees are the 32 Seniors who donated their time and energy to help us with our Arts & Crafts Fair held Wednesday, March 8. We had a room packed full of very talented Seniors showing off their handicrafts and hobby items. These ladies and gentlemen really impressed us with how artistic they were and still are. We had such a lovely variety of jewelry, paintings, photos, needlework, ceramics, jams, jellies, cookies, cakes, decorated sweatshirts, vests, dolls, personalized stationery and greeting cards, decoupage, stained glass, Christmas tree decorations, wail hangings and so much more. The room was practically bursting at the seams. We especially thank Beth Secor and the Seniors in her painting class at the Harbach Ripley Community Center. Their colorful life history paintings were a welcome addition to our show. Thanks, too, to all of you who attended this yearly event and we hope you'll come see us again next year. t Letters the Editor Tuesday, April 18 - 9:00am - 5:30pm - $17 Today's trip will be to the Confederate Museum in Rich- mond for a tour. Lunch will be at the famous Quail Hollow Inn. Afterwards, we will bus up to the Blue Barn Fun Farm in Pattison. We will be treated to a tour, hay ride and fun with all the little farm animals. If the bluebonnets are out, we will spend some time looking for them before heading back to Houston. Bus is full. Wednesday, April 26 - 11:30am - 4:30pm - Price depends on attendance. Greyhound Racing is fun and exciting. We will fill the van and extra cars, if needed, and take in the races. We will leave early enough to have lunch before the first race at 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 - 9:30am - 12 noon Museum of Fine Arts-All museum tours are $1 for mem- bers, $2 for non-members. The van leaves at 9:30 a.m. for the 10:00 a.m. till noon activity. "As dog lovers, we are increasingly concerned over the animosity of West U'ers with regard to pups in the parks (reference March letter denouncing dogs/owners in parks at night and pre-daylight.) When we first moved here, dogs were allowed in parks on a leash. Then, dogs were not allowed at all. Now animals are not allowed, period. It is frustrating to us that there is no area in West U. for frisky play like a good game of catch or frisbee. In defer- ence to those you who want your parks for human animals only, what about setting aside one park for dog play only? We have seen this done in other cities quite successfully as it appeases all sides. We would love to get feedback from other dog owners on this issue." Edward & Carole Vesely "I strongly support your efforts to limit children rollerblading on the streets of West University Place. I think it is very dangerous and, in the interest of the chil- dren, must be restricted. On a related matter, I have for some time been concerned by the large number of people who walk or jog in the streets. Particularly, after dark, they are hard to see and distract the driver from watching for other cars and other traffic hazards." William J. Hayes West University Community Bulletin oar Page 7 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Upcoming Events City Election, May 6 National Nite Out, August 1, Colonial Park 30 Friends of Building and AARP Tax West U Parks @ Standards Commis- Assistance @ 6:15pm, Conference sion @ 6:30pm, 10:00am, Council Room Council Chamber Chamber Parks Board @ West U Rotary Club 7:30pm, Conference @ 7:15am, HESS Room Bldg. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Council Workshop Recycling Zoning and Planning City Holiday @ 6:30pm, Committee @ @ 7:30pm, Council No Garbage Conference Room 7:30pm, Police Chamber Pickup Department Council Meeting @ West U Rotary Club 7:30pm, Council @ 7:15am, HESS Chamber Bldg. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Communications Zoning Board of West U Sentinel West U Sentinel Committee @ Adjustment @ Club Tennis Club Tennis Easter 7:30pm, Council 7:30pm, Council Tournament, Call Tournament, Call Chamber Chamber Nano Cox @ 668- Nano Cox @ 668- Sunday 7283 7283 West U Rotary Club @ 7:15am, HESS Bldg. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 West U Sentinel Council Workshop West U Garden Club West U Rotary Club Club Tennis @ 6:30pm, Meeting @ 10:00am, @ 7:15am, HESS Tournament, Call Conference Room Council Chamber Bldg. Nano Cox @ 668- 7283 Council Meeting @ 7:30pm, Council Chamber 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Page 8 Subdivide Continued of large lots. At the conclusion of the discussion, it was suggested by City Manager Mike Tanner that we have a joint workshop with the Zoning & Planning Commission to discuss this and other zoning ideas. On February 27, the Zoning & Planning Commission met with us and discussed a variety of topics. One was the subdivision issue. It was agreed by all in atten- dance that no solution can be devised to this problem until the problem is more fully defined. We asked Dennis Holm, Chief Building Inspector, to determine for us the number of properties which could potentially be affected if a change were made in minimum lot size. This examination requires a lot by lot review of the entire City. Estimators at the meeting guessed that only half-a-dozen properties were involved. Preliminary investigation of the issue has revealed, however, a far more extensive number of large lots which could be impacted by a change in the subdivision rules. ZPC Chairman Ned Ross voiced concern for the neighbors of the properties involved, opining that their viewpoints should also be considered in resolving this issue. His opinion was shared by many, if not all, in attendance. We anticipate a report detailing the properties which would be affected will be returned to Council and to the Zoning & Planning Commission by Mr. Holm at the end of March. At that time, we will be better equipped to try to resolve this problem, if that is feasible, and to move forward. In the event a change to the Zoning ordinance is proposed, notice will be provided to affected property owners and a public hearing will be held. As always, I encourage you to voice your opinion on this thorny issue, by telephone, in writing or by attending a Council meeting and speaking out. ® Are We Ong? City Council & Staff want to be responsive to your needs. If you have a comment, problem, complaint or compliment for us, please fill out the information below and return with your water bill. Thanks! Name Address Home Phone # Work Phone # Comment City of West University Place 3800 University Blvd. Houston, 'T'exas 77005 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 600 Houston, TX