Monthly Newsletter
November 6, 2020  Issue 95
Dear Residents of District E,
  
The City of Houston has been working diligently with its civic, business, state and federal partners to formulate effective storm surge solutions ever since Hurricane Ike roared onshore in September 2008. This most recent close call, with Hurricane Laura, has renewed the sense of urgency with our federal partners. What I believe is most important here is that we identify a single path forward and focus all our energy and resources into ramping that project up and moving it forward.
 
Texas ranked third by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for most vulnerable to Hurricanes by property value. Texas is one of the most residential, commercial, and industrial infrastructures vulnerable to coastal storm damage. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) just released the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study Draft Report (Coastal Texas Study) on October 30th which is open for public comment through December 14th.

The ACE will be holding six, virtual, public meetings for comments and will require registration to participate. The first of the virtual public meetings will be held on Monday, November 16, 2020 from 11am to 1pm. Interested participants that cannot make the meetings, can submit comments by emailing coastaltexas@usace.army.mil. All comments must be postmarked by December 14, 2020.

Written comments can be mailed to:

USACE, Galveston District
Attention:  Mr. Jeff Pinsky
Environmental Compliance Branch Regional
Planning and Environmental Center
Post Office Box 1229
Galveston, Texas 77553-1229
 
It is my hope all our local representatives will submit letters of support during this comment period to the Army Corps of Engineers. Once they have provided their support for the Coastal Texas Study, local officials should work with their federal counter parts to ensure the study is approved and subsequent projects authorized once it reaches Congress, expected in early 2021.
 
At the State level, we have an excellent state sponsor for the plan in the General Land Office (GLO).  The GLO serves as the local advocate for coastal communities and the state-level partner with the USACE.  In January, the Texas State Legislature will be continuing its work towards getting a workable plan approved for our protection.
 
At the Federal level, we now have a comprehensive surge protection plan that is moving through the USACE approval process.  This plan provides an estimated $2 of benefits for every $1 spent -- making our proposed barrier system competitive as a national priority for Congressional approval and funding.
 
Specifically, the Legislature will be looking at advancing different funding strategies for our barrier system, including using Resilience Bonds to capture value through avoided losses. You can always expect frustration whenever you work on these large infrastructure projects like this, as they take many years to design, develop, and construct.  In reality, we are closer now than ever to having a workable solution for our region.  The prize is at hand, and we mustn't allow ourselves to get distracted! 
 
It is so important for our local business and civic leaders to stay focused, vigilant, and engaged in the process to inform themselves on the opportunities we have in front of us.  In turn, they can help educate their employees and organizations - and all Houstonians - on the ways we can protect our communities to make the great City of Houston an even more desirable place to live and work long into the future.



Sincerely,



Dave Martin
The District E Office
900 Bagby, First Floor
Houston, TX 77002
 
Contact Information
 Phone: (832) 393-3008
Fax: (832) 393-3279
 
District E Team

Jessica Beemer
Chief of Staff

Katherine Cunningham
Deputy Chief of Staff

Dustin Hodges
North Sector Manager

Mark Mitchell
South Sector Manager

City of Houston Contacts
 
(713) 837-0311
 
 
Mayor's Citizens
Assistance Office
(832) 393-0955
 
 
 
 

 
Kingwood Community Center
(281) 348-2570
 
 
 
 

 
  
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Dangerous Tree Removal Program

Earlier this year, Houston Urban Forestry identified trees for removal, based upon danger and declining health, along the major thoroughfares in Kingwood. The Dangerous Tree Removal Program will occur in phases along W Lake Houston Parkway, Kingwood Drive, and Northpark Drive. The cost of this project is $50,678 and funds are provided through Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Funds.
 
Tree removal began Monday, November 2, and will be completed before the start of the 2021 Hurricane Season. The trees being marked for removal are dead, extremely unhealthy, and/or the most dangerous. The same tagging and marking will also occur on Kingwood and Northpark Drive once W Lake Houston Parkway is completed. Work order(s) will then be generated by block then issued to the City's contractor, Prime Trees, to schedule removal of the dead and most dangerous trees.
 
As a result of the construction activities, please be aware of flagmen and orange traffic cones that will be put in place on site to help with traffic flow through the construction zone as the project will require one lane closure. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times. Businesses and residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times, and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
El Dorado Expansion Project Update

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin is excited to announce the outcome of the El Dorado Swale Survey. Mayor Pro Tem Martin was confident 

residents would oppose the installation of a median swale, however, due to the increased cost of in-ground detention Mayor Pro Tem Martin needed data to support this design modification to the existing El Dorado Expansion Project. The residents of Clear Lake and surrounding communities provided more than 1,500 unique responses with an overwhelming 80% in opposition of the median swale.
As a result, the expansion project will include in-ground rainwater detention that will be installed underneath the hike and bike trail, maintaining the existing community aesthetic. Mayor Pro Tem Martin has identified $585,000 to fund the increase by delaying two District E Stormwater Action Team (SWAT) projects. The two delayed FY 2021 SWAT projects, now being scheduled for FY 2022, are the Ney Street and Evonne street projects. Mayor Sylvester Turner, understanding the importance of this design modification to the community, has agreed to contribute the remaining $165,000 from the City of Houston's general fund.

The addition of in-ground rainwater detention has reorganized the El Dorado Expansion project into two phases.Phase 1 will include the work on expanding the additional lanes, median, and bridge over Horsepen Bayou. The project is on schedule for Phase 1 to be substantially complete in October 2021, weather permitting.Phase 2 will consist of the original design for the hike and bike trail, incorporating the in-ground rainwater detention.Phase 2 is intended to begin immediately following the completion of Phase 1, targeting May 2022 for substantial completion of Phase 2, weather permitting. For more detail, please see the District E press release.
West Lake Houston Panel Replacements

Houston Public Works completed a panel replacement project on W Lake Houston Parkway the first week of November. The scope of work included replacing 9 concrete panels along the northbound lanes of W Lake Houston Parkway between Magnolia Cove Drive and the Lake Houston YMCA. 

The cost of the project was $38,605 and was funded through Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Funds. The goal of this effort is to preserve as well as to prolong the life of the road base while providing a smoother riding surface.
Clear Lake High School Orchestra Honored

Mayor Pro Tem Martin had the great privilege to present the Clear Lake High School Chamber Orchestra with a City of Houston Proclamation for their achievement in being selected 2020 Texas Music Educators Association Honor String Orchestra. This marks them the number one orchestra in the State of Texas. 

The Chamber Orchestra was presented this honor in October of 2019 after performing in front of 30,000 spectators at the Texas Music Educators Association 100th Anniversary Celebration and Convention in San Antonio.

Congratulations to the Orchestra!
Kudzu Vine Removal Pilot Program

Houston Urban Forestry started a Kudzu Vine Removal Pilot Program Wednesday, October 21. The cost of this project was $34,500 and funds were provided through Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Funds. This project was originally scheduled to begin in the Spring but was severely delayed due to the ongoing pandemic.
 
The purpose of the Kudzu Vine Removal Pilot Program is to assess the removal of vines using a test location along Northpark Drive from Woodland Hills to W Lake Houston Pkwy. Crews were mobilized on site beginning Wednesday, October 21 and completed the pilot program this week.

The Kudzu Vine (Pueraria montana) is considered an invasive species in the South especially damaging towards trees. If the pilot program is successful and cost effective, additional locations in the Kingwood area will be evaluated and identified.
Mouth Bar Dredging Update

The City of Houston, through its contractor DRC Emergency Services, LLC (DRC), began mechanical dredging of the mouth bar in January. The total cost for this project is $40 million, which is funded through a combination of City of Houston Harvey Disaster dollars provided by Governor Greg Abbott, grant dollars from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and funding from the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) Bond Program.
 
DRC is completing the scope of work for dredging activities in two distinct phases. The first phase will remove accumulated materials near and at the mouth bar on the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, and the second phase will remove accumulated materials in the East Fork of the San Jacinto River and other locations in Lake Houston. During phase one of this project it is expected that a minimum of 400,000 cubic yards (CY) of material will be removed over twelve months. To date, DRC has removed approximately 385,000 cubic yards of material. 

 

Additionally, during phase two of the project City of Houston, Harris County, HCFCD, SJRA, and Coastal Water Authority (CWA) will develop and execute a plan for the City of Houston or CWA to assume long-term dredging operations on Lake Houston. This work effort will include determining funding for the dredging operations in perpetuity. This phased approach will obligate the full grant funding before the 87th legislative session in 2021. This grant funding was made possible thanks to State Representative Dan Huberty (District 127) through the passage of Senate Bill 500 .
 
Mayor Pro Tem Martin, again, would like to offer a very special "Thank You" to State Representative Dan Huberty for his commitment to seeing this project through and his dedication to the long-term maintenance activities on Lake Houston. Representative Huberty has been a champion for his residents and a great ally in seeing these additional dredging efforts come to fruition. 
Lakeshore Elementary SPARK Park

Earlier this year, Mayor Pro Tem Martin dedicated $10,000 from his Council District Service Funds towards the construction of a SPARK Park at Lakeshore Elementary. The SPARK School Program works to identify areas and communities that have little or no access to public parks.
 
The SPARK School Program works with schools and neighborhoods to develop community parks on public school grounds. In the past 35 years, SPARK has built over 200+ community parks throughout the Houston/Harris County area. Each park is unique, with its design based on ideas and needs of the school and surrounding neighborhoods. While all of the parks are different, a typical park consists of modular playground equipment, a walking trail, benches, picnic tables, trees, an outdoor classroom, and a public art component.
 
Construction of the park at Lakeshore Elementary is still ongoing and should be finished within the next couple of months. The project wouldn't have been possible without the help of Humble ISD, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, and many others.
COVID-19 Mental Health Helpline

The Houston Health Department is launching a new effort to support mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Let's Beat COVID-19: Health Education, and Support Services includes a mental health helpline and other resources to help people adjust mentally and emotionally.

The helpline launched October 1 and is open 7 days per week from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. through December 24. People may call 713-999-9442 to reach a trained mental health professional who will provide appropriate intervention and follow-up.

In addition to the helpline, the program will also offer virtual support groups, toolkits, trainings, and other resources to support people's mental and emotional needs.
The program, supported by $340,326 of CARES Act funding, will focus on high positivity zip codes, parents dealing with virtual learning stressors, and city staff working on the frontlines of COVID-19.