Mayor Pro Tem Martin's May 2023 Newsletter

Monthly Newsletter

May 5, 2023 Issue 124

Dear residents,

In case you missed it, I hope District E residents are just as proud as I am of Culture Map’s article last month, “Houston's 'Livable Forest' neighbor tops Heights as hottest neighborhood on the market in 2023”. When Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Kingwood Area in 2017, there were two paths for our commuinity to take. One that led to degradation and decline, the other path resilience and restoration. Culture Map refers to the community aesthetic of Kingwood, our green landscape, rich tree canopy, 14,000 acres of community, but does not touch on who lives in Kingwood.

Kingwood is made up of people with a true sense of community and grit, many residents have laid down roots so deep that not even over 48 inches of water can stop Kingwood when it rallies together. It started with our “Plea for Three” as Residents, Businesses, and area leaders banded together with a vision. Post-Harvey major projects were identified, committed to, and then work began with the immediate interior channel remediation projects and desilting of over four (4) million cubic yards of material in the San Jacinto River and Lake Houston.

Partnership projects were identified on Ben’s Branch, Taylor Gulley, and the Kingwood Diversion Channel. Groundbreaking of Northpark Drive commenced on April 13 and will provide the Kingwood Community with its very own hurricane evacuation route, increased lane capacity, and a grade separation over the railroad tracks at Tx Loop 494. I've been working diligently to put a stop to bad development negatively impacting the Elm Grove Community by purchasing a future potential home site that was flooding Villages in the northern area of Kingwood. Kingwood is not just a neighborhood with houses, it’s a community of people unlike anywhere in the City of Houston.

I am committed to annual projects district wide like dead and dangerous tree removal, concrete panel replacements, working with local developers to improve commercial developments in the area and funding police overtime initiatives to enhance community safety. It's rewarding to see an independent Magazine recognize our efforts since August 27, 2017 and declare Kingwood as the "HOTTEST" Neighborhood in the City of Houston.

It’s easy to take our community for granted, and the work being done around the City of Houston, but this makes it real, the Kingwood Community is doing amazing things and standing out for all the right reasons. God Bless and #Kingwood Strong, next year we will strive to have Kingwood AND Clear Lake at the top of this list.

The District E Office will be closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of the Memorial Day Holiday.

Sincerely,

The District E Office

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin

900 Bagby, First Floor

Houston, TX 77002

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (832) 393-3008

The District E Team

Jessica Beemer

Chief of Staff

Dustin Hodges

Deputy Chief of Staff

Daria Glasscock

Constituent Outreach Representative and South Sector Manager

Demari Perez

Executive Assistant

Yasmine Perez

Office Manager

City Resources

Kingwood Community Center

(281) 348-2570

Houston 311 (713) 837-0311

City of Houston Solid Waste Department

City of Houston Office of Emergency Management

Community Resources

Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

South Belt-Ellington Chamber of Commerce

Partnership Lake Houston

Kingwood Service Association

Kingwood Super Neighborhood Council

City of Houston Budget Process Kicks Off

The City of Houston Budget process is getting underway later this month with Department Budget Workshops, May 17 through May 25. The full schedule is posted online here. All workshops will be held in-person and broadcast online utilizing HTV Houston. Public speakers will be in-person only.

To sign up as an in-person public speaker for our upcoming budget workshops you may do so here. Please keep in sign all public speakers must sign up 24 hours in advance of the workshop they wish to provide comment. Mayor Turner will release the proposed budget on Tuesday, May 16, and city council will begin hearing budget presentations from departments the next day, Wednesday, May 17. A public hearing on the city's budget will be held Wednesday, May 31, and the budget vote will take place Wednesday, June 7.

At-Large 5 Council member, Sallie Alcorn, has kicked off the budget discussion with her annual budget resident survey. It is encouraged for you to participate in Council member Alcorn's "Give Us Your 2¢", City of Houston budget survey. In an effort to assist resident’s that cannot attend public comment in person Council Member Alcorn has made this link available for residents to submit questions."

Tree Planting Event in District E

Trees For Houston is partnering with the City and Harris County to host a Tree Planting Event on Saturday, May 20 at 8:45am along El Dorado Blvd.

There will be 500 trees to be planted at this event and Trees For Houston are looking for 100 dedicated volunteers to help. Trees For Houston provides all materials needed to plant; gloves, shovels, etc. They kindly ask that all participants wear closed-toe shoes and bring water, snacks, or any other materials to keep yourself comfortable.

To learn more about this event, and to register as a volunteer, please click here.

Freeway Manor Park Construction Update

Freeway Manor Park construction began back in January of this year and is on track to conclude by June 2023. The park is still closed for construction, and demolition has not yet started but will begin soon according to the Houston Parks Board.

The improvements at Freeway Manor Park will include resurfacing the parking lot, repairing the walking trail, replacing park benches, regarding the baseball field, updating the picnic areas, repurposing the existing tennis court to a soccer mini-pitch, and improving park lighting.

Construction activities will occur Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturdays, between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Earlier starts might be required for any concrete pouring in case of high temperatures.

Residents should be mindful of the active construction site and not enter areas surrounded by orange construction fencing.

City Council has approved two agreements between the City of Houston and Houston Parks Board that underscored the commitment to this public/private partnership by appropriating almost $6.2 million from the City of Houston’s Parks and Recreation Dedication Fund and General Fund for this work to begin on the first 11 parks of the 50/50 Park Partners initiative.

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for the continuous operation and upkeep of the parks, examining and approving plans, and delivering the public funding commitment. Houston Parks Board is serving as the project manager and overseeing the private fundraising for the 50/50 Park Partners initiative in coordination with Greater Houston Partnership.

Kingwood Drive Panel Replacements Completed

Over the last two months, Houston Public Works completed concrete panel replacements from Green Oak Drive to Royal Forest Drive in both eastbound and westbound lanes. The total cost of the panel replacements was $335,000 and was funded with Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Funds.

The panel replacements were broken into two phases, Green Oak Drive to Chesnut Ridge Drive and Chestnut Ridge Drive to Royal Forest Drive. The first phase began on March 20 and was completed by April 3. This allowed the contractor, JFT Construction, to start on the second phase sooner, April 4, and finish on April 27. The two phases in total were initially estimated to take 91 business days to complete, which would've been in early July. Thankfully the contractor was able to complete all the work in only 38 business days.

The panel replacements were done to improve mobility and traffic safety through this stretch of roadway. Thank you to Houston Public Works and JFT Construction for a job well done.

HCDCD Flood Insurance

Harris County Flood Control District recommends that all Harris County residents become informed about their flood risk and have flood insurance no matter where they reside in Harris County. The devastating effects of flooding do not end when the stormwater recedes after a flood event. Flood insurance accelerates the rebuilding and replacement of personal property and fosters community resiliency as a whole. Flood insurance does take 30 days to become active, so keep that in mind as hurricane season nears.

Click here to learn more about why you should get flood insurance and learn about how to get it. Note that you cannot buy flood insurance directly from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). If you’re interested in purchasing flood insurance, your homeowners, renters, or business insurance agent may be able to help you. You can also contact the NFIP Help Center at 800-427-4661.

Willow Creek Way Panel Replacements

Houston Public Works is currently replacing concrete panels along Willow Creek Way from Possum Creek to Flagstone Terrace which began Monday, April 24, 2023. The repairs are expected to be completed by Monday, June 5, 2023, and construction activities are expected to take place Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

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 a 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.

Traffic Safety Improvements Planned for

Kingwood Drive Near H-E-B

Houston Public Works will be installing traffic safety improvements in the Kingwood Drive median to the east of W Lake Houston Parkway and west of the Kings Crossing Drive traffic signal. The project is expected to start Monday, June 5 with an estimated completion date of Friday, June 30, weather permitting. The cost of the project will be funded by Mayor Pro Tem Martin's Council District Service Fund.

This Kingwood Drive median opening has been the site of numerous serious vehicle accidents. The planned improvements are expected to greatly improve safety. The most noticeable change to residents will be no longer having access to go straight across this median cut-through. Instead, residents exiting the shopping centers on the north and south of Kingwood Drive will need to utilize the signalized intersections at Kings Crossing Drive or W Lake Houston Parkway. For those residents traveling eastbound on Kingwood Drive, there will be direct access to the north shopping center through a left turn lane in the median. No other approaches will be permitted through the median.

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 may 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.

San Jacinto Bayou Greenway Now Open

Mayor Pro Tem Martin joined the Houston Parks Board (HPB), the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D), the Harris County Flood Control District, and other key project partners to celebrate the opening of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway on Saturday, April 15. The 2.5-mile Bayou Greenway segment begins at Hamblen Road near Burning Tree Court and spans to Woodland Hills Drive, where it connects to the over 75-mile Kingwood Greenbelt trail system.

Notable features of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway include:

Trail connection for Kingwood residents at Woodland Hills Drive to access the Bayou Greenway
New off-street trails, as well as the use of existing residential streets for the trail system
Planting of native trees, meadows, and wildflowers
14.5 acres of newly acquired land to be preserved as permanent parkland
Benches, seating areas, and overlooks
Interpretive and directional signage
Trash cans and recycling containers

Houston Parks Board will continue ongoing maintenance of the San Jacinto Bayou Greenway through its Conservation and Maintenance Program. This includes weekly trash pickup, bi-weekly mowing of grass along the concrete trail, upkeep of the trail and amenities, and any necessary flood cleanup.

San Jacinto Bayou Greenway is one of nine bayous being transformed as part of Bayou Greenways, a public-private partnership between the nonprofit Houston Parks Board, the City of Houston, and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The initiative is implemented in close collaboration with the Harris County Flood Control District, which manages the county’s bayous and creeks for drainage and flood risk reduction. Bayou Greenways will transform 3,000 acres of underutilized land along nine major waterways and create a 150-mile network of connected parks and trails along Houston’s major waterways.

Construction starting soon on Oak Meadow Park

Houston Parks Board and Houston Parks and Recreation Department are excited to share an update on Mayor Turner’s 50/50 Park Partners initiative and the park improvements slated for Oak Meadow Park.

Construction will begin in the next several weeks on elements that were identified by the community.

The improvements at Oak Meadow Park will include replacing the playground, resurfacing the walking trail, adding benches, renovating the basketball court, improving the multi-purpose field and site drainage, adding a picnic pavilion, updating and adding site lighting, and enhancing the volleyball court. Construction is expected to be complete towards the end of 2023. For more information, please contact Houston Parks Board.

Trees for Kingwood Launches Trees for Students Program

Mayor Pro Tem Martin joined volunteers with Trees for Kingwood in planting trees donated by the City of Houston, Kingwood Rotary Club, and Bear Branch PTA on Wednesday, April 12. This fall, Trees for Kingwood and Bear Branch Elementary School will initiate an educational program for students. Commissioner Tom Ramsey of Harris County Precinct 3 has offered to have a forester from Jesse Jones Nature Center come to the campus to teach the students about Texas native trees and to provide field trips to the Precinct 3 Nature Center. Trees for Kingwood will secure seedlings for the students to plant on a plot at the campus. After the trees mature the students will be able to transplant the trees at their homes or on green spaces in Kingwood.

The mission of Trees for Kingwood is to restore the Livable Forest. Over the last 5 decades, Kingwood has lost over ten thousand trees due to disease, storms, and drought. Regeneration of the Livable Forest has been hampered by a number of invasive vine species that choke off new tree growth.

Trees for Kingwood will need both volunteers and financial support to achieve its mission. Volunteers are needed to clear areas of vines and other invasive plant species where the tree canopy has been lost in the preparation for new tree plantings. Volunteers are also needed to support the planting and care of new trees. Financial support is needed to support the purchase of trees and contractor and equipment rentals to support the reforestation effort. Charitable contributions can be made to the KSA Parks Foundation for the Trees for Kingwood effort. For more information please visit their website t reesforkingwood.org or email them at [email protected].

Back Row: Kakie Palmer, Bear Branch Elementary Principal; Charlie Buscemi, President Kingwood Rotary; Dee Price, Trees for Kingwood; Dave Martin, Houston Mayor Pro Tem.

Front Row: Harper Naivar and Quinn Thompson, 3rd Grade Students at Bear Branch Elementary.

Fire Craft BBQ Ribbon Cutting

District E Staff attended the Fire Craft BBQ Ribbon Cutting to congratulate owner David Welch on their new brick-and-mortar location in Kingwood. Located at 2665 Royal Forest Drive, Ste. B10, the barbecue joint offers a variety of naturally seasoned and cured meats that are slow-smoked and roasted over Texas hardwoods.

The restaurant, which has been operating as a food trailer since 2017, also offers catering services. In addition to its selection of meats, the restaurant offers traditional Southern-style sides and housemade desserts. For 2022, Fire Craft BBQ was named as a finalist for the Houston Chronicle's Best of the Best - BBQ.

Voting for Houston Chronicle's Best of the Best opens back up on May 15th, 2023. Click here for more information on how to vote.

Mayor Pro Tem Martin Meets with Council General of Japan and Visiting Students

Chiba, Japan is one of the oldest Sister-Cities in the City of Houston's Sister City Program becoming a partner in 1972. The Sister Cities Program is a concept established in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed linking American cities with cities in other countries to exchange people, ideas and cultures. Mayor Pro Tem Martin visited Chiba, Japan last fall and was excited to have this opportunity today.

Mayor Pro Tem Martin had the honor of meeting with students from a Japanese school from Chiba along with the Council General of Japan, Mr. Hirofumi Murabayashi. These students and Council General Murabayashi got the chance to tour Houston City Hall alongside Mayor Pro Tem Martin.

District E Staff Tours Nasa and Johnson Space Center

District E staff along with members of the City Council Administrative Office had the opportunity to tour NASA Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston on Friday, April 28. This tour gave staff the chance at an in depth look inside all the incredible things NASA is currently doing for human spaceflight and our community. Tour participants learned how astronauts and engineers are working together on concepts that allow for plants to be grown in space, which eventually lead to what may very well become Space Farming. This would allow astronauts it grow their own food in space and quite possibly on Mars.

Mayor Pro Tem Martin and District E staff would like to personally thank Christopher Giulietti and Katheryn Clayton with Johnson Space Center's Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs for taking time out of their busy schedules to give us this amazing experience.

TxDOT Loop 494 Expansion Project Update

Due to delays with the railroad, gas lines, impacts to waterlines, and a joint detention pond, TxDOT has experienced numerous delays with the Loop 494 Expansion Project. The project is currently estimated to be completed in early Summer 2023.

TxDOT’s contractor spent the first few months of 2023 finishing the paving of the northbound main lanes on the southern end of the project and placing driveways. The last major piece to this project is the Kingwood Drive & Loop 494 intersection improvements. TxDOT’s contractor is currently working on a plan to complete the intersection improvements with as little impact as possible on residents. Again, TxDOT estimates completing the project early this summer.The Loop 494 Expansion Project is a multijurisdictional project involving Montgomery County and the Texas Department of Transportation.

The scope of work includes:

Widening a 1.7-mile facility to a 4-lane divided highway
Continuous left-turn lane from Kingwood Drive to Crescent Springs Drive
Raised median from Crescent Springs Drive to Sorters-McClellan Road
Reconstruction of the Kingwood Intersection and elevate intersection to remove dip at RR
Sidewalk installation along the west side of Loop 494 will allow pedestrians to cross Kingwood Drive at the signal

More information on the project can be found by reading the Public Meeting Summary that occurred on March 29, 2017, and the Public Hearing Summary that occurred on November 9, 2010. For more information, contact Emily Black at 713-802-5000. Follow the TxDOT Houston District on Twitter @TxDOTHouston.

Lake Houston Safety Plan #KnowYourZone

Do you know your zones? The Lake Houston Safety Plan provides Lake Houston residents and visiting recreational users with information preparing them to better identify their location on the lake and how to best report a lake incident to 9-1-1 dispatchers.

The "Know Your Zone" map was created by District E in collaboration with the Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Department, Houston Planning Department, Houston Office of Emergency Management, Houston Emergency Center, and the Houston Public Works Department. To date, signs have been installed at Deussen Park, East End Park, River Grove Park, Kings Harbor, W Lake Houston Parkway Bridge, and on the FM 1960 Bridge. Houston Public Works has been hampered by the weather but is still working to install signs that have been requested by community groups and private community boat dock owners.

To learn more about the Lake Houston Safety Plan visit the Know Your Zone website, here. There you can print your own maps, share with neighbors, post on social media, and #knowyourzone. To request a presentation for your group (HOA, Civic Club etc.) or receive resources directly, please email the District E Office at [email protected].

PIP Meeting on Illegal Dumping

Houston Police Department's Northeast division hosted their monthly PIP meeting and this month's topic was about the ongoing issue Houston continues to face with illegal dumping. HPD invited two guest speakers for this meeting including a representative from the Environmental Investigation Unit, and a representative from the City's Solid Waste Management Department. They discussed the various forms of illegal dumping including commercial dumping, battery dumping, hazardous waste dumping, etc. They also discussed what to look out for, and how to report this crime when you see it happening.

Illegal Dumping is a serious offense that can cost you up to 10 years in jail and up to $50,000 in fines. To report illegal dumping, please call 713-525-2728, or contact 3-1-1. HPD Northeast's next PIP Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 11 at 6:00 p.m. located at 8301 Ley Road, public is encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion.

Report a Streetlight Outage

CenterPoint Energy maintains streetlights throughout District E and the City of Houston. If you notice a streetlight out in your area please click on the link below to report a streetlight outage.

You will be asked to provide:

a pole number (or nearby address) for the non-functioning lights you want to report
contact information (in case more information is needed to locate a streetlight)
an e-mail address (if you want feedback regarding your repair request)
the number of streetlights you would like to report

The system will guide you through the remaining steps. To report a streetlight outage using the interactive map, click here.

Report general power outages by calling 713-207-2222 or toll-free 800-332-7143.

Wilson Memorial Park Delittering

Mayor Pro Tem Martin is working with Houston Parks and Recreation Department, (HPARD), to help with the littering problem that is happening at Wilson Memorial Park in the Edgebrook Area.

The District E office has received concerns about the littering and broken bottles accumulating at this park, so the Parks and Recreation team is dedicated to help clean up and prevent this problem for the future.

Cleanliness and safety is a top priority for HPARD. If you notice anything like littering going on at a park in your community, please contact [email protected] or call them at 832-395-7000, to make a report.

Utilizing 3-1-1 to Report Issues

Residents may act as extra eyes and ears on the streets, and soon you'll be able to report a pothole, a malfunctioning traffic light, or a drainage problem while you're out and about. Houston 311 is in the process of launching a new smartphone app that makes reporting issues like these easier than ever. The app will use GPS to identify your location and also allow you to snap a photo to add to your service request. The new app will allow for reports are automatically sent to the City’s 311 system and routed to city departments for resolutions.

You can still alert the City of Houston of issues by dialing 3-1-1 or 713-837-0311 of potential problems in your community. Houstonians can also access this helpful service via an e-mail to [email protected]. A self Service Request (SR) form is available online at www.houston311.org. Once you've reported a problem please follow up with the District E office by emailing your case number and information on the issue to the District E office at [email protected] so that we can help make sure the problem is addressed in a timely manner.