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| President's Message |
| Auggie Campbell, President, West Houston Association |
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 The rain from the “Tax Day” Floods fell especially hard on Greater West Houston. Considering where the rain fell, Greater West Houston produced far fewer than expected of the over 5,890 homes and 1,066 apartment units that flooded. Economists at BBVA Compass estimate losses from the Tax Day Floods at between $1.3B and $1.9B--the costliest natural disaster to hit Houston since Tropical Storm Allison. The eight fatalities that occurred in the flooding were vehicle related. These deaths were tragic but avoidable if people would have listened to officials' call to stay off roads.
Our government officials deserve recognition for their disaster response. All levels of government showed tremendous coordination, leadership, and determination to minimize the risk and toll of the flood on people and property. We are fortunate to have mayors, county judges, firefighters, police officers, emergency responders, and other public servants who performed their jobs so well.
read more
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| Event Review: Technical Forum on the Envision Rating System |
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 Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) supplies water to the Fort Worth area, much like the regional water authorities that supply water to most of Greater West Houston. TRWD is in the middle of constructing massive water infrastructure projects, which are similar to projects that Greater West Houston’s regional water authorities are undertaking in conjunction with the City of Houston.
“We originally looked at Envision because we needed a way to comply with SB 898. SB 898 requires public utilities in Texas to find energy reductions over time, and we couldn’t find any actual energy savings because demand is growing,” said Shelly Hattan, P.E. Ms. Hattan is TRWD’s Project Manager for Line 1 Section J, the project that received a Gold Envision Rating.
“So Envision gave us away to quantify our energy savings and comply with the statute,” said Hattan.
 Rachel Ickert, TRWD’s Water Resource Director, added that, “We found a lot of other benefits to using Envision. We built a framework for stakeholder outreach, life cycle cost analysis, and sustainability that we are replicating on other projects, which will save us time and money. The District will spend about $366,000 on Envision for its $2.4B Integrated Pipeline Project. As an organization, TRWD is committed to sustainability and the Envision process as a way to get there." read more |
| Event Preview: County Issues Forum with Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack |
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 Steve Radack has worked hard to meet the infrastructure and transportation needs of Precinct Three, which encompasses more than 450 square miles and is one of the fastest growing and most diverse areas in the region.
Please join the West Houston Association as Commissioner Radack addresses the most important issues facing Greater West Houston.
The Westin Memorial City is the venue for our event on May 24th. Registration will open at 11:30, and the event will start at noon. To sponsor or attend the event, please contact Auggie Campbell. |
| QPD Community Review: Cross Creek Ranch is a Well-Polished Development |
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Standing inside the big red observation deck at Cross Creek Ranch (CCR), Rob Bamford, CCR’s general manager, points to an enormous pond lined with tall, native grasses.
“That’s our polishing pond, which is part of CCR’s reuse project. The pond is roughly the size of 35 football fields, and we have around 50 species of birds that come to the pond throughout the year,” says Bamford. read more
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| Committee Updates & Related News |
Quality Planned Development:
Website & Features |
| Chair: Peter Houghton, Howard Hughes Corporation – Bridgeland |
Next meeting: June 23rd, 2 pm at Cane Island (pending final arrangement)
On April 21st, the Quality Planned Development Committee met at Cross Creek Ranch. Rob Bamford provided an overview of the QPD designated community. Campbell reported that the North Houston Authority received notice that one of its members would apply for QPD designation. Campbell reported that WHA was likely to receive three application this year (from Verde Park, Ellison, and Harvest Green). The group also discussed how to fund the QPD marketing plan, since the WHA Clay Shoot on April 18 was cancelled and creating a Sustainability component to the QPD designation. The QPD committee also discussed its role in developing a framework for various parts of the 2050 plan. The next QPD meeting will pick up discussion on many of these issues and devote time to the 2050 plan framework.
The June 23rd meeting will include a community tour and detailed discussion on sustainability and different elements that could be part of the QPD designation. The committee will also look at how (and who in) the committee can work on coordinating the 2050 plan framework.
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| Education & Workforce Development: |
| Chair: Chanda Cashen Chacon, Texas Children’s Hospital |
Next Meeting: May 16th, 2pm at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus
The April 18th meeting was cancelled due to severe weather. The committee will focus on building cooperation and joint-programs between our current institutional members (e.g. Katy ISD, HCC, U of H, Texas Childrens’, etc.). We will work to engage more members, including at least one of our Rising Leaders.
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Flood Control, Drainage & Wetlands:
Guidelines Completion |
| Chair: Lee Lennard, Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc. |
Next meeting: June 13th, 2 pm at one of WHA’s Office (Guests: City of Houston Officials)
On April 11th, WHA’s Drainage Committee met with Harris County Flood Control District to review the Supplemental Guidelines and Criteria and for Developing in the Addicks/Barker Watersheds and the Upper Cypress Creek Watershed Upstream of U.S. 290. These guidelines passed the Commissioner’s Court on March 29th. HCFCD and WHA’s Drainage Committee will hold workshops in the next few months to address Bear Creek (1) Drainage Corridor Requirements (May-June)); and Mitigation Banking (July-August). We will meet with HCFCD staff again at the Drainage Committee’s September Meeting. We plan to meet with the City, County, and the U.S. Corps at upcoming meetings. The Technical Forum on flooding issues will take place later this year.
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Parks, Recreation, & Open Space:
West Houston Master Trail Plan |
| Chair: Chris Patterson, RVI, Inc. |
Next Meeting: May 19th, 8:30am at Rick Rice Park (Guests: Rick Rice Park Design Team)
The April 20th meeting at Rick Rice Park was cancelled due to severe weather. The Rick Rice Park Design Team will show the committee its project and provide a brief history of the collaboration that made the project work. The Committee will keep working to develop a WHA list of recommended of park project priorities, parties and means necessary to implement these projects, and common standards that WHA would recommend across Greater West Houston.
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Regional Mobility:
Developing Project Priorities |
| Chair: Mark Kilkenny, Mischer Investments |
Next Meeting: May 9th at noon in WHA’s office (Guests: HGAC officials)
The meeting May 9th meeting will focus on WHA’s project priorities for 2017 and creating a “red list” and “yellow list” of projects to recommend for inclusion on the HGAC Transportation Improvement Plan and applicable Capital Improvement Plans or the Regional Transportation Plan. The group will also spend a little
On April 7th, WHA held a mobility workshop with members of the Regional Mobility Committee met with representatives from HGAC, Harris County, the Freight Rail District, and the Energy Corridor, Memorial, and Westchase Management Districts. The Committee submitted comments on the Houston Bike Plan to the City of Houston Director or Planning on April 11th, which relayed the collective thoughts of the group at the workshop. The letter was signed by John Moody, Mark Kilkenny, Marlene Gafrick, and Auggie Campbell.
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Sustainable Infrastructure:
Technical Forum Proposed |
| Chair: Jim Russ, EHRA |
Next meeting: May 10th, 7:30 am at EHRA’s Office (Guests: GHBA)
The Sustainable Infrastructure committee met on April 19th and finalized details for its Envision technical forum slated for April 28th. The committee also discussed recognition for development teams that use tools from a sustainability “matrix” to be developed by the committee.
At its May 10th meeting, the committee will host GHBA’s CEO Casey Morgan. The group will talk about the Green Built Gulf Coast Program, explore how WHA can incorporate GHBA’s program and similar sustainability programs into its matrix. The “matrix” program will provide applicants with recognition and provide WHA members with information on which sustainability programs are most effective.
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Water Resources:
Reviewing Regional Projects |
| Chair: Jack Miller, R.G. Miller |
Next meeting: May 19th, 2 pm at WHA’s Office (Guests: Jace Houston, General Manager, San Jacinto River Authority)
Following up on the presentation by Jeff Benjamin on the City of Houston’s alternative procurement (design-build) project on Lake Houston, Jace Houston, SJRA’s general manager, will explain how the SJRA used alternative procurement (CMAR) to deliver its project on Lake Conroe. The committee will keep planning its technical forum, slated for June 16 and develop policy initiatives for the upcoming legislative session and for inclusion in the 2050 Plan.
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| Member News: |
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The West Houston Association will establish a Members & Events Working Group to help reach out to potential members and provide ideas on how to better serve existing members. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Auggie Campbell.
Lindsey Woodard tendered her resignation on April 5th, effective April 19th. We greatly appreciate Lindsey’s twelve years of dedicated service to the West Houston Association and wish her and her family the very best. On April 8th, WHA hired a temp, Susan Steadman, who owns event planning business and was an office manager for Blackstone, a luxury home builder. On April 13th, Lindsey assisted in familiarizing Susan with office operations and the status of events. We will seek permanent candidates for an Operations and Events Director. A copy of the job specification is available upon request. We hope to fill the position in 60 to 90 days without using a search firm.
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| WHA on Social Media |
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| The West Houston Association is working to increase our presence on social media via Facebook and Twitter. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to keep up with the endeavors, events, committees and current issues of the West Houston Association. |
2016 Planned WHA Events
Look for more details in 2016 as these event dates and times are confirmed. |
Tuesday
May 24
12-2 pm |
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County Issues Forum
Westin, Memorial City |
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Thursday
June 16
8-9:30 am |
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Purple Pipe Technical Forum
Marriot, Westchase |
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Thursday
August 11
6-9 pm |
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WHA Bowling Tournament
Bowl & Barrel, City Centre |
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Tuesday
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ugust 30
6-8 pm |
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West Houston Delegation Reception
Westin, Memorial City |
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Mid-Sept.
7-9 pm |
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State Issues Forum
Westin, Memorial City |
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Monday
October 3
12-6 pm |
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WHA Golf Tournament
Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club |
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Thursday
October 20
8-9:30 am |
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Technical Forum
Marriot, Westchase |
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Thursday
November 17
12-2 pm |
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14th Annual Tri-County Judges Forum
Marriot, Westchase |
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Thursday
December 15
6-9 pm |
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Annual Christmas/Year-end Party & Awards Banquet
Westin, Memorial City |
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| *Dates and venues are subject to revision based on scheduling and contract considerations. |
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