Print
E-mail
Comment
Community debates merits of management district
By JESSIE WALDHEIM
At a recent community meeting, there were as many dissenting voices about a proposed management district along FM 1960 as there were supporting ones.
“I don’t think there’s anyone here who’s sure that is the answer, but it’s an option,” Richard Murphy, president of the Westador Civic Association, said.
State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-District 150, one of three legislators who would have to approve the district before it could be implemented, told a crowd of about 100 people gathered at the Westador subdivision clubhouse Aug. 21 that she had seen the degradation of the FM 1960 corridor first hand. She lived in the Westador subdivision, then neighboring Ponderosa, before buying land that could accommodate horses just north of FM 2920. Her family law firm’s office is at the corner of FM 1960 and Torrey Chase Boulevard, where cars have been stolen, broken into, people have been mugged and one thief walked into the office to steal out of purses.
“My heart bleeds when I see - and I’m going to call it what it is - blight,” she said.
Riddle said she’s not sure a management district, which is being supported by the nonprofit improvement group Renaissance 1960, is the answer to the area’s problems. In fact, she killed a proposal in 2003 for a management district in the same area because the legislation was rushed and imperfect.
“The only thing worse than not having a management district is having a bad management district,” Riddle said.
But, she added, she wasn’t there to talk. She was there to listen.
What she heard from those gathered were concerns about crime, traffic, signage, sexually-orientated businesses and homeless people in the area.
As a member of the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, Riddle also has heard from law enforcement about gang problems in the area and about a new drug as addictive as cocaine that teenagers can legally buy in head shops, stores that sell tobacco and smoking paraphernalia.
Some residents in attendance questioned how the management district would help reduce crime.
“You can beautify 1960 all you want, but there’s not enough of a police presence,” one resident said.
After speaking with the Sheriff’s Department, Riddle said she had learned it would take about $1 million to have enough of a police presence to make a major impact on crime in the area. She also estimates the management district, as it’s being proposed, would raise about $1 million each year.
“Everything has a real value and a perceived value. A management district will make the area look better as the other issues are being addressed,” Westador board member Jack Busa said.
But, it may also make problems worse for local businesses which are already struggling. The management district would operate on funds gathered from assessments between 6 and 13 cents per $100 of property value on commercial property. Residential property would not be assessed, Riddle explained.
“The creation of a taxing entity frankly scares me to death,” another resident said.
Riddle said the majority of businesses in her district, which includes FM 1960 from Interstate 45 to about halfway to State Highway 249, are small businesses. She’s spoken to business owners, many of whom are in favor of the management district. But just as many believe the yearly assessment would be the final straw that puts them under.
Bill Drennen, who lives in nearby Bammel Forest, said although the assessment would be on commercial properties, the additional cost would filter down to homeowners in the form of higher prices for goods and services at businesses along FM 1960. He added that while the Greenspoint Management District has helped businesses and hotels in the area, it has not improved the residential areas.
“(Renaissance 1960) asked me for my input; I gave my input and I don’t want it,” Drennen said.
But Linda Burns sees a parallel between the assessments she pays as a homeowner so the Westador subdivision can help protect her property values and provide some security and the assessments businesses would pay to the management district.
“I don’t think that’s an unfair request,” she said. “It could be a proposal that could be in line with what people in a community do who care about their property.”
Some other problems that could arise with the management district would include how the board is selected, what recourse people would have to shut down an ineffective management district, what the money collected would be spent on and how that would be determined, and how problems with private property would be addressed when a management district only has power over right-of-way areas.
Riddle was also asked for suggestions for alternative solutions. Her ideas included a coalition of church ministry outreaches working in the area, strengthening the county’s ability to regulate the area and having MUD districts fund beautification projects. She also asked individuals to help by volunteering in schools or as child mentors and reporting sexually-orientated businesses which may be illegal and shops in disrepair.
“I’m not saying no to the management district, but I’m not saying yes either,” Riddle said, adding she wants to make sure the entity would be well-designed, have a vision and be effective. “I don’t think it’s materialized to the point where it would be effective.”
Before the management district could become a reality, it must be approved in the Texas Legislature by local representatives including Riddle; state Rep. Patricia Harless, R-District 126; and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-District 7. Early legislation is due in November. All three legislators, and Renaissance 1960, are accepting community input on the proposed management district.
State your case
Contact state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-District 150, at 281-537-5252.
Contact Renaissance 1960 at www.renaissance1960.org.
“I don’t think there’s anyone here who’s sure that is the answer, but it’s an option,” Richard Murphy, president of the Westador Civic Association, said.
State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-District 150, one of three legislators who would have to approve the district before it could be implemented, told a crowd of about 100 people gathered at the Westador subdivision clubhouse Aug. 21 that she had seen the degradation of the FM 1960 corridor first hand. She lived in the Westador subdivision, then neighboring Ponderosa, before buying land that could accommodate horses just north of FM 2920. Her family law firm’s office is at the corner of FM 1960 and Torrey Chase Boulevard, where cars have been stolen, broken into, people have been mugged and one thief walked into the office to steal out of purses.
“My heart bleeds when I see - and I’m going to call it what it is - blight,” she said.
Riddle said she’s not sure a management district, which is being supported by the nonprofit improvement group Renaissance 1960, is the answer to the area’s problems. In fact, she killed a proposal in 2003 for a management district in the same area because the legislation was rushed and imperfect.
“The only thing worse than not having a management district is having a bad management district,” Riddle said.
But, she added, she wasn’t there to talk. She was there to listen.
What she heard from those gathered were concerns about crime, traffic, signage, sexually-orientated businesses and homeless people in the area.
As a member of the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, Riddle also has heard from law enforcement about gang problems in the area and about a new drug as addictive as cocaine that teenagers can legally buy in head shops, stores that sell tobacco and smoking paraphernalia.
Some residents in attendance questioned how the management district would help reduce crime.
“You can beautify 1960 all you want, but there’s not enough of a police presence,” one resident said.
After speaking with the Sheriff’s Department, Riddle said she had learned it would take about $1 million to have enough of a police presence to make a major impact on crime in the area. She also estimates the management district, as it’s being proposed, would raise about $1 million each year.
“Everything has a real value and a perceived value. A management district will make the area look better as the other issues are being addressed,” Westador board member Jack Busa said.
But, it may also make problems worse for local businesses which are already struggling. The management district would operate on funds gathered from assessments between 6 and 13 cents per $100 of property value on commercial property. Residential property would not be assessed, Riddle explained.
“The creation of a taxing entity frankly scares me to death,” another resident said.
Riddle said the majority of businesses in her district, which includes FM 1960 from Interstate 45 to about halfway to State Highway 249, are small businesses. She’s spoken to business owners, many of whom are in favor of the management district. But just as many believe the yearly assessment would be the final straw that puts them under.
Bill Drennen, who lives in nearby Bammel Forest, said although the assessment would be on commercial properties, the additional cost would filter down to homeowners in the form of higher prices for goods and services at businesses along FM 1960. He added that while the Greenspoint Management District has helped businesses and hotels in the area, it has not improved the residential areas.
“(Renaissance 1960) asked me for my input; I gave my input and I don’t want it,” Drennen said.
But Linda Burns sees a parallel between the assessments she pays as a homeowner so the Westador subdivision can help protect her property values and provide some security and the assessments businesses would pay to the management district.
“I don’t think that’s an unfair request,” she said. “It could be a proposal that could be in line with what people in a community do who care about their property.”
Some other problems that could arise with the management district would include how the board is selected, what recourse people would have to shut down an ineffective management district, what the money collected would be spent on and how that would be determined, and how problems with private property would be addressed when a management district only has power over right-of-way areas.
Riddle was also asked for suggestions for alternative solutions. Her ideas included a coalition of church ministry outreaches working in the area, strengthening the county’s ability to regulate the area and having MUD districts fund beautification projects. She also asked individuals to help by volunteering in schools or as child mentors and reporting sexually-orientated businesses which may be illegal and shops in disrepair.
“I’m not saying no to the management district, but I’m not saying yes either,” Riddle said, adding she wants to make sure the entity would be well-designed, have a vision and be effective. “I don’t think it’s materialized to the point where it would be effective.”
Before the management district could become a reality, it must be approved in the Texas Legislature by local representatives including Riddle; state Rep. Patricia Harless, R-District 126; and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-District 7. Early legislation is due in November. All three legislators, and Renaissance 1960, are accepting community input on the proposed management district.
State your case
Contact state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-District 150, at 281-537-5252.
Contact Renaissance 1960 at www.renaissance1960.org.
Submit a Comment
|
You must be logged in to post a comment.
|
Not yet a registered member?
Click here to become one. Comments to stories and articles on the Web site are not edited or pre-approved before appearing online. Readers posting comments are solely responsible for those comments. Comments must be germane to the story to which they apply. Online comments that are libelous, profane or personally attack another site participant can be reported as abuse using the link provided on each comment. Comments reported as abusive will be reviewed and may be removed from view, as will off-topic comments. BE CIVIL. Individuals continually posting abusive comments to the site may have their registrations revoked. |
