Lake Houston Sentinel - News
Residents complain to city about ‘colorful’ lot
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| From the flower pot toilet to the purple shed with its bright pink hubcap hanging from the carport, the owner of the property at 13501 Bandera is turning heads throughout the neighborhood with his unusual outdoor decor. |
By JOSH HARDWICK
It all started two months ago with a citation.
Residents living near the intersection of Bandera and Uvalde had complained to the city about the property located in the 13000 block of Bandera Street, where tall weeds were apparently allowed to grow unchecked.
To the neighbors’ relief the city responded and the property where a small garage and storage building are located, was mowed, but that’s when they say things got weird.
Christina Martinez, who lives next door to the property, drove home one week in August to find her neighboring lot’s chain link fence painted in hues of bright green and yellow. The day after she noticed the garage building itself had been emblazoned in purple with a bright orange trim.
“It just kept getting more colorful,” she said.
Today the lot is drawing sideways glances from passersby and grumbles from local residents for its garish decorations, which now include a bright yellow roof for the garage, and orange swing set, a red-painted tree stump, and - perhaps the coup de grace – a bright orange toilet with a hot pink seat and flowers growing from it situated at the front of the property.
Martinez isn’t too bothered by the odd choice of colors, but other neighbors are less than happy to see it when they walk out their front doors.
Joseph Jackson, who has lived across the street from the property for more than 30 years, considers it an eyesore and said he believes the owner chose the loud colors as a sort of retaliation for the tall grass complaints.
“He’s trying to attract unwanted and unnecessary attention to this property. We all live here, we’re all property owners and taxpayers, and we shouldn’t have to see something like this every day,” he said.
Jackson has since complained to both the Cimmaron Civic Association and Houston Neighborhood Protection, but was told that the homes in the area, which were constructed in the 1950s, do not have deed restrictions prohibiting the bright colors.
“As far as I am aware there are no local or city ordinances that would cover the color you choose to paint your property,” said Buddy Horne, president of the civic association. “We have no deed restrictions that cover the color of buildings on a property, so there isn’t really much they can do about it.”
Jackson said that the situation is especially frustrating since the landowner, who could not be reached for comment at this time, apparently uses the building for storage but lives in Baytown.
“Would he do this in the community where he lives? My guess is he would not be allowed to,” Jackson said.
Obdulia Unna, who has lived across the street from the property since 2000, remembers being pleased to see the owner arrive one day with painting tools shortly after the grass was mowed.
That relief, however, was short lived.
“The toilet was the last straw,” she said. “It would be nice if it was a nursery or a playground or something, but it’s not. They don’t live here and they wouldn’t do this where they live.”
“I thought it was funny, that he was joking,” resident Rose Hutchinson said. She too watched as the property’s decorations became more colorful and bizarre. “And then I thought he must have been really angry at [Jackson]. I know he did it to be spiteful but he’s hurting the entire community.”
Horne said that the situation presents an interesting dilemma that would perhaps be best resolved by cool heads rather than the involvement of a third party like the city or civic association.
“Their best bet is to negotiate with the property owner and come to an understanding,” he said.
Residents living near the intersection of Bandera and Uvalde had complained to the city about the property located in the 13000 block of Bandera Street, where tall weeds were apparently allowed to grow unchecked.
To the neighbors’ relief the city responded and the property where a small garage and storage building are located, was mowed, but that’s when they say things got weird.
Christina Martinez, who lives next door to the property, drove home one week in August to find her neighboring lot’s chain link fence painted in hues of bright green and yellow. The day after she noticed the garage building itself had been emblazoned in purple with a bright orange trim.
“It just kept getting more colorful,” she said.
Today the lot is drawing sideways glances from passersby and grumbles from local residents for its garish decorations, which now include a bright yellow roof for the garage, and orange swing set, a red-painted tree stump, and - perhaps the coup de grace – a bright orange toilet with a hot pink seat and flowers growing from it situated at the front of the property.
Martinez isn’t too bothered by the odd choice of colors, but other neighbors are less than happy to see it when they walk out their front doors.
Joseph Jackson, who has lived across the street from the property for more than 30 years, considers it an eyesore and said he believes the owner chose the loud colors as a sort of retaliation for the tall grass complaints.
“He’s trying to attract unwanted and unnecessary attention to this property. We all live here, we’re all property owners and taxpayers, and we shouldn’t have to see something like this every day,” he said.
Jackson has since complained to both the Cimmaron Civic Association and Houston Neighborhood Protection, but was told that the homes in the area, which were constructed in the 1950s, do not have deed restrictions prohibiting the bright colors.
“As far as I am aware there are no local or city ordinances that would cover the color you choose to paint your property,” said Buddy Horne, president of the civic association. “We have no deed restrictions that cover the color of buildings on a property, so there isn’t really much they can do about it.”
Jackson said that the situation is especially frustrating since the landowner, who could not be reached for comment at this time, apparently uses the building for storage but lives in Baytown.
“Would he do this in the community where he lives? My guess is he would not be allowed to,” Jackson said.
Obdulia Unna, who has lived across the street from the property since 2000, remembers being pleased to see the owner arrive one day with painting tools shortly after the grass was mowed.
That relief, however, was short lived.
“The toilet was the last straw,” she said. “It would be nice if it was a nursery or a playground or something, but it’s not. They don’t live here and they wouldn’t do this where they live.”
“I thought it was funny, that he was joking,” resident Rose Hutchinson said. She too watched as the property’s decorations became more colorful and bizarre. “And then I thought he must have been really angry at [Jackson]. I know he did it to be spiteful but he’s hurting the entire community.”
Horne said that the situation presents an interesting dilemma that would perhaps be best resolved by cool heads rather than the involvement of a third party like the city or civic association.
“Their best bet is to negotiate with the property owner and come to an understanding,” he said.
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