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Management district seeks legislative support
  
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By KEVIN KOLOIAN
The proposed management district for the FM 1960 area has tirelessly worked to create projects that aim to address the issues of blight, crime, safety and business development in that area of Spring. Now it needs state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R- District 150; state Rep. Patricia Harless, R- District 126; and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R- District 7 to champion its cause in Austin.
“We are hoping that our legislators take the lead and make this happen in the next session,” said Barbara Thomason, president of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.
The management district, supported by Renaissance 1960 and the Houston Northwest Chamber, would be a community body headed up by a supervisory board.
It would have the power to make certain improvements within its boundaries, apply for federal grants and enter into partnerships with bodies like Harris County.
Though the boundaries have consistently been slightly changed, the area concerned would likely run from Interstate 45 to State Highway 249.
Riddle killed a proposal in 2003 for a management district in the same area because, she said, the legislation was rushed and imperfect. She is still not certain the group could answer all of the problems.
Proving the district is wanted and needed by all three of the officials’ constituents has been a hard sell, mainly due to the districts’ funding, which by nature makes it a new taxing authority, Riddle said.
Operating on funds gathered from assessments around 12 to 13 cents per $100 of property value on commercial property, it may break the backs of some mom and pop establishments, Riddle said.
“That could go down in time,” Thomason said. “Once you start developing businesses, then it increases the tax base. There’s a domino effect.”
Residential property would not be assessed, so the management district seems to have the support of the people.
“In the three meetings we had with property owners, no one attended a meeting that was in opposition,” Thomason said. “The meetings were rather lightly attended. Typically that means that people are in favor of something or are neutral.”
Thomason said the management district may be the closest thing the unincorporated Spring area could have to a local governing body. While it could take years for a Spring government to take shape, restoring or demolishing abandoned buildings and creating a consistent look and feel for the area can be done immediately by way of a management district.
“The planning has been an evolution of a carefully crafted process,” Thomason said. “We involved an urban planner and groups of citizens.”
There were two open public forums, one specifically designed for developers, and three scheduled meetings for property owners.
“Input has come from all of those corners as well as meeting with legislators periodically,” Thomason said. “All of that has resulted in the proposed projects.”
A key proposed safety project involves the addition of street lights between signalized intersections. Adding lighting to the FM 1960 roadway between these areas will decrease accidents, increase pedestrian safety and decrease crime, the district feels.
Approximately six new streetlights will go up between Red Oak Drive and Cali Drive/Hafer Road, according to this plan.
To address the aesthetics of the area, the group wants to remove graffiti as soon as possible. Besides making the area look better, the district believes this will discourage new graffiti by depriving the vandal of the pride of his/her “work” being seen by others and discourage gang activity as well. For the removal, the district would hire an existing abatement team that will only work on public property.
“It’s huge for us because there’s nobody looking out for the interest of businesses and the community,” said Tommy Ripley, owner of Ripley’s Mufflers & Brakes, located on FM 1960 and Kuykendahl Road. “We are all in it together, but there’s nobody leading the pack. I have slowly watched the area deteriorate. We need to reverse the trend. And it’s tough to do as volunteers because no one has the time or energy. We need a permanent entity that is paid to do that.”
Behind-the-scenes work will entail creating and implementing a business development program to establish a business plan that outlines the actions needed to help property owners maintain as close to 100 percent occupancy as possible.
The materials and media produced will include a portion of a website, monthly e-mail promotional materials, an area map and brochures.
“This has a far-reaching impact,” Thomason said. “It will help bring in new businesses and help in business retention. There are a lot of vacancies in this area, so it should help with that.”
While there may be some immediate results, it will take time for the management district to make its full impact.
“If the district is approved, it will probably take two or three years to turn things around because there’s nothing they are going to be able to mandate; it’s all about persuasion,” Ripley said. “We have to persuade the businesses and community to get involved in what we are doing.”
For now, nothing can happen unless the local politicians are persuaded to get behind the project and get it approved by the Texas Legislature when it convenes in January.
“We are hoping that our legislators take the lead and make this happen in the next session,” said Barbara Thomason, president of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.
The management district, supported by Renaissance 1960 and the Houston Northwest Chamber, would be a community body headed up by a supervisory board.
It would have the power to make certain improvements within its boundaries, apply for federal grants and enter into partnerships with bodies like Harris County.
Though the boundaries have consistently been slightly changed, the area concerned would likely run from Interstate 45 to State Highway 249.
Riddle killed a proposal in 2003 for a management district in the same area because, she said, the legislation was rushed and imperfect. She is still not certain the group could answer all of the problems.
Proving the district is wanted and needed by all three of the officials’ constituents has been a hard sell, mainly due to the districts’ funding, which by nature makes it a new taxing authority, Riddle said.
Operating on funds gathered from assessments around 12 to 13 cents per $100 of property value on commercial property, it may break the backs of some mom and pop establishments, Riddle said.
“That could go down in time,” Thomason said. “Once you start developing businesses, then it increases the tax base. There’s a domino effect.”
Residential property would not be assessed, so the management district seems to have the support of the people.
“In the three meetings we had with property owners, no one attended a meeting that was in opposition,” Thomason said. “The meetings were rather lightly attended. Typically that means that people are in favor of something or are neutral.”
Thomason said the management district may be the closest thing the unincorporated Spring area could have to a local governing body. While it could take years for a Spring government to take shape, restoring or demolishing abandoned buildings and creating a consistent look and feel for the area can be done immediately by way of a management district.
“The planning has been an evolution of a carefully crafted process,” Thomason said. “We involved an urban planner and groups of citizens.”
There were two open public forums, one specifically designed for developers, and three scheduled meetings for property owners.
“Input has come from all of those corners as well as meeting with legislators periodically,” Thomason said. “All of that has resulted in the proposed projects.”
A key proposed safety project involves the addition of street lights between signalized intersections. Adding lighting to the FM 1960 roadway between these areas will decrease accidents, increase pedestrian safety and decrease crime, the district feels.
Approximately six new streetlights will go up between Red Oak Drive and Cali Drive/Hafer Road, according to this plan.
To address the aesthetics of the area, the group wants to remove graffiti as soon as possible. Besides making the area look better, the district believes this will discourage new graffiti by depriving the vandal of the pride of his/her “work” being seen by others and discourage gang activity as well. For the removal, the district would hire an existing abatement team that will only work on public property.
“It’s huge for us because there’s nobody looking out for the interest of businesses and the community,” said Tommy Ripley, owner of Ripley’s Mufflers & Brakes, located on FM 1960 and Kuykendahl Road. “We are all in it together, but there’s nobody leading the pack. I have slowly watched the area deteriorate. We need to reverse the trend. And it’s tough to do as volunteers because no one has the time or energy. We need a permanent entity that is paid to do that.”
Behind-the-scenes work will entail creating and implementing a business development program to establish a business plan that outlines the actions needed to help property owners maintain as close to 100 percent occupancy as possible.
The materials and media produced will include a portion of a website, monthly e-mail promotional materials, an area map and brochures.
“This has a far-reaching impact,” Thomason said. “It will help bring in new businesses and help in business retention. There are a lot of vacancies in this area, so it should help with that.”
While there may be some immediate results, it will take time for the management district to make its full impact.
“If the district is approved, it will probably take two or three years to turn things around because there’s nothing they are going to be able to mandate; it’s all about persuasion,” Ripley said. “We have to persuade the businesses and community to get involved in what we are doing.”
For now, nothing can happen unless the local politicians are persuaded to get behind the project and get it approved by the Texas Legislature when it convenes in January.
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