Print
E-mail
Comment
Mayoral candidates mostly agree to agree
  
|
By MICHAEL REED
Houston’s five mayoral hopefuls squared off around a round table Thursday evening to address land use. As it turned out, the event pointed out more similarities among candidates than contrasts.
Asked if they would have backed a failed bill in the last session of the Legislature to allow some residential areas to adopt quasi-zoning rules of their own through a petition process, each candidate said “no.”
County education trustee Roy Morales was the most adamant calling the effort “another attempt at zoning.” At the other end of the spectrum, Controller Annise Parker said her lack of support was “reluctant,” but she opposed another layer of government between City Council and residents.
Each candidate endorsed protection from what attorney Gene Locke called “incompatible land uses,” but time restraints did not allow for many specifics beyond references to Chapter 42 (the city’s Land Development Ordinance) and deed restriction renewals.
Locke said he feared the legislation, had it been successful, would have created “little fiefdoms” that would fight each other for streets and services.
On the topic of transportation, all five agreed on the importance of an integrated system that better served pedestrians, bicyclists and those who used mass transit. Locke and businessman T.J. Huntley, however, were the only two who would create a city Department of Transportation.
Parker, who called for a first-class bus system, was critical of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, saying it is “not sufficiently transparent.” She also said of Metro’s move toward rail, “I believe it has been cannibalizing the bus system.”
The proposed Ashby high-rise was at the center of a question on growth that asked if the city should have been more proactive by offering incentives that would have made the Metro corridor more attractive for such developments.
Brown, who lives seven blocks from the site, said with more uniform standards “the Buckhead group would not have bought that site in the first place.”
None of the candidates went as far as to say they would regulate the height, appearance or density of buildings in or near residential neighborhoods.
And, while each favored encouraging alternative energy companies to locate in Houston, none of the candidates thought the direct investment of city dollars in that pursuit was a good idea.
On an education-related question that seemed out of place, only Hundley favored the consolidation of all the school districts that serve the city.
The format called for the candidates to answer five questions to be followed up by an expert on each topic. There were also a few written questions from the audience. Those directly involved, including the mayoral hopefuls, sat around a large round table.
Originally, it was announced that those speaking would climb onto the table to do so. Only Bill Arning, director of the host Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, did so during his opening remarks, however.
Asked if they would have backed a failed bill in the last session of the Legislature to allow some residential areas to adopt quasi-zoning rules of their own through a petition process, each candidate said “no.”
County education trustee Roy Morales was the most adamant calling the effort “another attempt at zoning.” At the other end of the spectrum, Controller Annise Parker said her lack of support was “reluctant,” but she opposed another layer of government between City Council and residents.
Each candidate endorsed protection from what attorney Gene Locke called “incompatible land uses,” but time restraints did not allow for many specifics beyond references to Chapter 42 (the city’s Land Development Ordinance) and deed restriction renewals.
Locke said he feared the legislation, had it been successful, would have created “little fiefdoms” that would fight each other for streets and services.
On the topic of transportation, all five agreed on the importance of an integrated system that better served pedestrians, bicyclists and those who used mass transit. Locke and businessman T.J. Huntley, however, were the only two who would create a city Department of Transportation.
Parker, who called for a first-class bus system, was critical of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, saying it is “not sufficiently transparent.” She also said of Metro’s move toward rail, “I believe it has been cannibalizing the bus system.”
The proposed Ashby high-rise was at the center of a question on growth that asked if the city should have been more proactive by offering incentives that would have made the Metro corridor more attractive for such developments.
Brown, who lives seven blocks from the site, said with more uniform standards “the Buckhead group would not have bought that site in the first place.”
None of the candidates went as far as to say they would regulate the height, appearance or density of buildings in or near residential neighborhoods.
And, while each favored encouraging alternative energy companies to locate in Houston, none of the candidates thought the direct investment of city dollars in that pursuit was a good idea.
On an education-related question that seemed out of place, only Hundley favored the consolidation of all the school districts that serve the city.
The format called for the candidates to answer five questions to be followed up by an expert on each topic. There were also a few written questions from the audience. Those directly involved, including the mayoral hopefuls, sat around a large round table.
Originally, it was announced that those speaking would climb onto the table to do so. Only Bill Arning, director of the host Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, did so during his opening remarks, however.
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. |
