[Press Conference: "New Flood Mitigation Along Turkey Gulley"]
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SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.IN ADDITION TO ME, YOU'LL HEAR FROM MAYOR TURNER, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CAROL HADDOCK, OUR HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TINA PETERSON, AND ONE OF OUR, UH, AMAZING CIVIC CLUB LEADERS, UH, ALLISON NEWPORT.
AND OF COURSE, I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE, THE CHAIR OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING FOR A VERY EXCITING UPDATE ON CRITICAL FLOOD PROTECTION EFFORTS WE ARE BRINGING TO OUR DISTRICT.
UH, IT IS NOT LOST ON ME THAT YESTERDAY WAS THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF IKE, AND, UH, OF COURSE, THE ONE DAY THAT WE DECIDE WE'RE GONNA DO AN OUTDOOR PRESSER TO ANNOUNCE FLOOD MITIGATION, IT FINALLY STARTS TO RAIN
I REPRESENT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S HARDEST HIT BY REPETITIVE FLOODING IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
AND WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, UH, I CAME IN WITH A COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING AS MANY HOMES AS POSSIBLE FROM FUTURE STORMS. ANYONE THAT LISTS IN TO COUNCIL CAN ATTEST.
UH, I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS HERE IN SHADY ACRES SINCE DAY ONE.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN A 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN SURROUNDED BY TURKEY GULLY, WHICH WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW, UH, TO THE WEST, LITTLE THICKET BY YOU, AND THEN OF COURSE, WHITE OAK BY YOU.
SO WE'RE LITERALLY WEDGED IN BETWEEN, UH, WATERWAYS AND TRIBUTARIES, AND IT'S ALL WITHIN ABOUT SIX SQUARE BLOCKS.
SO OVER 500 PROPERTIES, BOTH HOMES AND BUSINESSES HAVE FLOODED EVEN IN 10 YEARS.
STORM EVENTS AND OVER 650 PROPERTIES IN A 100 YEAR STORM EVENT.
AND REMEMBER, FOR CONTEXT, WE SAY A 100 YEAR STORM, BUT, UH, MAYOR, AS YOU KNOW, ALL TOO WELL, UH, WE HAVE HAD FIVE, 500 YEAR FLOODS IN JUST THE PAST FEW YEARS.
SO SOMETIMES HERE IN SHADY ACRES, WE CAN'T EVEN HOLD UP IN A TWO YEAR WA EVENT AS WATER SPILLS OUT OVER THE GULLIES, CAUSING A LOT OF STREET AND HOME FLOODING.
AND TO ADD TO THAT, UH, AS YOU WILL SEE BY ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION BEHIND ME, DEVELOPMENT IS EXPLODING.
DENSIFICATION IS BY NO MEANS A BAD THING, BUT WE MUST HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP UP WITH IT.
AND TODAY, UH, WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, IT'S ONE OF THOSE FIRST STEPS IN IMPROVING THAT.
SO I AM PROUD TO SAY THE CITY IS GOING TO BE SPENDING NEARLY $15.5 MILLION TO PROTECT HOME AND BUSINESSES IN THIS AREA.
THIS PROJECT IS HAPPENING, AND WE ARE NOT WAITING 10 YEARS.
IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE CITY, CIP, WITH 1.3 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR DESIGN AND 14.1 UH, DOLLARS IN HUD 2017 CDBG FUNDS, UH, FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT.
SO, IN TOTAL, AND THERE'S SOME, UH, CHARTS BEHIND ME WE CAN GO THROUGH AFTER EVERYONE SPEAKS.
BUT NEARLY 50% OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES, ALMOST 240 PROPERTIES WILL BE REMOVED AND PROTECTED FROM A 10 YEAR STORM EVENT RISK.
MAYOR, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU.
UH, AND OUR RESIDENTS LIKE ALLISON, AND I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE A FEW IN THE AUDIENCE IN A MINUTE, BUT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN AT THE HEART OF ALL OF THIS.
UH, I DO HAVE MORE THANK YOUS TO GET TO, BUT I WANNA BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW THE PROJECT WILL WORK.
AND DIRECTOR HADDOCK WILL ALSO GO INTO MORE DETAIL.
BUT SINCE THE GULLY ITSELF HAS LIMITED CAPACITY AND BECAUSE OF HOW CLOSE HOMES HAVE BUILT UP ONTO THE GULLY, IT CANNOT BE WIDENED.
SO WATER IS NOW GOING TO BE DIVERTED, UH, FROM SEVERAL STREETS TO BEVIS, WHICH IS ONE MORE STREET OVER.
AND BEVIS IS GONNA BE GETTING A MAJOR FACELIFT AS IT MOVES WATER DIRECTLY TO WHITE OAK BAYOU.
AND AS AN ADDED BONUS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SAFER TRAFFIC MITIGATION ALONG 20TH AND ALSO NEW SIDEWALKS, A NEW ROUNDABOUT THAT ALSO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS.
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BEEN A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL EFFORT.THE DOLLARS COME FROM HUD CDBG, SO WE APPRECIATE BOTH HUD'S, SECRETARY FUDGE AND CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
UH, BUT I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER LEADER OF A MAJOR CITY IN OUR NATION THAT HAS BEEN FACED WITH SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS IN SIX YEARS, A PANDEMIC, THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE FACED, AND THE LIST GOES ON, ALL WHILE MAKING PROGRESS FOR VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT HERE IN DISTRICT C.
SO, MAYOR, I DON'T GET MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO SAY THIS PUBLICLY, BUT ON BEHALF OF ALL DISTRICT C RESIDENTS, THANK YOU FOR CARING AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION.
UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA BRING UP YES, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA BRING UP MAYOR TURNER, AND AFTER THAT WE'LL INTRODUCE DIRECTOR HADDOCK.
LOOK, LEMME START OFF BY, UH, THANKING COUNCILMAN AB.
SHE'S BEEN VERY GRACIOUS TODAY.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN A, A EXCEPTIONAL PARTNER AND, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN DISTRICT C, UH, SHE'S A VERY HANDS-ON, GET IT DONE SORT OF PERSON.
UM, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE THIS MORNING, UM, OF NOT JUST COMING TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT A COUNCIL MEMBER CAME AND HOPPED IN THE TRUCK AND SHOWED ME AROUND THE WHOLE AREA.
SO WE HAVE TOURED THE AREA AND THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.
AND, UH, IF YOU WANT THAT TO HAVE TYPE OF GROWTH, YOU HAVE TO SUSTAIN IT IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IT'S LIKE WE HAVING THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS CATCHING UP.
SO I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ABT CAYMAN FOR HER HANDS ON LEADERSHIP.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAMAN, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.
LOOK, I HAVE TREMENDOUS PARTNERS AROUND THE TABLE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON IS OUR RESIDENT ARCHITECT, UM, ON CITY COUNCIL HEADS, TTTI, UH, COMMITTEE WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE.
HE'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER, UH, FOR ME WITH ME OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
SO I CAN'T THANK HIM ENOUGH, UH, FOR HIS, FOR HIS COLLABORATION.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP TO COUNCILMAN DAVID ROBINSON.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS, WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, YESTERDAY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, EXTREME, UH, WEATHER AND EX AND DROUGHT AND DIRECTLY HADDOCK BROUGHT THE RAIN THIS, UH, TODAY.
UH, SO, UH, LET ME THANK, UH, DIRECTOR HADDOCK AND THE 4,000 EMPLOYEES.
UH, AND, UH, UH, I SEE RANDY, THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER THAT'S HERE AS WELL.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK, THANK THEM.
THEY WILL TAKE THE LEAD ALONG WITH WORKING WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, UH, DR. PETERSON.
I CAN'T THANK, UH, DR. PETERSON ENOUGH BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN A VALUABLE PARTNER, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND MITIGATING, UH, FLOODING, FUTURE FLOODING.
SO I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT C.
SO PEOPLE LIKE GALVESTON, NEWPORT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND, SO YOU ALL KNOW, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
SO, LOOK, LEMME MAKE A BRIEF FEW BRIEF COMMENTS.
UH, FLOODING IS NOT ONLY AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT ALSO A DISRUPTION.
UH, IT CAN DISPLACE FAMILIES, DAMAGED HOMES, AND ROAD TO SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THOSE LIVING IN FREQUENTLY IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
LONG AFTER THE WATER RECEIVES RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS, UH, BUSINESSES, THE IMPACT ON THESE BUSINESSES REMAIN.
IT IS GOOD NEWS TO SHARE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS RECEIVED FUNDING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STONE WATER IMPROVEMENT TO TURKEY GLY.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, A COUNCIL MEMBER BEEN BEEN ON CITY COUNCIL FOR FOUR YEARS.
I'VE HEARD ABOUT TURKEY, TURKEY GLY FOR FOUR YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK I, I I KNOW TURKEY GULLY, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS RECEIVED AN ESTIMATED, AS COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, $14.1 MILLION ALLOCATED FROM HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR THE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
AND OUR CCIP FARM WOULD DESIGNATE ANOTHER 1.3 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT DESIGN.
ALL OF THIS IS SCHEDULED TO START, UH, IN 24 IN THE DESIGN CONSTRUCTION IN 25.
THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW STONEWATER LINES TO DIVERT WATER FROM TURKEY GULLY TO WHITE OAK BAYOU, AND WOULD DIRECTLY REDUCE FLOODING IMPACTS TO THE SHADY ACRES NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CAROL HADDOCK AND HER TEAM FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN THIS MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT AND THE YEARS OF HARD WORK, STARTING FROM THE FLOODING MITIGATION STUDIES TO NOW RECEIVING THIS CRITICAL FUNDING.
LASTLY, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, UH, PROJECT, AND THIS FUNDING WILL DIRECTLY REDUCE, AND I WON'T SAY THAT WILL DIRECTLY REDUCE FLOODING IMPACTS TO THE SHADY ACRES.
NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATED EFFORTS SUCH AS THIS ARE
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CRITICAL TO COMBATING FLOOD RISK FOR AREAS, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE RESIDENTS AROUND TURKEY GOLY.SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, UH, AND EVERYONE ELSE AFFILIATED WITH IT.
AND THEN, WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE FLOODING THROUGH MITIGATION STUDIES AND FUNDING, RETURNING A SENSE OF NORMALCY TO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE MEMORIAL DAY FLOOD, THE TAX DAY FLOOD, THE 4TH OF JULY FLOOD IN 2018, AND THE MEL IN 2019 WILL GO A LONG DAY, A LONG WAY REDUCING FLOODING IMPACTS HAVE A FAR REACHING IMPACT, AND WE ARE JUST STARTING TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD ON THESE INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT AGAIN, THE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT STOPPING.
I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE BUILDING, APARTMENTS ARE BEING BUILT RIGHT AROUND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UH, PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO THE AREAS, UH, BUSINESSES ARE COMING INTO THE AREA.
BUT IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IF THE CITY IS GOING TO ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR, THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE CATCHES UP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND GET AHEAD OF IT.
I THINK THIS IS ONCE WHERE THIS IS A STEP IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
LET ME STOP BEFORE THE SINGING STARTS.
UH, I THINK I'M A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE.
UH, SO IT'S GOOD TO BE OUT WITH EVERYBODY AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE RAIN.
AND, UH, MAYOR, YOUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE REALLY HELPED ME LEAD THIS, THIS CHARGE, AND HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL.
THERE'S A FEW FOLKS THAT ARE NOT HERE.
I'M GONNA SPEAK OVER THE CONSTRUCTION IF Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME.
UM, STEVE CASTELLO, I, I CALL HIM THE HONORABLE CASTELLO.
UH, COULD NOT BE HERE 'CAUSE HE'S OFFSITE MEETING ON ANOTHER FLOOD PROJECT RIGHT NOW, BUT HE ISN'T BEEN INSTRUMENTAL.
AND DIRECTOR HADDOCK, WHO PERSONALLY KNOWS THIS AREA INSIDE AND OUT.
BUT I, BEFORE YOU COME UP DIRECTOR, I WANNA GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE THAT ARE NORMALLY BEHIND THE SCENES.
BUT, UH, THE PERSON THAT WINS MVP FOR THIS IS PARSH LA UH, WHO'S THE DIVISION MANAGER WITH TDO AND PUBLIC WORKS.
PARSH, I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU.
I'M GONNA MISS A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE, SO I'M NOT GONNA TRY.
UM, BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, UH, I WANNA BRING UP DIRECTOR HADDOCK, UH, WHO'S GONNA, AGAIN, RUN THROUGH THE SCOPE VERY BRIEFLY OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING FOR RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING.
SO, UM, I ENCOURAGE EACH ONE OF YOU AFTER THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO COME UP AND WE'RE, WE CAN LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE MAP.
UM, BUT AS WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, THIS PROJECT IS GONNA PROVIDE SOME SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES.
UM, IT, IT IS, IS GONNA ACTUALLY LEAVE TURKEY GULLY IN, ITS, ITS ITS CURRENT NATIVE STATE THAT IS ACTUALLY EMBRACED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE DON'T HAVE FLOODING EVENTS GOING ON, UM, AND IS GONNA BE AN ASSET TO, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD.
BUT WHAT IT'S REALLY ALSO GONNA DO IS ALLOW US TO CREATE THAT, THAT SIDE UNDERGROUND BOX THAT IS GOING TO TAKE THOSE, THOSE EXCESS FLOWS DURING RAIN EVENTS.
UH, IT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO UPGRADE THE NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE.
IT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO IMPROVE SOME OF THE ROADWAYS OVER HERE.
IT'S REALLY GOING TO CREATE MORE THAN JUST FLOODING REDUCTION.
IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO CREATE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS AREA BEING SURROUNDED BY, BY CHANNELS AND BAYOU AND, AND DITCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HOUSTON IS ALL OVER.
HOUSTON, EVERYWHERE YOU GO, WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SURROUNDED BY THESE WATERWAYS, WHICH ACTUALLY IS WHY WE CAME TO HOUSTON IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND WHY HOUSTON THRIVED BECAUSE OF OUR ACCESS TO WATER AND OUR ACCESS TO THESE, THESE NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES.
AND SOMETIMES THEY BECOME OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ANNOYANCES, AND WORSE, THEY BECOME OUR DISRUPTORS AND IMPACTORS.
AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WHERE WE CAN KEEP THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY, UH, AND WE CAN BUILD THIS, THIS WONDERFUL PROJECT, UM, THAT WILL, WILL KEEP BOTH THE AMENITY AND ADDRESS THE IMPACTS.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE DESIGN OF THIS WILL START IN, UH, CALENDAR YEAR 2024.
I MEAN, SO WE'RE TALKING MONTHS FROM NOW.
AND THAT, UH, BASED ON WHAT A NORMAL DESIGN TAKES, THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT CONSTRUCTION STARTING IN CALENDAR YEAR 2025.
NOW, NOT JANUARY, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE LATER 2025.
BUT WE TAKE THIS, EXPECT THIS TO TAKE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS TO CONSTRUCT COMPLETELY.
SO THIS IS A VERY SHORT TIMELINE, UH, FOR A VERY LARGE PROJECT.
AND I ACTUALLY WELCOME THE SOUND OF THE CONSTRUCTION BEHIND US BECAUSE THAT IS, UH, THAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACTION, INFRASTRUCTURE BEING PUT IN PLACE TO BENEFIT, UH, THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER PROJECT THAT WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
SO IF I, THE NOTES HERE, SAY, IF IT ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, I'M GONNA SAY IT WILL GO ACCORDING TO PLAN AND WE WILL BE IN CONSTRUCTION IN 2025.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA SAY, AND, AND MY PARTNER OVER HERE, DR.
TINA PETERSON, WITH THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, IS UP HERE.
PART OF WHY SHE'S UP HERE IS BECAUSE A CITY THAT
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IS EMBRACING AND LIVING WITH AND, AND, AND ENJOYING OUR WATERWAYS HAS TO HAVE THAT PARTNER THROUGH OUR, OUR INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.OUR INTERNAL DRAINAGE SYSTEMS DON'T WORK WITHOUT THE BAYOU SYSTEMS AND THE NETWORKS WORKING AND THEIR NETWORKS DEPEND ON, ON OUR TAKING CARE OF OUR SYSTEMS AS WELL.
AND SO, BETWEEN US, WHETHER IT'S THE BRIDGES THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR, SO BETWEEN US, WE HAVE AN INTEGRATED RESPONSIBILITY FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE WATERSHEDS AND THE WATERWAYS AND THE DRAINAGE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THAT PARTNERSHIP IS STRONG, AND IT'S STRONG BECAUSE OF THE LEADERS AT HARRIS COUNTY AND IN THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
UM, BUT IT, BUT IT'S ALSO STRONG BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT TAKES BOTH OF US AND WORKING WITH BOTH OF US AS ENTITIES TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE EXCITED FOR FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD.
AND I'M GONNA HAND IT BACK OVER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KA.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, PARTNERSHIPS, COMMISSIONER ELLIS, UH, COULDN'T BE HERE AND SEND HIS APPRECIATION TO RESIDENTS.
UH, BUT I WANNA SAY THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN STALWART IN THIS EFFORT, AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR HIS VOICE, UH, ON THIS AS WELL.
UH, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE HAVE NOT ASKED FOR THAT THE COUNTY HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO LEND A HAND IN.
UH, AND THAT GOES WITH HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AS WELL.
UH, Y'ALL ARE A CRITICAL PARTNER, DOCTOR, AND, UH, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE STILL LOOKING FOR WHERE WE CAN PUT ADDITIONAL DETENTION.
THAT'S KIND OF PHASE TWO OF THIS, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT DILIGENTLY.
UH, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE MORE UPDATES SOON.
BUT, UH, DR. PETERSON, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO JUST EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
WELL, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, YOU KNOW, AND MAYOR TURNER AND CAROL, UM, AND HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
WE ARE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE OUR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS PROJECT.
IT IS SUCH AN IMPACTFUL PROJECT, AND IT REALLY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD COUNCIL MEMBER CAME IN, TALK ABOUT HOW THIS PROJECT CAME TOGETHER IN TERMS OF PARTNERSHIPS.
IT TOOK FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND IT TOOK FUNDING FROM OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR LOCAL COUNTY TO MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN.
AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE PARTNERS LIKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON, LIKE HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT ONE THAT ALLOWS US TO TAKE A VISION OF WHAT WE KNOW IS NEEDED.
WE KNOW THAT FLOOD MITIGATION FOR THIS AREA IS NEEDED, AND TURN THAT VISION INTO A REALITY BY BEING PERSISTENT, BY SECURING THE FUNDING, BY WORKING TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP AND SHARING A COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS PROJECT, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, CAME AND TALKED ABOUT THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON ASSISTING THE CITY IN TERMS OF MITIGATING THE IMPACTS OF THEIR IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO VET AND IDENTIFY LAND THAT'S SUITABLE FOR THE MITIGATION OF THIS PROJECT.
WE WILL CONSTRUCT A STORMWATER DETENTION BASIN THAT WILL BE DESIGNED TO MITIGATE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE ALSO UNDERDESIGNED BY THE CITY, AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
THE STORMWATER BASIN, AS WELL AS THE STORM SEWERS, WILL HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF FLOODING BY MOVING THAT STORM WATER OUT AND AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUT TO WHITE OAK BAYOU.
AND WHILE NO SINGLE PROJECT CAN ELIMINATE FLOODING, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT PROJECTS LIKE THIS GREATLY REDUCE THE RISK.
AND SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORT US IN MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR MISSION, WHICH IS TO EXECUTE AND MAINTAIN FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS WITH RESPECT TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS TO OUR NATURAL VALUES.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE, THE EXPERTS AND A LOT OF WONKY TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE FLOODING ITSELF HAS A FACE, AND THAT'S THE FACE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I'M GONNA, UM, ASK ALLISON NEWPORT, UM, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, UH, TO SPEAK.
SHE HAS HER OWN PERSONAL STORIES WITH FLOODING AND HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE ON SO MUCH FOR THE AREA.
AND ALLISON REPRESENTS THE VOICE OF MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY FLOODING AND THE WORK DONE TO ADVOCATE AND BRING ATTENTION TO THE AREA.
AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE, AGAIN, I'M GONNA GET IN TROUBLE IF I MISS ANYONE, BUT, UH, I SEE KEVIN STRICKLAND HERE, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF OUR GREATER HEIGHTS SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD,
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UH, MARIE CARLISLE, UH, ALSO WITH SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, LAZY BROOK, TIMBER GROVE, UH, CHARLES BILLY, WHO ARE SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGING, AND I'M, I'M SURE I'M MISSING A FEW FOLKS, BUT AGAIN, ALLISON IS ONE OF MANY FACES OF HOW THIS IS IMPACTING.SO, ALLISON, I'D LIKE TO BRING YOU UP.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE, UM, TO MAYOR TURNER AND, UM, DEFINITELY TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR, UM, REALLY, UH, TIRELESSLY ADVOCATING FOR TURKEY GOLY AND FOR THE SHADY A ACRES RESIDENTS.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BRING IMMEASURABLE CHANGE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW LIVES RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME, JUST A COUPLE STREETS OVER.
AND, UM, WE RECENTLY GOT A NEW CULVERTS, AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THAT BIG OF A DEAL, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A, IT'S A CULVERT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A, A TUBE
AND, UH, WOW, WHAT A DIFFERENCE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST SIX INCHES OR 12 INCHES, UH, CAN MAKE ON YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE.
UH, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WENT FROM USING A, UH, A DAM AND SANDBAGS TO KEEP WATER FROM, UM, ENTERING HER STRUCTURES, UM, TO ALMOST OVERNIGHT, UH, NOT HAVING TO DO THAT ANYMORE.
NOW SHE CAN ENJOY, UH, YOU KNOW, WALKING AROUND HER PROPERTY WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT SLIPPING ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT REALLY, UM, WE SORT OF GET USED TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LIVING WITH THE WATER ALL THE TIME.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT JUST, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, TRANSFORMATIONAL I THINK, FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO, UH, APPRECIATE OUR LOCAL LEADERS' RECOGNITION OF THIS PROBLEM AND THE COMMUN THEIR COMMITMENT TO FINDING THE SOLUTION.
SO, UM, IN CLOSING, I THINK YOU HEARD IT.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS AND, UH, I DON'T THINK ANY NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOUSTON AT THIS POINT CAN SAY THAT WE ARE.
EVERYONE DOES NEED TO REMAIN VIGILANT.
UM, AND WE NEED MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS, INCLUDING, I KNOW THE COUNTY'S GONNA BE WORKING ON DETENTION, BUT TODAY IS A BIG STEP AND WE'LL REDUCE THE RISK TO MANY HOMES.
UH, WHILE WE'RE ALSO GETTING THE ADDED BENEFIT OF UPGRADED STREETS, UH, NOT JUST DRAINAGE, BUT TRAFFIC MITIGATION, UH, AND SAFETY AS WELL.
UH, RESIDENTS CAN LEARN MORE@ENGAGEHOUSTON.ORG, AND I KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOLDING ADDITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS SOON ON ENGAGEMENT, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTION SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING AROUND THEM.
I WANNA THANK, UM, ALL OF OUR PRESS FOR COVERING, BUT I ESPECIALLY WANNA GIVE A THANK YOU, UH, TO CARLOS AND HTV WHO IS AT EVERY SINGLE EVENT, UH, HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND AGAIN, MAYOR, DIRECTOR, UH, TO EVERYONE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE, WE HAVE OVER $15 MILLION COMING RIGHT HERE TO THE GREATER HEIGHTS, TO SHADY ACRES TO PROTECT HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT MORE IN THE WORKS FOR OTHER PARTS OF DISTRICT C AS WELL.
UH, AND I THINK, SORRY, YEAH, I'M GOING TO, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WAY IN THE BACK? THAT'S TRUE.
AND MAY MAYOR, I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA, HI.
UM, I LIVE ON 21ST STREET, YES.
LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ALL THIS TALK ABOUT WHERE GOING.
AND THERE'S ONE PROPERTY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH IS THAT ONE ACRE CONCRETE, UH, FORMER AUTO DEALERSHIP.
YES, BECAUSE IT'S, UH, IT COVERS, UH, TRICKY ROLLING, THE ONLY, UH, ATTACK FOR ITS PATH.
AND I SAW THE JERSEY COUNTY, UH, PLUG FULL ACQUIRING EASEMENT IN THOUSAND 18.
SO I WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE MAYBE THEY WERE GONNA, THE CONCRETE AND EXPOSE ROLLING TO ENHANCE, UH, CAPTURE.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT ACTIONS, UH, HARRIS COUNTY ELECTRIC POLE IS DOING TO HELP, UH, MITIGATE THE, UH, UH, ENCROACHMENTS.
YEAH, WELL, THE, UH, THE BOTTLENECK THAT GOES THROUGH, UH, THE PARKING LOT.
AND I, SO, UH, WHAT ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION IS TALKING ABOUT IS WE HAVE, UH, A LOCAL BUSINESS AND AUTO SHOP THAT ILLEGALLY COVERED TURKEY GULLY AND MAYOR, AS YOU WERE DRIVING AROUND, I POINTED IT OUT TO YOU.
I'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN CITY ENFORCEMENT OUT THERE, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD NEW BUILDINGS ON TOP OF THAT.
BUT, UM, DR. PETERSON, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I THINK THE QUESTION WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN THE, WHAT IS THE COUNTY LOOKING
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AT IN TERMS OF, UH, OPENING UP SOME OF THESE ENCROACHMENTS? SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY THAT WAS ASKED ABOUT EXCEPT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE.I KNOW WE ARE LOOKING AT IT, UM, AND ARE EVALUATING THE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE.
IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE DEAL WITH MORE BROADLY, ENCROACHMENTS IN GENERAL.
SO WE OFTENTIMES HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS TYPES OF STRUCTURES THAT DO ENCROACH ON THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT IS OWNED BY THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH WHEN THAT OCCURS, AND WE WORK WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE TIME AS WE WORK THROUGH THE SPECIFIC ISSUES.
BUT WE, WE DEAL WITH THIS NOT ONLY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTY.
SO WE WILL, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IF YOU CAN PROVIDE ME YOUR NAME AND, UH, NUMBER, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND GET YOU A MORE SPECIFIC UPDATE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA? I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS A TIGHT SCHEDULE AND MANY OF YOU HAVE TO GO TO HPDS, UH, PRESSURE AS WELL.
YEAH, MAYOR, YOU SAID THAT, UH, YOU HAVE 3,114 IN LEAK RIGHT NOW.
THE LEAK, WE'RE GONNA, IN FACT, I, I'LL GIVE YOU AN ANSWER, BUT I TELL YOU HAVE TWO OF THE EXPERTS HERE TODAY, CAROL HADDOCK AND, AND RANDY MOSEY, UH, WITH THE CHIEF OPERATING DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, REALLY LOVED THEM.
THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THE WATER LEAKS STARTED, LET'S SAY GO BACK TO JUNE OF THIS YEAR WHEN WE WERE FACING EXTREME DRY HOT WEATHER.
UH, SINCE JUNE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAS RESPONDED TO ABOUT 4,000 3 1 1 CALLS, UH, OF THAT 4,000, SINCE JUNE, LET'S SAY ABOUT 900 WERE, UH, NOT WATER LEAKS.
SO THEY WERE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, BUT PUBLIC WORKS ALONG WITH THE CONTRACTORS, HAVE, UH, SOLVED A, UH, MORE THAN 3000 WATER MAIN LEAKS SINCE JUNE OF THIS YEAR ALONE.
SO WE ARE NOW OPERATING WITH OUR OWN INTERNAL CREW.
THERE ARE ABOUT 200 CITY PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES DEDICATED TO THIS, UH, ISSUE.
AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT 10 CONTRACTORS THAT ARE SUPPLEMENTING OUR OWN CREW AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF OTHERS AS WELL.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO, UH, WELL, NOT TRYING, WE WILL GET ON TOP OF IT, BUT IT'S TAKING A LITTLE WHILE.
THIS RAIN WEATHER IS A BLESSING.
BUT SINCE JUNE, MORE THAN 3000 WATER MAIN LEAKS HAVE BEEN SOLVED, CLOSED, DEALT WITH.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, THAT'S A WRAP.
IF ANYONE HAS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, THE MAPS AND WHAT THIS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE, UH, WE'LL BE OVER HERE TAKING QUESTIONS.