Telfair - Sugar Land - New Schools Update (Katy, Howe: to buy, construction)

[nimbusdog]

Originally Posted by AK123

At least in the case of Telfair, FBISD is getting A LOT of money in property taxes from it, because the homes are pricey in addition to higher tax rates than many of the rest of us.

The homes are pricier than average, but the tax rate for FBISD is the same as any other. The high taxes in Telfair are from the MUD and the LID.

[Cottonmather0]

Here is a more coherent version of the original email. I received this yesterday afternoon. I think the point about leaning on the city about the RE-zoning of the plat in question is astute (although I am too busy right now to go see if that is actually the case or if it's always been planned that way).

Feel free to tell me again if I am misreading this one...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Subject: IMPORTANT TELFAIR NEWS CONCERNING HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SITE
To: noreply@telfairlife.com


Group Name: Telfair Neighborhood 11

We have a major issue within the Telfair community as it concerns Newland Communities attempt to rezone 58 acres within the community. Newland wants to rezone an area that is currently zoned as R-1 to PD, which is what I would describe as higher density housing. This issue will be discussed at the October 28th Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting.

Background:
· The Telfair Community development map that has been and is being shown to every prospective home buyer in Telfair shows the proposed amenities, the Cornerstone Elementary, and the planned/proposed locations for the second Elementary School and High School - those are some of the key reasons that folks paid premium dollars to buy a home in this development and are paying big taxes - location and schools

· The 2007 Bond issue for FBISD secured monies to purchase land for a new high school, supposedly to be located in Telfair - the land has not been purchased

· FBISD wanted to have a 2010 Bond Issue to build the High School as well as purchase the land and build the second elementary school - current economic situation led them to believe a bond issue would not pass in 2010 so no action was taken

· Newland Communities has been in "negotiations" with FBISD for 2.5 years on the purchase of property for a proposed new High School - something members of our community are just finding out about in the last couple of weeks

· Newland has given a deadline of January 11, 2011 to FBISD for both the high school and second elementary school purchases because they believe they are going to be out of Telfair some time in 2011 and they want decisions made on the land plots for the high school and second elementary school

· If FBISD does not purchase the land for the high school and the second elementary school, Newland intends to develop those plots with housing

· Cornerstone Elementary is at 125% capacity with trailers TODAY - we are in a critical situation with space for elementary school children and it's going to get worse

· Surrounding high schools are at/or exceeding capacity

· When we speak with Newland, they say talk to FBISD - when we talk with FBISD they say talk to Newland - there is no leadership going on here to solve the problem.

The Impacts:
· Newland intends to keep building houses for more people and we do not have the supporting school infrastructure for those families, in fact we do not have it now.

· Home prices in Telfair will undoubtedly take a major hit when the word gets out that we have no school capacity

· Telfair takes a hit and Sugar Land takes a hit

What We Need To Do:
· We want to send a message that Newland can't continue to build their houses at a breakneck pace knowing that they are the key contributing factor in making a bad school capacity situation worse. Having them simply shrug their shoulders and say its FBISD's fault/problem is unacceptable.

· We want to send a message to Newland to take a step back and re-engage with FBISD AND the community to solve our schooling issues in a reasonable, responsible way, so that we have the schooling capacity for people that are buying homes from home builders under Newland's development plans.

· We need leadership to create a solution that serves not only Telfair and the surrounding communities but the Sugar Land community at large - we do not want the word getting out that we have school problems.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
There is a petition going around for residents to sign. The petition should be available online at some point today on a web site that has become the central point for information. Here is the link:
TelfairDiscussions-Qlubb

We also need to share our position and attend the following meetings. There is strength in numbers!

1. FBISD Board Mtg on Mon, Oct 25, 7PM and express your concern! You need to state that as a Telfair resident, you want to know what is holding up negotiations & what can be done to ensure a high school comes to Telfair.

2. City of Sugar Land Planning and Development meetings on Thurs, Oct 28, 6:30pm and Tues, Nov 2nd at 6pm at City of Sugarland City Council Chamber, 2700 Town Center Blvd, .

At these meetings, Newland will be asking to permanently rezone a 58-acre parcel and a 15-acre parcel to residential. WE CANNOT ALLOW NEWLAND TO PROCEED WITH ANY FURTHER RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT UNTIL THE SCHOOL SITUATION IS RESOLVED!!!

3. FBISD Town Hall Mtg on Thurs, Nov 4, 7pm at Kempner HS. We need answers regarding the purchase of the high school property in Telfair.

4. FBISD Board Mtg on Mon, Nov 8, 7PM. Question what is holding up negotiations and ask what we can do to help ensure a high school comes to Telfair.

[Cottonmather0]

And here is a letter received via email this afternoon from Newland:

October 28, 2010


To Our Residents at Telfair,

Neighborhood schools are tremendously important for creating a successful, healthy community. Newland Communities places great value in residents being able to send their children to neighborhood schools.

For years, Newland has been in communication with Fort Bend ISD (FBISD) about bringing a new high school and an additional elementary school to Telfair. Newland has set aside land for the schools as illustrated on our General Plan and have offered FBISD the opportunity to purchase the two school sites at a deeply discounted price. To date, FBISD has not reached a decision to purchase the land or to build the schools.

Within the next 18 months, Newland will finish with the planning and development of Telfair. In order for us to timely complete the community we need to definitively understand FBISD’s intention for these two proposed school locations.

Newland is strongly committed to working with FBISD to bring the potential high school and second elementary school to Telfair. We have requested FBISD to let us know their decision on whether or not they’ll purchase the land for schools by the end of January, 2011.

Your voice is important in letting FBISD know your wishes concerning these two schools and we feel certain that district officials will welcome your input. We do clearly understand however that the administration and Board of trustees will make this decision in the best interest of the entire FBISD.


Sincerely,


Newland Communities

[AK123]

Since Cornerstone in Telfair is so overcrowded, and a few of the First Colony schools across Hwy 59 are so under capacity... why not rezone the eastern part of Telfair to Colony Meadows, and move some of the Colony Meadows kids to Colony Bend? Not like these are bad options, those are great schools too. And not very far either.
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/...20Capacity.pdf

Same thing for the middle school; Fort Settlement and First Colony are both under capacity.
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/...20Capacity.pdf

For the high schools, everything could shift some and correct it. Zone the Quail Valley neighborhoods to fill in Willowridge and Marshall, then move a big chunk of the Clements zone into Elkins High, then zone Telfair out of Kempner and into Clements, and move some of the Austin High zone into Kempner.
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/...20Capacity.pdf

[dadsearchingforahouse]

For the high schools, everything could shift some and correct it. Zone the Quail Valley neighborhoods to fill in Willowridge and Marshall, then move a big chunk of the Clements zone into Elkins High, then zone Telfair out of Kempner and into Clements, and move some of the Austin High zone into Kempner.
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/...20Capacity.pdf[/quote]

Rezone Clements ??? thats not going to work well with any of the residents there.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by dadsearchingforahouse

For the high schools, everything could shift some and correct it. Zone the Quail Valley neighborhoods to fill in Willowridge and Marshall, then move a big chunk of the Clements zone into Elkins High, then zone Telfair out of Kempner and into Clements, and move some of the Austin High zone into Kempner.
http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/about/...20Capacity.pdf

Rezone Clements ??? thats not going to work well with any of the residents there.

They had already rezoned part of the Elkins zone into Clements a few years back. I don't know why they did that.

If most of the Quail Valley areas were zoned out of Elkins and rezoned north, and Elkins pulled more from the Clements zone, it would probably be a great school and similar to present-day Clements. The Quail Valley people might not be happy, but look at their middle school... they can't really complain, that area has been under-performing for years.

No one likes rezoning, but at least with the suggestions I gave, it wouldn't be like you were rezoning from a good school to a bad one. Not at all. While Telfair and New Territory are busting at the seams, First Colony is aging and losing young population, but those are all still very good schools.

[Cottonmather0]

There is no way that FBISD moves kids out of Clements. If you think the protesting is excessive now with the Telfair situation and the New Territory middle school rezoning, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Property values in First Colony are amplified because of Clements High School and many people paid more for their homes - and bought smaller and lower quality homes - specifically just to get their kids into Clements. No way FBISD rocks that boat, especially to send kids south to Elkins, even if it makes practical sense and and even if Elkins gets the same resources from the district as Clements does.

That said, I agree with you, this is part of FBISD's problem - they are reluctant to rezone students into the lower capacity schools because parents perceive those schools - rightly or wrongly - to be of lower quality than Clements/Austin/Travis etc etc.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by Cottonmather0

If you think the protesting is excessive now with the Telfair situation and the New Territory middle school rezoning, you ain't seen nothing yet.

I don't think the protesting has been excessive. I think the protests so far are a rational response to FBISD's poor planning and evasive communication.

[Cottonmather0]

Originally Posted by Topaz

I don't think the protesting has been excessive. I think the protests so far are a rational response to FBISD's poor planning and evasive communication.

Yeah, sorry, that's not what I meant.

Wasn't making a judgment about the New Territory / Telfair stuff, just pointing out that the outcry from parents getting potentially zoned out of Clements would be nuclear meltdown worthy if it ever were to happen, that's all, for the reasons I listed.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by Cottonmather0

Yeah, sorry, that's not what I meant.

Wasn't making a judgment about the New Territory / Telfair stuff, just pointing out that the outcry from parents getting potentially zoned out of Clements would be nuclear meltdown worthy if it ever were to happen, that's all, for the reasons I listed.

Yeah, I do agree with you on that one!