Let's form a citizen's group to pressure the city to come up with real development plan (Houston: real estate, city hall)

[austinguy2009]

Okay, I made a thread complaining about Houston, and most people said "well if you don't like it try to fix it."

Okay, well join me. Let's do this.

Houston cannot continue to grow the way it is because 1) We won't attract enough of the class of people a big city wants (smart educated "creative class" people want a nice urban environment) While people come now for cheap living and temporary jobs, we want this to last. 2) We won't survive the inevitable oil crisis. When gasoline hits $4 (again), $5...$6...what will happen to all the people having to commute every day? People need transportation options. If people are spending thousands a month just to get around, other cities will start to look much more attractive. 3) The way we are developing is ridiculously bad for the environment. Plus, huge McMansions + high heat/humidity means people are spending a lot on energy just to keep these behemoths cooled down. As the price of energy rises, this will only get much much worse.

We need to push for real zoning, stressing mixed use neighborhoods. We need to discourage building big wasteful mcmansions on huge lots. We need to discourage strip malls - store fronts should abut roads, instead of huge unsightly parking lots. We need serious mass transit - not just within the city but for daily commuters from nearby suburbs, like Dallas and Atlanta have started doing.

These are just preliminary thoughts. Who's with me in doing this?

[Mayor_McCheese]

Houston's not a bunch of inbred rednecks and illegals

Besides, I'm here for now.

I agree on the crappy mass transit and zoning

[westres1]

you can take your plan to the the following planning meetings at city hall
http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/PlanningCommission/2009PC_submission_dates.pdf (broken link)

zoning has to be voted on by the public and it failed in 90
Most of the planning you refer to is located in unincorporated parts of Harris county or nearby counties making it difficult because agencies would have to work together.
Houston is not going to tell people how big they can build their houses. never IMO
I agree with you on rail.
Maybe you would be happier back in Austin? Just kidding... I had to say it!

[jfre81]

The Chronicle link is broken, so I'll give you this.

I'm with you on transit but I still haven't heard a convincing case for traditional zoning which seems to promote the opposite of mixed-use neighborhoods. We already have those anyway.

[Oildog]

Look at the groups that are 'working with' the Metro Rail system. They have planned lines to the North, the Ship Channel and to the Universities. Hard part is the NIMBY factor...we have some problems but no one wants to give up their piece of pie to get it, and I dont really blame them....I was wondering if those fires in the Heights were along proposed rail lines...hypothetically.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Oildog

I was wondering if those fires in the Heights were along proposed rail lines...hypothetically.

I haven't heard any proposals about rail in the Heights. I think you just have a regular old pyromaniac operating up there.

[westres1]

I dont think so because they are near Ashland and 11th if I remember correctly the rail will not go that far North

[hsw]

Perhaps majority of wealth and major employers (by stock mkt value) in Houston region (or Dallas for that matter) are energy-related and actually benefit from higher oil and nat gas prices

Most of top engineers and tech co. founders in SiliconValley (a fairly well-educated, creative, wealthy place, no?) seem to prefer to live and work in suburban sprawl of SV, not in City of SF

Perhaps 40% of major hedge funds (some of highest-paid guys on planet) in NYC region are based in suburban Greenwich, not Manhattan...to be closer to where many top execs prefer to live/work and with far lower CT income taxes than NYC (5% vs ~13%)

Mass transit anywhere tends to eventually translate to high taxes (all those $100K+/yr unionized gvt workers) and flight of major companies (and high-income jobs) out of region....consider the multi-decade flight of wealth from old Northeast and RustBelt towns to places like Hou/Dall to avoid Big Government, Big Unions and high taxes/costs

[tstone]

Hsw, we're talking about a class of people a big city wants -- smart educated "creative class," because this clearly is what makes the world go round.

Austinguy, I drove 180 miles/day 5 days/wk in a big-body sedan when gas was $3.90/gal (and still do), and I can tell you that at least one of your figures is grossly exaggerated. And two, good luck telling Houstonians what we ''need'' to do. Do you not think if gas spikes that more conveniently located real estate values will spike? If you don't believe the market will adjust itself you're definitely mistaken.

I'd like some of what you're smoking, though. . This sounds like good pass-the-bowl conversation, pipe dreams.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by austinguy2009

Okay, I made a thread complaining about Houston, and most people said "well if you don't like it try to fix it."

Okay, well join me. Let's do this.

Houston cannot continue to grow the way it is because 1) We won't attract enough of the class of people a big city wants (smart educated "creative class" people want a nice urban environment) While people come now for cheap living and temporary jobs, we want this to last. 2) We won't survive the inevitable oil crisis. When gasoline hits $4 (again), $5...$6...what will happen to all the people having to commute every day? People need transportation options. If people are spending thousands a month just to get around, other cities will start to look much more attractive. 3) The way we are developing is ridiculously bad for the environment. Plus, huge McMansions + high heat/humidity means people are spending a lot on energy just to keep these behemoths cooled down. As the price of energy rises, this will only get much much worse.

We need to push for real zoning, stressing mixed use neighborhoods. We need to discourage building big wasteful mcmansions on huge lots. We need to discourage strip malls - store fronts should abut roads, instead of huge unsightly parking lots. We need serious mass transit - not just within the city but for daily commuters from nearby suburbs, like Dallas and Atlanta have started doing.

These are just preliminary thoughts. Who's with me in doing this?

I hope you are posting this in the Austin and Dallas thread because it applies to those cities has well.