Government
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & MELISSA ENAJE
Bellaire revises proposed new lighting ordinance Bellaire City Council postponed a vote on its proposed lighting ordinance to allow city sta to revise the ordinance based on council members suggestions. No date was given for when the revised ordinance would return to council. Coun- cil asked city sta to consider implementing an e ective date that would require existing outdoor lighting to comply with the new requirements. Digging deeper Council members also debated penalty costs for those who are found in violation of the lighting ordi- nance. The proposed ne would be no less than $150 for the rst o ense, considered a misdemeanor, and no less than $500 for any subsequent o ense. Council member Ross Gordon said he was concerned that it would be hard to enforce and di erentiate standards between old and new developments.
Houston land trust gets $5M donation Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made a $5 million donation to the Houston Community Land Trust, a “transformative” gift that o cials said will help fund new pilot programs in the city. The overview Pilot programs will focus outside of the traditional single-family home model, including testing new options for multi- family a ordable rentals and commercial spaces, o cials said. Founded in 2018, the HCLT works to provide assistance to prospective homeown- ers who make under 80% of the area median income level, including up to $150,000 in help with down payments and closing costs. The trust has helped 182 individuals and families secure permanent housing.
Harris County o cials plan to revitalize NRG Park Plans to revitalize the home of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and the Houston Texans are moving forward after Harris County commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 10 to task county o cials with redeveloping the NRG Park complex and surrounding region. 90 NRG Center NRG Park Houston Astrodome NRG Stadium
Harris Center opens mobile wellness clinic A new community health care initiative is taking place with the launch of a mobile wellness clinic in September. The mobile clinic will address the full wellness needs of each patient, including physical, mental and behavioral health. The details O cials with The Harris Center said that while the mobile wellness clinic will initially partner with community centers for events in precincts 1 and 2, it won’t be limited to just those two areas. “We’ll look at what they’re currently doing with their activities because they’re already connected to the community, and then we add the mobile wellness vehicles to go to these events,” Director Stanley Williams said.
Existing ordinance
Regulations are minimal and lacking in provisions to properly enforce.
Proposed updates
Commercial*: Permits for new construction will require a photometric analysis that studies the lighting at a job site before construction begins. Parking lots*: Parking lot lights would have a maximum height of 20 feet, avoid spillover on adjacent property and be glare shielded. Parking garages*: Lights must be located at the top oor, be directed downward and be glare shielded. Residential: No outdoor lighting after 10 p.m. on resident recreational facilities.
The Harris County Sports and Convention Cor- poration will develop at least two alternative plans to re-envision NRG Park, which is a 350-acre sports and entertainment complex owned by the county that hosts more than 5.5 million people annually. Digging deeper HCSCC Chair James Dixon II said the organi- zation will work collaboratively with input from tenants, the rodeo and the Texans, and ensure the greatest bene t for all key stakeholders, such as county residents, and Houston’s diverse residen- tial and business communities. “If we are really methodical and strategic and collaborative and work with pure intent, we can all
NRG Arena
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end up with something out there that becomes a legacy project for our future,” Dixon said. Ideas discussed for the project included adding more green space, replacing parts of the parking lot with economic mixed-use areas, and looking to potential developments in the surrounding area, Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said.
SOURCE: CITY OF BELLAIRE COMMUNITY IMPACT *PERTAINS TO NEW CONSTRUCTION ONLY
BUFFALO SPEEDWAY 9733 Buffalo Speedway (713) 838-7486
HOLCOMBE 2314 W Holcombe Blvd (713) 669-1722
WESLAYAN 3902 Bissonnet (713) 218-8144
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