Letter from the President
DEAR CCFCC STAKEHOLDERS AND
FELLOW HOMEOWNERS:
This past year was a year of
contrasting good news and bad news. The second worst
flooding in Harris County history (based on the number
of flooded homes) occurred June 19. But Mother Nature
looked kindly on the Cypress Creek Watershed with only
one reported flooded home. Although movement occurred on
all actions and goals set out in our charter, progress
was slower than desired.
Flood Damage Reduction Goals:
In late 2005, we were dealt a severe but temporary
setback by FEMA’s refusal to accept the Coalition’s
appeal to correct deficiencies in their new floodplain
maps for our watershed. However, your financial
contributions were well rewarded during 2006. A project
team that CCFCC was instrumental in creating, and on
which we participated under HCFCD leadership, completed
the demanding technical challenge of identifying the
sources of the problems and correcting them. Although
the official maps (effective June 18, 2007) will not
reflect these corrections, we are advised that an
amendment to do so is programmed to occur the next day,
June 19. This corrective action will have a beneficial
influence on regulating urban development in areas which
would exacerbate flooding in downstream neighborhoods.
Preservation Goals:
With land use being the biggest determinant of increased
stormwater runoff in any watershed, no entity is a more
important CCFCC partner than the land development
industry. Two new developments along the approximately
forty-mile proposed Cypress Creek Greenway deserve
mentioning. There are continuing positive actions being
taken by V&W Partners, Ltd., a joint venture of Vincent
Kickerillo and Walter Mischer. V&W is increasing their
donated acreage of land purchased from Hewlett-Packard
in 2005 to approximately 100 acres. This beautifully
forested floodplain tract on the north bank of Cypress
Creek and east of State Highway 249 includes a
forty-acre lake and is valued at almost $10 million. A
conceptual plan for the future nature preserve is now in
the design phase by their landscape architect. We are
also very appreciative of the actions taken by General
Growth Properties, the developer of Bridgeland. Among
the amenities of this 10,000-acre planned community are
lakes and open space including a preserved, 900 acre
wooded corridor adjoining Cypress Creek on the
development’s north side. Bridgeland is west of U. S.
Highway 290 between Fry and Katy-Hockley Roads.
Communications Goals:
This cornerstone element of our charter is now
undergoing a major upgrade under the guidance of Payne
Communications whom the Coalition employed last summer.
See the Annual Report for more news about
communications.
Plans for 2007: At
the top of our 2007 plans is the continued goal of
bringing the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
and other government entities together in right-of-way
acquisition and the excavation of major regional
detention basins in the Upper Watershed as part of the
major Northwest Corridor Expansion of U.S. Highway 290,
which is presently in the design phase. Formidable urban
growth market pressures make it essential that our
elected officials accomplish this without further delay.
Information about other engineering technical
evaluations, CCFCC participation as a stakeholder on the
City of Houston and certain Harris County Flood Control
District planning projects, and our new Environmental
Affairs committee is provided in the Annual Report.
Our ongoing challenge is to help
complete master watershed stormwater management plans;
convince government officials to approve tighter
drainage regulations in this watershed; help implement
government funding and construction of major regional
detention basins in the Upper Watershed; and seek
answers to deforestation and preservation of the
riparian corridors throughout the major and tributary
channels. With the continuing support of our membership,
we can accomplish these objectives.
Dick Smith
Richard D. Smith, President
Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition
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