Houston, We Have A Problem: Candidates grapple with whether "To Plan or Not To Plan" Houston's Future!

Citizens' Vision for Houston's Future

Just as many states began taking matters into their own hands as the federal government became less dependable for infrastructure development, border control, emergency management etc., so are Texas cities assuring their own self-determination. It seems they are echoing a common refrain: Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!).

In order to compete for limited resources and talent today and assure they do not become the ghost towns of tomorrow, cities are planning their futures and getting about the task of executing those plans.

Take a look at the Comprehensive Plan for Dallas or for the City of Sugar Land: Regardless of their difference in size, these cities are creating their own future.

But what about Houston?

After 7 years of intensive public processes that engaged citizens in planning meetings throughout the City, Blueprint Houston has finalized the "Citizens' Vision for Houston's Future" that represents what citizens of the City of Houston want as a basis for a General Plan for the City.

The vision begins as follows:

We citizens of the City of Houston envision and desire:

• A diverse city of opportunity where we live in harmony in a healthy environment.
• Sustainable prosperity and development that balances economy, community,and environment.
• Coordinated land use and transportation planning to create and maintain a high level of access for all.
• Choices for home, work, and play in healthy and beautiful neighborhoods with self-determination.
• A government that is wise, efficient, accountable, and creative.
• An educated and skilled workforce, with lifelong educational opportunities.
• Houston to be a vibrant, internationally recognized center of artistic and cultural excellence.

The vision then outlines specific desires in the categories of Economy, Community,Transportation, Neighborhoods, and Government. The Vision is available at Blueprint Houston.

There you will also find a petition for citizens to show support for such a plan based on this vision. Sign the petition today! Whether we live in Houston or whether we live in the region and work and play in Houston, most of us have a stake in how Houston will choose to grow. The Houston region is expecting 3.5 million more people by 2035 (that's how many people are in L.A. today!). What choices will the City make as they attempt to accommodate this growth?

A full-page ad about the vision and the plan was published in the Chronicle Monday, October 8 and the ad is available in PDF format here.

What will it take for the City's elected officials to respond to the people of Houston and their vision for the City?

Well Tuesday night, Blueprint Houston, under the direction of Martha Murphree, convened a Public Forum to ask incumbents and candidates to share their views about planning Houston's Future in light of the Citizen's Vision for Houston's Future, a copy of which was available prior to the meeting as a weblink and as a handout at the Forum. Reporter Miya Shay served as moderator. The Mayor and many City Council members were xpected to attend. As it turned out, the Mayor was a no-show but Controller Anise Parker came along with five current council members and eight candidates. For a review of their comments , please see below.

Personal Reflections

I was grateful that Blueprint Houston hosted this Candidate Forum to highlight the topic of Planning for the City's future, and their hospitality with a wine and cheese reception provided a congenial opportunity to meet and greet the candidates. But let's return to the substantive question that brought us all together: "What will it take for the City's elected officials to respond to the people of Houston and their vision for the City?" Peter Brown optimistically told us that he could count about 10 council members that would support the development of a General Plan for Houston. So what is next, he was asked. "We just need to bring it before Council."

However, the Mayor's leadership on this issue has not only been absent when needed (and his absence was noted at this Forum) but his response has been somewhat antagonistic to the notion of a General Plan and especially to a vision created anywhere but City Hall. Mayor White sincerely believes he HAS the vision for Houston's future and he has been afforded ample support for his ideas during his tenure, which appears to further embolden his rather authoritative(vs. participative) approach to leadership.

Based upon the responses by incumbents and candidates attending the Forum (see below), it becomes even more evident that Houston needs further dialogue on what it means to build a vision and principles that guide the development of a comprehensive plan. Many of those who intuitively support a more deliberate approach are missing the broader concepts of the forward thinking vision and the principles that would guide the development and implementation of City ordinances and practices. So much of the discussion focused on particular development projects and decisions regarding the nature of current development rather than on what might be possible if we were to set our sights on what we want, focus on the future, and connect all the elements relevant to improving quality of life in Houston. Discussion at times devolved into campaign slogans, competition over campaign financing strategies, and jockeying for voter attention rather than on the critical issue at hand. Afterall, election day is less than a month away!

What is clear to me is that among those present at the Forum, Peter Brown, who had to leave early, and Melissa Noriega stand out as having sufficient breadth and depth of understanding about comprehensive planning to raise awareness, educate, and potentially influence their peers. Progress will certainly depend upon our collective capability to educate decision-makers and the citizens that hold them accountable.

Considering that it was sometimes difficult to even follow a conversation thread during the two hour Forum, I was impressed with Melissa's capacity to remain focused on the purpose of the meeting, keep comments germane to the subject, and express heartfelt and passionate commitment to her stewardship role as a public servant responsible for Houston's future. I was further encouraged by Melissa's genuine understanding and support for comprehensive planning, and grateful to have her positioned to positively influence what's next! This along with her dignified and humble presence distinguished her from the crowd. I was proud of Melissa. As I left the meeting I noticed that Melissa sparked something that has been missing for me far too long: She touched the deep recesses of hope and optimism that she may be signaling the early return of intelligent life and responsiveness to government!

Mayor White never showed up! Oh but Outlaw Josey Wales IV, Mayoral candidate, showed up in his cowboy boots and cowboy hat (he reminded me so much of Kinky Friedman, I was looking for the cigar!). He wanted us to know that he has a ten-plank platform that will "become the plan to guide the growth of Houston and it will work great!" He has seen enough study of the issues; "It's time to do something!"

City Controller Anise Parker, unopposed and ready to serve two more years, attended and stated that over the years she has advocated for many planned improvements from the pooper-scooper ordinance to lot size ordinances, and while she doesn't have a vote, she doesn't think it is reasonable to expect a plan to solve everything. So what she recommends is separate plans with a flexible overlay! With regard to the Ashby High Rise project, she states that we should have had ordinances in place to discourage that but we cannot pass an ordinance and make it retroactive. It's against the law. What Council needs to pass is an ordinance that requires a traffic impact study. A well-thought out plan would guide, not stop, development and plan for appropriate mass and scale.

#396ba9">#333333">Peter Brown #333333">At Large Position 1	#396ba9">#333333">Sue Lovell #333333">At Large Position 2	#396ba9">#333333">Melissa Noriega #333333">At Large Position 3
#396ba9">#333333">Ronald Green #333333">At Large Position 4	#396ba9">#333333">Michael Berry #333333">At Large Position 5	#333333">.
#396ba9">#333333">Toni Lawrence #333333">District A	#396ba9">#333333">Jarvis Johnson #333333">District B	#396ba9">#333333">Anne Clutterbuck #333333">District C
#396ba9">#333333">Ada Edwards #333333">District D	#396ba9">#333333">Addie Wiseman #333333">District E	#396ba9">#333333">M.J. Khan #333333">District F
#396ba9">#333333">Pam Holm #333333">District G	#396ba9">#333333">Adrian Garcia #333333">District H	#396ba9">#333333">Carol Alvarado #333333">District I

#333333">Fourteen Council Members are elected every two years, in odd-numbered years.

Those Council members who were present include:

Peter Brown, Sue Lovell, Melissa Noriega, Adrian Garcia and Anne Clutterbuck.

Council Candidates who attended include:

Robert Glaser and Alfred Molson running against Anne Clutterbuck in District C John Marron, one of three candidates running in District I

Jolanda Jones ,Tom Nixon, and Marlon Barabin, three of seven candidates running for At Large District 5 Also attending was Lea Watson, a write-in candidate

At Large Positions

Peter Brown is unopposed in At Large Position 1.

Peter is fondly referred by his colleagues as "Peter Plan" because he has been such an advocate for City Comprehensive Planning. Peter is a Board member of the Gulf Coast Institute, a nonprofit independent research organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Houston. He and other board members, such as Rice Professor Steven Klineberg, have long shared research, information, perspectives and a vision for Houston. Peter frequently attends Livable Houston Initiative discussions hosted by the Institute and Houston-Galveston Area Council, and the Rice Design Alliance forums on planning and urban design. He stated that we not only need a General Plan but one that is Comprehensive. With $2.7 million in taxpayer money being allocated, "it is time for a plan!"

Sue Lovell is being challenged in At Large Position 2 by Michael Griffin (not present)

Sue does not perceive the City as having "failed" to appropriately plan but believes the City is at a crossroads as neighborhoods are becoming transformed by new development. What Council can do, in her view, is make sure deed restrictions are enforced by the City's permit department and that lot sizes are defined neighborhood by neighborhood since what is appropriate for one may not be for another. She seemed to fall back on notions of zoning, stating that this kind of planned land use drives up costs of housing and Houston is lucky that it remains affordable. Her focus was certainly on issues that have become contentious as a result of growth and development, but did not address the broader question of comprehensive planning.

Melissa Noriega is being challenged in At Large Position 3 by Roy Morales (not present). Melissa was the only person present, incumbent or candidate, who addressed the real spirit of Comprehensive Planning in which citizens envision their desired future. She stated for all those gathered for this discussion what vision means, citing page I-5 of the Dallas General Plan called Forward Dallas: "A vivid mental image; the formation of a mental image of something that is perceived to not be real but is possible; imagination that reveals what the world could be." She pointed out that Houston is at a tipping point in which we have the opportunity to bring into balance the economy, the environment, and the people. What it will take is a forward vision …"and that is what Blueprint Houston offers!" Melissa noted that she supported an amendment introduced by Peter Brown that would define average density to maintain consistency of mass and scale block by block so that the character of neighborhoods can be maintained. In order to balance property rights and community needs, it will require guiding principles. Later she commented on the discussion of campaign contributions and noted that campaigns by nature have some element of gamesmanship, but planning for Houston's future is "serious business." What came to her mind was her service in the Legislature while husband Rick was in Afghanistan. "I knew I was responsible for Texans." "I know I am now responsible for Houston's future, for my son's future, for my neighborhood's future, for the citizens' future and for that I am accountable to the voters."

Jolanda Jones is vying for At Large Position 5 and received Chronicle endorsement. Jolanda believes we need a comprehensive plan to balance the horizontal and vertical growth patterns, balance pedestrian and vehicle transportation etc. But most importantly she believes we need to engage the stakeholders who all need to have a voice.

Marlon Barabin is also vying for At Large Position 5

Marlon harkened back to his Air Force commander's consistent refrain: "What's your plan?" to drive home the idea that Houston is flying by the seat of its pants (winging it?) Sorry, my puns not his! His experience with planning is that you always go to the people to get your information, to determine their wants and needs.

Tom Nixon is also vying for At Large Position 5

Tom indicated that one of the forces of any plan is business. We say we are a pro-business City. Is that just talk? Are we going to support a concept of business districts or regionalized business? Whatever the choices, we must be sure that it achieves lower taxes, controls for public safety, and attracts business and jobs, including convention business. The foreclosures are driving different economic realities now and developers are inclined to pull out of contract commitments when they are not sure they can sell the houses they are building; but they are getting sued, so developers are stuck with these projects. Tom never defined what he perceived to be the implications if this trend continues but he was clearly attempting to caution us.

District C

Anne Clutterbuck is being challenged by Robert Glaser & Alfred Molson in District C. Anne simply stated the platform for her candidacy, which was police protection, lower tax rate and constituent services. She also praised the recent passage of the Parks Ordinance but said little about her view of City planning.

Robert Glaser expressed his support for a General Plan, stating that City Hall has been too reactive and that the planning process must become a grass roots effort in which the citizens tell the developers what we want, not the other way around. Developers know how to influence the city. It is not appropriate to place the responsibility on the neighborhoods to build consensus to oppose an unfavorable development project because Council should there to represent the people, not the developers.

Alfred Molson is running on a platform of "healthy people, jobs and politics." He supports a General Plan and emphasizes that it needs active voter, taxpayer, citizen participation. He envisions a City that meets the transportation needs of citizens in a more dense, pedestrian and bike friendly environment that will address both transportation and pollution issues.

District H

Adrian Garcia is unopposed in District H

Adrian pointed out that a plan is important for the City because it helps us all to understand and prepare for things for Houston's future. But it has to have some caveats: it is going to receive challenges from developers so developers need to know the ground rules. It must also provide a framework in which we are honest with ourselves about the growth of the city and the change that growth implies. Therefore the plan should provide for the infrastructure to manage that growth.

District I

John Marron is one of three candidates for District I (only one present)

John declared that development is out of control in Houston. He envisions a city in which everyone can live comfortably. That means everyone must have a voice. He stated that we don't want to keep developers from developing land but we need strict ordinances to guide that development with the vote of the stakeholders.While John never explicitly stated his support for comprehensive planning, it can be inferred from his frustration that he supports at least a more deliberate approach in order to bring development under control.

Lea Watson, write-in candidate

Lea declared "I have to run." She is so distressed by cash payments for commercial bonds and Ordinance 42 which defines Houston's current land use plan in which inside the 610 Loop is considered "plight" and gives developers the opportunity to tear down in order to rebuild. We need to rewrite deed restrictions. While she admitted that she was nervous speaking to the group she wrapped up her comments with a bold statement: "we need to take criminals out of City Hall and off City Streets."