2016 candidate questionnaire - offcite blog | design....

2016 Candidate Questionnairep 1

2016 Candidate Questionnaire

Cite: The Architecture + Design Review of Houston is an award-winning publication of the Rice Design Alliance founded in 1982. Through research, education, and community engagement, Cite strives to improve the quality of life in the Houston region. To that end, Cite is asking candidates for commissioner seats and current officeholders to respond to the following 15 questions concerning their own background and public infrastructure, urban development and affordability, and the environment. Your responses will be published as written on OffCite.org, which received over 100,000 unique visitors in the past year. The Cite audience is educated, demographically diverse, and civically engaged. For more information, visit OffCite.org and ricedesignalliance.org.

These questions were written and collected in consultation with experts by the following steering committee:

Raj Mankadeditor, Cite

Rachel Powersexecutive director, Citizens’ environmental Coalition

Jen Powisenvironmental attorney, the Powis Firm, PLLC

Teresa Demchakretired Managing Partner, Goldstein, demchak, Borgen & dardarian


a. Your BaCkGround

We would like to know more about how your past experiences have informed your understanding of Harris County.

1. Please provide a brief biographical statement (i.e., education and employment background, any other elected offices you have held and years held). 100 words or less

2. Identify any non-profit organizations of which you currently are or have been a member. Also identify any public or private corporations or non-profit organizations of which you currently are or have been a member of the board of directors. 100 words or less

3. What is the best way to describe the separation of City and County services? Alternatively, what should the ordinary resident of Harris County know about their county government? 100 words or less


a. Your BaCkGround

4. Rather than distributing taxes from the general revenue based on population, county funds are generally distributed based on the number of road miles in each precinct. It has been argued that this method disadvantages minority areas. Furthermore, it is argued that though most county taxes are paid by residents of the City of Houston, they get the least county services because of this distribution. Are county funds allotted in a fair manner and, if not, what should change? 100 words or less


B. inFrastruCture and Water resourCes

The County plays an important role for the built environment and how that environment affects our region’s natu-

ral resources. The County’s three main public infrastructure units (Harris County Flood Control, Harris County Engineering Depart-ment, and Harris County Toll Road Authority) arguably have the greatest opportunity to pro-tect our natural resources through watershed management programs, including stormwater, and more thoughtful citing of roads than any other local jurisdiction. The following ques-

tions cover areas where there are opportunities to improve the natural and built environments.

We begin with infrastructure and water resources. The map below shows the Trinity San Jacinto watershed. It represents approximately half of the state’s population. Yet, more than half of the stream miles in this watershed do not meet the state of Texas’s basic water quality standards. Pollutants like bacteria that make drinking water unhealthy or legacy pollutants like PCBs that have a causal connection with cancer are prevalent.

Fifty-three percent of streams in the trinity and san Jacinto river Basins were listed as impaired by teCQ.



1. The County is charged with allocating funds for the Harris County Flood Control District. Over the past few years, the budget for that agency has been streamlined and its mission related to mitigating flooding through land acquisition curtailed. If budget constraints continue in the near term, what priorities would you establish for the Harris County Flood Control District in order to reduce flooding in our region? 100 words or less

2. What role should the county play in enforcing water quality standards for our region?100 words or less



3. What more, if anything, should the County do to address the problem of failing septic tanks, as the map above demonstrates? 100 words or less

4. Similarly, there are many wastewater treatment facilities in middle- and upper-middle-class areas due to the proliferation of Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) but many of these have aging infrastructure and limited tax base in order to upgrade or ensure adequate maintenance. What role should the County play in addressing this aging infrastructure and is a regional response appropriate? 100 words or less

on-site sewer systems septic tank Violations, Harris County. source: Houston-Galveston area Council.


C. inFrastruCture For transPortation

Harris County is currently reviewing its Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP). The MTFP pattern of

major roadways at one-mile intervals is con-ducive to standard real estate development but inimical to maintaining the ecological value of our region’s natural resources, particularly its

prairies, wetlands, and bayou corridors. More-over, fragmentation of the land through vast grids limits economic development opportuni-ties for anchor or signature parks and increases flooding and stormwater detention needs.

1. In your role in developing Harris County, how would you balance meeting transportation needs while protecting or enhancing the ecosystem services provided by open spaces and unfragmented lands? For example, do you support allowing new roads through the County’s parks, natural areas, or remaining open spaces? 100 words or less

LIBERTY COUNTY

HARRIS COUNTY

WALLER COUNTY

Houston

Baytown

Pearland

Pasadena

League City

Spring

Sugar Land

Dayton

Rosenberg

The Woodlands

Katy

Missouri City

La Porte

Seabrook

Friendswood

Tomball

Deer Park

Channelview

Humble

Aldine

Mont Belvieu

Fresno

Barrett

Fulshear

Stafford

Pine Island

Pinehurst

Webster

Highlands

Prairie View

Atascocita

San Leon

Bellaire

Bacliff

Pattison

Galena Park

New Territory

Crosby

Pecan Grove

Richmond

Beach City

Cinco Ranch

Mission Bend

Waller

Cumings

Plum GroveMagnolia

Arcola

Sheldon

Kemah

Jersey Village

Porter Heights

Simonton South Houston

Cloverleaf

Weston Lakes

Four Corners

Greatwood

Kenefick

Jacinto City

WoodbranchShenandoah

Patton Village

Nassau Bay

Brookside Village

Morgan's Point

Piney Point Village

Roman Forest

Stagecoach

El Lago

West University Place

Old River-Winfree

Shoreacres

Oak Ridge North

Bunker Hill Village

Dayton Lakes

Taylor Lake Village

Spring Valley Village

Hedwig Village

Meadows Place

Orchard

Clear Lake Shores

Southside Place

GULF FRWY

EAST

EX F

RWY

NO

RTH

FRW

YH

ARD

Y TOLLR

D

KATY FRWY

S MAIN ST

NASA1

CLAY RD

RED BLUFF RD

S SAM HOUSTON PKWY

GULF BANK

SPENCER RD

BAY AR

EA B

LVD

SPENCER HWY

E S

AM

HO

UST

ON

PK

WY

GALVESTON RD

ELDR

IDG

E P

KWY

BELLAIRE BLVD

ALM

EDA

RD

MT HOUSTON

AIRPORT RD

WESTHEIMER RD

KUYKENDAHL

KING

WO

OD

HEMPSTEAD HWY

CU

LLEN B

LVD

BINGLE RD

WES

T LO

OP

EAS

T LO

OP

TREASCHWIG

FIS

HER

N SAM HOUSTON PKWY

CLINTON DR

ALVIN-SUGARLAND RD

BEAUMONT HWYCROSBY FRWY

W 43RD ST

NORTHWEST FRWY AIRLINE DR

SOUTHW

EST FRW

Y

RIVE

R

REED

LA PORTE FRWY

BROADWAY

CR

OSBY-H

UFFM

AN R

D

DECKER DR

ADD

ICKS

-SAT

SUM

A R

D

W AIRPORT RD

HILL

CRO

FT S

T

GREEN RIVER

DU

RH

AM

26TH

HA

RD

Y

RICHEY

STPA

RKW

OO

D

LOC

KWO

OD

DR

S SHAVER ST

JOH

N F

KEN

NE

DY

BLV

D

HUMBLE-HUFFMAN RD

JACKRABBITEL

DR

IDG

E R

D

ALLEN PKWY

E CROSSTIMBERS

OLD SPANISH TRL

C E

KIN

G P

KWY

STUEBNER-AIRLINE DR

SOUTH LOOP

POS

T O

AK

RD

MAX

EY R

DFE

DE

RA

L RD

SAM HOUSTON TOLLWY

HUMBLE-WESTFIELD RD

CLEVELAND

BAYTOWN EAST FRWY

SHAV

ER S

T

WESTPARK DR

EDGEWOOD AV

WAY

SID

E D

R

SMITH-MILLER

PEE

K

BALD

WIN

ST

MCC

ARTY

ST

W MAIN ST

MONTGOMERY RD

BISSONNET ST

NAVIGATION BLVD

ADD

ICKS

-HO

WE

LL R

D

NORTH LOOP

KATY FRWY

BRO

AD

WAY B

LVD

SOU

TH FR

WY

NO

RTH

FRW

Y

LA PORTE FRWY

GULF FRWY

HUMBLE-HUFFMAN RD

BAYTOWN EAST FRWY

PARKWOOD

NORTH LOOP

Æ·36

Æ·242

Æ·6

Æ·249

Æ·96

Æ·494

Æ·330

Æ·201

Æ·71

Æ·225

Æ·36

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Æ·249

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2012 Regional Thoroughfare Plan Update

Harris CountyPath: T:\Plan\Regional Thoroughfare Plan\2011\Region Wide Maps & Materials\MXD\Draft Final 2012 HC.mxd¯ 0 2 4 6 81

Miles

LegendLeague City

Tomball

Conroe

Friendswood

Rosenberg

Pearland

Alvin

Manvel

Missouri City

Sugar Land

Grand Parkway Proposed

Fort Bend County

Waller County

Brazoria County

Montgomery County

Harris County/City of Houston

Other Counties

Harris County thorough-fare Plan. source: Houston-Galveston area Council.


C. inFrastruCture For transPortation

2. Nearly one quarter of Harris County residents do not own a car. How can the county promote transportation opportunities for those that choose to walk or bike to a job center or cannot afford a car for travel? 100 words or less


d. inFrastruCture and eConoMiC deVeLoPMent

1. The Ship Channel industrial complex generates over 140,000 direct and indirect jobs, represents a capital investment of around $60 billion, and is the economic engine of this region. Work completed at the SSPEED Center at Rice University modeled a reasonable worst-case storm as generating a surge of approximately 25 feet that would inundate portions of over 100 facilities and would represent a direct threat to about 1,400 storage tanks of various sizes that line the channel. What role do you see as an elected official at the County level to prevent such a catastrophe? 100 words or less

LIBERTY COUNTY

HARRIS COUNTY

WALLER COUNTY

Houston

Baytown

Pearland

Pasadena

League City

Spring

Sugar Land

Dayton

Rosenberg

The Woodlands

Katy

Missouri City

La Porte

Seabrook

Friendswood

Tomball

Deer Park

Channelview

Humble

Aldine

Mont Belvieu

Fresno

Barrett

Fulshear

Stafford

Pine Island

Pinehurst

Webster

Highlands

Prairie View

Atascocita

San Leon

Bellaire

Bacliff

Pattison

Galena Park

New Territory

Crosby

Pecan Grove

Richmond

Beach City

Cinco Ranch

Mission Bend

Waller

Cumings

Plum GroveMagnolia

Arcola

Sheldon

Kemah

Jersey Village

Porter Heights

Simonton South Houston

Cloverleaf

Weston Lakes

Four Corners

Greatwood

Kenefick

Jacinto City

WoodbranchShenandoah

Patton Village

Nassau Bay

Brookside Village

Morgan's Point

Piney Point Village

Roman Forest

Stagecoach

El Lago

West University Place

Old River-Winfree

Shoreacres

Oak Ridge North

Bunker Hill Village

Dayton Lakes

Taylor Lake Village

Spring Valley Village

Hedwig Village

Meadows Place

Orchard

Clear Lake Shores

Southside Place

GULF FRWY

EAST

EX F

RWY

NO

RTH

FRW

YH

ARD

Y TOLLR

D

KATY FRWY

S MAIN ST

NASA1

CLAY RD

RED BLUFF RD

S SAM HOUSTON PKWY

GULF BANK

SPENCER RD

BAY AR

EA B

LVD

SPENCER HWY

E S

AM

HO

UST

ON

PK

WY

GALVESTON RD

ELDR

IDG

E P

KWY

BELLAIRE BLVD

ALM

EDA

RD

MT HOUSTON

AIRPORT RD

WESTHEIMER RD

KUYKENDAHL

KING

WO

OD

HEMPSTEAD HWY

CU

LLEN B

LVD

BINGLE RD

WES

T LO

OP

EAS

T LO

OP

TREASCHWIG

FIS

HER

N SAM HOUSTON PKWY

CLINTON DR

ALVIN-SUGARLAND RD

BEAUMONT HWYCROSBY FRWY

W 43RD ST

NORTHWEST FRWY AIRLINE DR

SOUTHW

EST FRW

Y

RIVE

R

REED

LA PORTE FRWY

BROADWAY

CR

OSBY-H

UFFM

AN R

D

DECKER DR

ADD

ICKS

-SAT

SUM

A R

D

W AIRPORT RD

HILL

CRO

FT S

T

GREEN RIVER

DU

RH

AM

26TH

HA

RD

Y

RICHEY

STPA

RKW

OO

D

LOC

KWO

OD

DR

S SHAVER ST

JOH

N F

KEN

NE

DY

BLV

D

HUMBLE-HUFFMAN RD

JACKRABBIT

ELD

RID

GE

RD

ALLEN PKWY

E CROSSTIMBERS

OLD SPANISH TRL

C E

KIN

G P

KWY

STUEBNER-AIRLINE DR

SOUTH LOOP

POS

T O

AK

RD

MAX

EY R

DFE

DE

RA

L RD

SAM HOUSTON TOLLWY

HUMBLE-WESTFIELD RD

CLEVELAND

BAYTOWN EAST FRWY

SHAV

ER S

T

WESTPARK DR

EDGEWOOD AV

WAY

SID

E D

R

SMITH-MILLER

PEE

K

BALD

WIN

ST

MCC

ARTY

ST

W MAIN ST

MONTGOMERY RD

BISSONNET ST

NAVIGATION BLVD

ADD

ICKS

-HO

WE

LL R

D

NORTH LOOP

KATY FRWY

BRO

AD

WAY B

LVD

SOU

TH FR

WY

NO

RTH

FRW

Y

LA PORTE FRWY

GULF FRWY

HUMBLE-HUFFMAN RD

BAYTOWN EAST FRWY

PARKWOOD

NORTH LOOP

Æ·36

Æ·242

Æ·6

Æ·249

Æ·96

Æ·494

Æ·330

Æ·201

Æ·71

Æ·225

Æ·36

Æ·288

Æ·249

Æ·3

Æ·35 Æ·146

$$+8

õFM1045

õFM1093

õFM1875

õFM1960

õFM359

õFM1488

õFM1314

õFM1489

õFM2979

õFM1409

õFM2797

õFM3180

õFM1774

õFM2978

õFM2094

õFM2234õFM1092

õFM1952

õFM1266

õFM149

õFM565

õFM518

õFM529

õFM362

õFM1485

õFM1488

õFM518

õFM762

õFM362

õFM2855

!"#$10!"#$10

!"#$45

£¤90

£¤290

£¤59

£¤90

£¤290

£¤90

Æ·99

õFM1463

HAR

DY

FOR

T BE

ND

HUMBLE-HUFFMAN RD

2012 Regional Thoroughfare Plan Update

Harris CountyPath: T:\Plan\Regional Thoroughfare Plan\2011\Region Wide Maps & Materials\MXD\Draft Final 2012 HC.mxd¯ 0 2 4 6 81

Miles

LegendLeague City

Tomball

Conroe

Friendswood

Rosenberg

Pearland

Alvin

Manvel

Missouri City

Sugar Land

Grand Parkway Proposed

Fort Bend County

Waller County

Brazoria County

Montgomery County

Harris County/City of Houston

Other Counties

Harris County thorough-fare Plan. source: Houston-Galveston area Council.



2. As the map above demonstrates, public infrastructure such as landfills, recycling centers, and wastewater treatment facilities are predominately found in low income and minority neighborhoods. Many of these facilities are nearing the end term of usefulness and violate existing laws for air permits, water permits, illegal dumping, or other maintenance issues. Industrial facilities that fail to maintain facilities, or have compliance problems, often drag down property values and economic development opportunities in the near vicinity. How can the County’s enforcement officers prioritize the “worse” offenders while also seeking to ensure compliance with state law? Can the County play a role in redevelopment or hyper development in areas of existing facilities? 100 words or less



3. Nationwide, over the past decade, major metropolitan suburbs have seen poverty rates climb by 25 percent, almost five times faster than cities. In 2012, 55 percent of the poor living in the nation’s metropolitan regions lived in suburbs. The County can encourage the development of affordable housing through developer incentives, inclusion into criteria for Urban Centers, leveraging of federal housing funds, and use of state and local bond and development incentives. Do you support these steps or how would you change these funding mechanisms to address affordable housing in the County? 100 words or less

4. County Judge Ed Emmett has proposed a public-private conservancy to preserve the Astrodome as an indoor park. “I support and am pushing for the conservancy approach,” said the late County Commissioner El Franco Lee, whose precinct included the Astrodome, adding, “It gives philanthropic givers an opportunity to participate, and it takes us down the road much faster by doing some creative things.” What are your thoughts on the future of the Astrodome? 100 words or less


5. The County has played a leading role in preserving and building civic landmarks and community centers such the Leonel Castillo Center, Sylvan Beach Pavilion, and the historic county courthouse. What are your thoughts on the Astrodome and are there other opportunities for the County to preserve historical buildings downtown and in outlying areas? What would be the next building or area you personally would support preserving or enhancing? 100 words or less

2016 candidate questionnaire - offcite blog | design....

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