General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHouston's lack of zoning laws or building restrictions
The price of unregulated development.
Houston is the Wild West of development, so any mention of regulation creates a hostile reaction from people who see that as an infringement on property rights and a deterrent to economic growth, said Sam Brody, director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores at Texas A&M University. The stormwater system has never been designed for anything much stronger than a heavy afternoon thunderstorm.
How Wild West growth may have contributed to devastating flood in Houston
https://www.washingtonpost.com/classic-apps/how-wild-west-growth-may-have-contributed-to-devastating-flood-in-houston/2017/08/29/290e4e56-8c13-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html?utm_term=.bbdb099e5b02
HAB911
(8,932 posts)Coventina
(27,223 posts)Igel
(35,383 posts)MineralMan
(146,345 posts)I recently wrote the content for a website on building codes for fences in Texas. I'm working on that site again, starting back before Harvey. The weirdest thing was that when I looked up ordinances and codes for fences in Houston, I discovered that there's really nothing there. You don't even need a building permit in Houston for a fence under 8' high, unless you live in a development governed by an HOA.
I've done more than one such website for different metro areas, and Houston is an amazing exception. In most places, building codes and ordinances about fences are complex, detailed and sometimes hard to interpret. In Houston, though, the rule in that city appears to be, "We don't care. Build your damned fence however you like."
Similar unspecified codes and rules are common in Texas cities and counties. It's very interesting.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)They're very specific about "rules" like fencing. For example no fences allowed in front yard of residential neighborhoods. period. height & materials of backyard fences.
neighborhoods in Houston areas are huge, many have their own police departments, courts and very thick zoning regulations rules and fines for everything.
for example -Bellaire, Texas
[PDF]Sect 03 - Official Zoning Map - Bellaire City, Texas
bellairecitytx.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=1747
R-5. L-610. R-3. PD-11. R-5. R-4. CMU. P. D. -2. 0. CMU. R-4. PD-15. R-1. R-4. R. -5. R-3. R-1. BBOD. R-3. R-3. R-3. R-5. PD-17. L-610. L-610. UVD. R-3. PD-23.
Permits, Code Enforcement, Zoning - Bellaire, TX - Official Website
https://www.bellairetx.gov/faq.aspx?TID=8
Development Services - Permits, Code Enforcement, Zoning. Show All Answers. 1. When is a permit needed to do work or have work done at my property?
Public Hearing - Planning and Zoning Commission | Bellaire, TX ...
https://www.bellairetx.gov/985/Public-Hearings
On June 13, 2017, the Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on an application filed by Steven Gee, Project Manager, Houston ...
Development Services | Bellaire, TX - Official Website - City of Bellaire
https://www.bellairetx.gov/621/Development-Services
Contact the Development Services Department for all your coding and zoning needs.
Sec. 24-403. - Official Zoning District Map. | Code of Ordinances ...
https://www.municode.com/library/tx/bellaire/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId...
Bellaire, Texas - Code of Ordinances · PART II - CODE OF ORDINANCES ... The Commission, with the assistance of the Planning and Zoning Official, shall annually ... may adopt or amend a capital improvement program for the City of Bellaire.
tammywammy
(26,582 posts)We do have a lot of land-use regulations, Festa said. We still have a lot of stuff that looks and smells like zoning.
To be more precise, Houston doesnt exactly have official zoning. But it has what Festa calls de facto zoning, which closely resembles the real thing. Weve got a lot of regulations that in other cities would be in the zoning code, Festa said. When we use it here, we just dont use the z word.
https://urbanedge.blogs.rice.edu/2015/09/08/forget-what-youve-heard-houston-really-does-have-zoning-sort-of/#.WaNNj0FOmEc
Baitball Blogger
(46,775 posts)We lost the growth management battle in the last decade.
procon
(15,805 posts)and inadequate, failing infrastructure that was built in the 50s and never designed to handle conditions of today.
Everyone, from the citizens, to the government, refuses to pay taxes to install the necessary public infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the current era. This is totally irresponsible, you can't get something for nothing, and if we want safer communities that can meet minimum standards, that costs money.
Politicians are too timid to act responsibly, and the public is so poorly informed, shortsighted and self serving that the disasters we see on TV are becoming so normal that as long as we are not personally impacted, everything can be ignored.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
madokie
(51,076 posts)truth spoken like a true American Citizen would speak it.
I thank you
Peace
ChoppinBroccoli
(3,786 posts)We want the government out of our lives! The private sector does everything better! Don't tell US not to build things in places where they might flood! We know how to do things for oursel...............HELP! HELP! WE'RE DROWNING IN FLOOD WATERS! GIVE US SOME OF THAT SWEET, SWEET GOVERNMENT MONEY TO BAIL OUT OUR BUSINESSES!!!
SHRED
(28,136 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)are the two most important post-Harvey discussion this nation needs to have... But we won't...
SHRED
(28,136 posts)But will we?
Not with repubs in charge and a corporate media propaganda machine.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Houston's population has exploded recently.
The US population has grown by over 100 million since just 1970.
All these people want to live near the coast, so they have to go somewhere.
Just too many people.
progressoid
(50,011 posts)SHRED
(28,136 posts)This is why many areas should have never been developed.