Houston Is Drowning - In Its Freedom From Regulations

[vkkv]

By Steve Russell On 8/28/17 at 3:38 PM

We do value our freedom here in Texas. As I write from soggy Central Texas, the cable news is showing people floating down Buffalo Bayou on their principles, proud residents of the largest city in these United States that did not grow in accordance with zoning ordinances.

The feeling there was that persons who own real estate should be free to develop it as they wish. Houston, also known as the Bayou City, is a great location because of its access to international shipping in the Gulf of Mexico. It is not a great location for building, though, because of all its impervious cover. If water could easily sink into the ground, there would be less of it ripping down Houston’s rivers that just a week ago were overcrowded streets.

In less-free cities, the jackbooted thugs in the zoning department impose limits on the amount of impervious cover in a development. Some of the limits can be finessed by lining parking lots with bricks turned sideways, so grass can be planted in the holes.


http://www.newsweek.com/houston-drowning-freedom-regulations-656087?utm_source=internal&utm_campaign=most_read&utm_medium=most_read3

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PERFECT !

[northoftheborder]

1. K&R a thousand

[global1]

2. And Didn't Trump Recently Tell Us He Is Going To....

relax building regulations across the board. Speed things up so we can witness future disasters where he can sell more $40 hats.

[dalton99a]

3. 'Freedom' makes Houston beautiful

[vkkv]

4. Really F'd Up !!

Everything is BIG in Texas - especially the mistakes, oh, and the suck.

[Igel]

5. Some of them are funny.

On the other hand, some of the owners were probably offered money and decided to stay put.

In some cities that have more regulations, they would have been condemned in the public interest and forced to move. Or the projects would have been moved elsewhere if they couldn't get variances.

[vkkv]

6. That does happen for sure. That's how GWB helped the TX Rangers get the property for their new

stadium / parking lot - he had a friendly judge condemn the neighboring property !

Oh, but that was in TX, too !

[GeorgeGist]

7. Charming ...

and quaint.

[Nitram]

8. Excellent points. State-of-the-art stormwater management can reduce runoff and improve

water quality even in densely developed urban environments. Underground stormwater detention, bio-retention basins, and rainwater harvesting can reduce runoff, help recharge the water table, and improve water supplies during drought.

[HubbleSN]

9. K & R!