Tag Archives: Houston

Heights-Northside mobility study

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly of interest for folks in my area, here’s the city’s report on mobility for neighborhoods in the upper left quadrant of the Inner Loop. Final Report: Heights-Northside Sub-regional Mobility Study The Planning and Development Department, in partnership with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Heights-Northside mobility study

City does a 180 on campaign finances

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Not all losses in court are created equal. City officials will argue that the city’s election ordinance is unconstitutional as part of a strategy to strengthen their position in a lawsuit that could shape the early stages of this year’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On playing small ball

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Campos reacts to Mayor Parker’s future statewide plans. And here again is my small ball take from a few weeks ago: It is time for small ball instead of the big inning. In baseball, small ball is a strategy where … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on the ULI Astrodome plan

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Tory Gattis: This was not a presentation of, “well, if the all the stars line up you might be able to make this work.” The theme was more, “this is an absolutely incredible opportunity and you would be fools … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the ULI Astrodome plan

Injunction granted against Houston fundraising blackout period

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a whole new ballgame out there. A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked a law limiting when candidates in Houston municipal elections can raise money, prompting a scramble to contact donors sooner than campaigns had intended. The injunction, two … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Injunction granted against Houston fundraising blackout period

Say goodbye to the Yale Street post office

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Heights real estate boom continues apace. The next hot property to hit the market in the Heights is nearly 1 acre in size, boasts a large shade tree and fronts two busy commercial streets. The current owner is motivated … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Say goodbye to the Yale Street post office

Judge or jury ruling on HERO should come soon

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the other big lawsuit action on Friday. A district judge offered little insight Friday as to whether he will grant a jury trial to conservative critics who have sued the city over its controversial equal rights ordinance. During a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Safe passing law update

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The city of Houston has an ordinance requiring vehicles to give bikes a three-foot buffer on the streets. How much of an effect has it had so far? A law authorizing police to ticket drivers for encroaching on bicyclists and … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Safe passing law update

Bitcoin art

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I confess, I kind of love this. Bitcoin can be a work of art – literally. Troy Fearnow, a resident of The Woodlands, is selling images designed to “store” bitcoin and other digital currencies, which are like digital cash. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Bitcoin art

HISD Student Congress

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Kids today, with their “getting involved” and their “having their voices heard”, I tell you. The high school students gave up their Saturday afternoon, meeting at the downtown library with laptops and legal pads to brainstorm ideas for improving the … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

My craft beer options runneth over

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

2015 could be a very fine year. Several local brewery construction projects headed for completion in 2015 are designed to draw in visitors as well as ship beer out the door. The neighborhood-centric Town In City Brewing Co. in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on My craft beer options runneth over

First HERO repeal petition hearing today

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Have I mentioned that this is a really busy month for big ticket courtroom action? Conservative opponents suing the city over its equal rights ordinance are pushing, along with several City Council members, for the upcoming case to go before … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on First HERO repeal petition hearing today

Donna Edmunson

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Annise Parker has selected Donna Edmundson to be the new city attorney. Upon confirmation by City Council, Edmundson will become the first woman to hold the position. She has nearly 30 years of experience with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Donna Edmunson

Mayor Parker keeps looking forward

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Always in motion is the future, at least for Mayor Parker. Mayor Annise Parker left open the idea on Sunday that she would endorse one of the dozen candidates positioning to possibly succeed her, though she said she hoped to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor Parker keeps looking forward

How does a 25 MPH speed limit for downtown Houston grab you?

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Christopher Andrews makes the case in Gray Matters: Does anyone know the speed limit in downtown Houston? Probably not. Casual observation shows speeds there normally range anywhere from gridlock to Gran Prix. I don’t believe there are any speed-limit signs. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How does a 25 MPH speed limit for downtown Houston grab you?

How about high speed rail plus light rail?

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Now here‘s an interesting idea. More than 200 people turned out Thursday to voice their concerns over the proposed track of the High-Speed Rail (HSR) train that would take travelers from Houston to Dallas in 90 minutes. “I think that … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A very brief I-45 update

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Way at the bottom of this overview of transit projects and milestones for 2015 are these three paragraphs: The freeway project likely to attract the most attention in the Houston area – widening Interstate 45 from the Sam Houston Tollway … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A very brief I-45 update

The next generation of leaders

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The future looks good. A new generation of black activist leadership in Houston has emerged from the protests over the officer-involved deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York. At one point during a town … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t forget about Pasadena

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still a lawsuit in the works regarding their 2013 redistricting referendum that switched their Council from an eight-member all-district makeup to six districts and two At large seats, all at the behest of Mayor Johnny Isbell. Pasadena is preparing … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bayou battle

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Another one of our local disputes that has been picked up by national interests. A Harris County Flood Control District proposal, submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers in April, would reconfigure and stabilize about a third of the semi-natural … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bayou battle

Neighborhood Greenways

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I really like this idea. Complete Streets means that our local governments prioritize the safety and comfort of all a street’s users regardless of age, ability, or mode of transport. Fixing our streets will be a long-term project, but if … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Neighborhood Greenways

Still tweaking the reimagining

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

An updated version of Metro’s reimagined bus network will be out soon. The so-called reimagining plan, which the Metropolitan Transit Authority began studying more than a year ago, touches every bus route in the sprawling Houston-area system. Changes will take … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Still tweaking the reimagining

On streetcars and BRT

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Offcite considers some alternatives to light rail. Two new light rail lines set to start service early next year will drastically expand Houston’s rail network, but our city will remain dreadfully underserved by the system. Many neighborhoods seeing a greater … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On streetcars and BRT

Laurie Robinson to run in At Large #4

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Texpatriate: Laurie Robinson, a local businesswoman, will run for the Houston City Council next year. Specifically, as Houston Chronicle reported Theodore Schleifer reported on Twitter, she will seek out At-Large Position #4. The seat is currently held by Councilmember … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Laurie Robinson to run in At Large #4

Creating a bike plan for the city

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Moving forward. It would be hard to argue that bicycling in Houston is not on the upswing, with many millions of dollars approved and numerous policies passed in recent years, all aimed at welcoming and protecting riders. City planners and … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Three signs of possible trouble ahead

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

#1 – Watch out for falling oil prices. The bedrock supporting Houston’s economy will shift in 2015, and while these tremors will not bring disaster, they will bring changes that some will find painful. The collapse of oil prices in … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Three signs of possible trouble ahead

It pays to go green

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a simple enough formula – reduce energy usage, save money. As Houston leaders push the counter-intuitive notion that the world’s energy capital can go green, and pledge ever-lower emissions goals for municipal operations, installing energy-efficient lighting and low-flow toilets … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

First city campaign finance lawsuit action this week

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As you may recall, City Council candidate Trebor Gordon filed a lawsuit last month alleging that the city of Houston’s campaign fundraising blackout period was illegal. This week, a federal judge is expected to rule on a request for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is this the end of the two-car household?

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Streetsblog: While predicting continued global growth in car sales as countries like India and China become more affluent, KPMG’s recent white paper about trends affecting the car industry [PDF] sees different forces at work in the United States. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is this the end of the two-car household?

Speed limits and pedestrian fatalities

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a topic that won’t be the least bit controversial, I’m sure. The New York City Vision Zero goal is simple and precise: to end traffic deaths and injuries on city streets. This is not a mere sound bite in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Speed limits and pedestrian fatalities

Montgomery County really wants an I-45 option for the high speed rail line

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They’re not fooling around. Montgomery County commissioners have unanimously adopted a strongly worded resolution criticizing any effort to run a high-speed train between Houston and Dallas through the western side of the fast-growing county. Instead, commissioners believe the right track … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Working for progress on LGBT issues

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m always a little wary when I see a phrase like “chipping away” in a story about LGBT issues, but in this case it refers to obstacles, not hard-won victories, so it’s OK. The rights and interests of homosexual Texans … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Working for progress on LGBT issues

RIP, Bob Lanier

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Houston’s iconic Mayor of the 1990s has passed away. Bob Lanier, a 6-foot-4 cowboy boot-wearing, sports-crazy political sharpshooter who rose from modest beginnings in blue-collar Baytown to become one of Houston’s biggest developers and most influential mayors, died Saturday. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Urban Land Institute report on the Astrodome

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Is this, at long last, The Plan for the Astrodome? The iconic, yet aging Astrodome is worth saving from the wrecking ball and could find new life as a massive indoor park and green space, a national land use group … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Urban Land Institute report on the Astrodome