State Senator Patrick meets with the Floodway Coalition
State Senator Dan Patrick met with members of the Floodway Coalition
of Houston on January 16th to learn about the impact of Chapter 19 city
ordinance restrictions on property owners in the floodway. The meeting
at the Golden Cafe Restaurant gave the Senator an opportunity to listen
to residents complaints about the floodway ordinance, and to offer his
support.
Senator Patrick said he was shocked to learn that the
city had no plans to compensate property owners for the loss of their
property values. The ordinance does not allow substantial improvements
to structures, or new building, in the floodway (see past articles on
the issue at www.NearNorthwestHouston.com). Patrick feels that this is a
property rights issue, and said that he believes the floodway property
owners have legitimate reasons to demand that city officials revisit the
ordinance, and make changes.
Patrick was also made aware of the number of residents
in his district who were in a floodway. Living near a bayou himself, he
made the comment that he needed to check the maps to make sure that his
home in southwest Houston is not in the floodway.
As a state elected official, Patrick said he is not
directly involved with city ordinances but said he would speak to Mayor
White about the floodway restrictions. He also said he would talk about
the floodway issue on his KSEV radio program. The Floodway Coalition of
Houston has posted his radio comments at www.houstonfloodway.org/media.
(The
Banner, February 7,
2008)
