Notices

On June 24 the Board of MUD #61 held a well attended meeting at the Settlement Clubhouse to brief the residents on the status of their study into the flooding that occurred to some subdivision residences following the heavy rainfall that occurred on the evening of April 27 and the early morning of the 28th.

The meeting was called to order by Dennis Gorden, President of MUD #61 at 5:30 PM. He welcomed the residents and expressed the board’s concern for those who experienced flooding and high water during the storm. He gave some background on the MUD #61’s jurisdiction and its association with the detention pond project, which many residents believe contributed to the recent flooding. He explained that the pond was mandated by Harris County to compensate for the reduced ability of the land south of Mason Creek to absorb rainfall as that area becomes developed into the Westside Office Park. The plans for the pond were developed by the Westside Office Park engineering firm and were approved by entities of Harris Co. and the City of Houston. The MUD board became involved due to the detention pond being in its district and in an effort to make the pond more attractive to residents by adding landscaping and a walking trail. The MUD will eventually assume the responsibility to maintain this project.

Dennis introduced Jim Ainsworth, the President of A&S Engineers and the MUD engineering consultant. The MUD commissioned Jim to review the cause of the recent flooding and to determine what role, if any, the detention pond had in what occurred. Jim gave a detailed and very informative presentation of the results of his study, which included references to the Harris County Flood Control District Report # 3 which describes in considerable detail the rain event that caused the flooding in our neighborhood. This storm was of a severity that placed it in the 25 – 100 year event category, whereas the Settlement drainage system was designed to handle a 3 year event. So it was not surprising that some flooding occurred. A 100 year event is one which has a 1% probability of occurring at any time.

A detailed analysis of the Settlement drainage system reveals that the Settlement has a number of restrictions that prevent water from flowing at a rate needed to carry away the rain from a heavy storm as would be required to prevent some flooding. The flow rate for the 72” outflow line from the neighborhood was calculated as less than that of the 60” outflow due in part to a restriction caused by a 54” line that feeds into the 72” along the South end of Carter’s Grove. An additional issue on April 28th was the amount of debris that was in our storm sewers and ended up in the pond. Jim stated that these factors were the cause of the flooding and NOT the detention pond, which in fact may have mitigated the flooding that occurred. This conclusion is endorsed by groups of professional engineers employed by the district and the developer as well as Harris County Flood Control after having done extensive work and study on this situation.

To reduce the recurrence of flooding Jim identified some possible additions and modifications to the Settlement drainage system that could remove some of the drainage restrictions. One option would be an additional drainage line along the East end of Bucktrout to Carter’s Grove and then out to the detention pond. Higher throughput grates could also be substituted for the solid ones at our existing street drains and an education program conducted to sensitize the residents about not putting trash in the drainage system. The possible addition of restrictors to prevent any flow from drainage lines back to the Settlement from the pond could also be considered.

The presentation was followed by a lively discussion with a few residents taking issue with the conclusions reached. Some other suggestions raised were to look at the outfall to Mason Creek to prevent backflow into the pond and the size and configuration of the grates on those outflow channels. These issues might further improve the functioning of the pond, but the study showed that any such changes would not have affected the flooding event under discussion. Harris County Flood Control District and the Harris County Pct. # 3 representative agreed to look into a request for widening Mason Creek on the West side of Mason Road and to look at what the County may be able to do to help address the drainage restrictions within our neighborhood. There are no guarantees that they have money to address these problems but they are willing to be part of a solution team and help as they can. The MUD # 61 board has agreed to continue to look further for potential solutions and ways that those solutions could be paid for. They will communicate their progress and will hold another meeting at the club house to present their findings as soon as practical.

In summary, this was a very productive meeting and an affirmation of the desire of the MUD #61 board and County officials to address this problem which is a major concern to all Settlement residents.

Concern continues to be expressed by residents regarding the many vehicles that are parked on the streets throughout our subdivision. This seems to be a problem which is getting worse despite earlier request in the newsletter and on this web site for residents to be sensitive to the inconvenience to their neighbors and the possible danger that can arise from this practice. The inconvenience includes such issues as making it more difficult for your neighbors to get in and out of their driveways and for the mail delivery personnel to access mailboxes. Cases were cited in which mail was not delivered for this reason. But the more important issue is the obstruction that is caused especially when cars and trucks are parked on opposite sides of the streets restricting passage of large vehicles, of which school busses and fire trucks are examples. There is also a real concern about the danger that cars parked on the streets can cause to children who may not be sufficiently mature to exercise the required caution around parked vehicles. A particularly bad example of this at the moment is on Bucktrout between Hoyt and the Settlement entrance where the traffic seems to be the heaviest. In this area the cars are parked on both sides of the street and directly across from each other. This of course allows for only a single car at a time to get through and at times creates a traffic jam.

In addition to residents who just leave their vehicles parked in the street in the evenings, rather than moving them into their driveways, there are some cases in which vehicles are so parked for extended periods. As a reminder, Article 18 of our deed restrictions addresses this by stating in part “No auto, truck, boat, boat rigging, camper, motor home, mobile home, or other trailer, vehicle or equipment of any kind shall ever he left parked on any street right-of-way adjacent to any lot or in any driveway on any lot, except for temporary parking incident to the contemporaneous use of such vehicle or equipment.” Residents who ignore this requirement can expect to receive deed restriction violation letters.

But the answer to this problem is for residents to show concern for their neighbors by not leaving vehicles on the street for extended periods and, whenever possible, parking on their driveway. In cases where this is not possible, then care should be taken to avoid parking across from another vehicle such that the thoroughfare is obstructed.

Please be sensitive to this issue and help maintain our well deserved reputation for being a great place to live. Thanks!

To report a burned out street light, any resident may call CenterPoint directly at 713-207-2222. However, for those with Internet access, you may also make this report on-line. For those interested, the website address to do this is http://cnp.centerpointenergy.com/outage. Then enter your contact details so that they can get back to you if more information is required. On the following page enter the details of the light(s) with the problem. Just as you would if reporting the outage via the telephone, you will need to provide the street address where the light is located and the 6-digit number that is prominently displayed on the front of the pole. Under normal circumstances the crew will be out to fix the problem within 7 working days.

Anyone noticing a streetlight that is out or has some other malfunction is encouraged to report the problem to CenterPoint via either of these two methods without delay. Our Association is charged for every street light each month irrespective of whether or not the light is functioning. So please help us get value for your hard earned money!

For new residents and those residents who have not looked at the Trash and Recycling page of our web site, it may be helpful to emphasize that to be picked up by our trash collection service, tree and yard waste must be located at the curb area of each residence on the pickup morning. Trees, shrubs, brush trimmings and fencing must be bundled in lengths no greater than four (4) feet with no branch diameter exceeding three (3) inches. The bundling is required to allow quick pickup and size limitations are required to avoid damaging the equipment in the crushing process. All residential waste materials except tree and yard waste must be either in containers, bags or bundles not exceeding forty (40) pounds. All permanent trash containers, after being emptied by WCA, will be returned to their point of origin in the same condition in which they were taken, normal wear and tear excepted.

This requirement is long standing and is stipulated in our contract with the trash collection company. Residents should also note the requirement of Article 12 of our Deed Restrictions which state in part “All such waste substances being kept on a lot pending collection thereof shall be kept in closed sanitary containers with tops or lids, or plastic bags with the tops thereof tied, and such containers shall be hidden from general view by a screen or enclosure……pending collection…All containers, bags, or other equipment for the storage or disposal of such waste substances shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition."

Please note that when yard work is performed by a contractor, it is highly desirable that the contractor accept responsibility for removing the waste from the premises. If they do not, then the homeowner is responsible for ensuring that this waste is moved to a location that is hidden from general view as required by Article 12 of the Deed Restrictions (see above) and moved to the curb for pickup only on the morning of the Monday or Thursday pickup day.

The reason for these regulations is obviously to keep our subdivision looking tidy, well kept and hence a premier place to live both for existing and prospective residents. Your cooperation in this will be appreciated by your neighbors.

One question that is frequently asked by residents is in regard to the responsibility for fences between adjoining homes. This issue in not addressed in the Deed Restrictions so how it is handled becomes a matter of precedent. Most homeowners discuss it between themselves and come to an agreement on how to share the cost of repairing or replacing such a fence. The most usual approach is to split the cost on a 50:50 basis. This seems the most equitable and “good neighborly” approach. In some cases the homeowner who has the “good side” of the fence – i.e. that with no posts or cross members showing will pay 70 percent, but this is probably a minority situation. If one neighbor simply refuses to contribute to the cost, then it can become a legal issue and may come down to the position of the fence relative to the lot boundaries as shown on a homeowner’s Lot Survey. However, the Board is not aware of such a dispute ever reaching this stage. As both homes benefit from a fence then the homeowners in the vast majority of cases are prepared to share the cost equitably.

But don’t forget that a fence replacement project requires Board approval using the Request for Home Improvement form Also, please don’t forget that all such fences must use cedar or Cypress pickets. Treated pine is not an acceptable substitute.

Harris County MUD 61, which provides water and sewer services to Williamsburg Settlement as well as other parcels of land surrounding the neighborhood, takes pleasure in announcing the impending completion of a water feature on the South side of Colonial Parkway at Mason Road.

This project consists of a 22-acre Detention Pond designed to handle storm drainage from a portion of the district. A portion of the pond (approximately two acres) will remain at a constant water level. Two fountains will be installed that will project water to a height of approximately 30 feet. The remainder of the pond will remain dry except when heavy storm rains occur. A walking path and other improvements are planned for the future.

Grass has been sown on the side-walls and is now taking hold around the pond. Trail bikes, ATV’s and all other motorized vehicles are prohibited as they will cause side-wall erosion and damage to the grassy areas.

This project is being funded as a joint endeavor between Harris County MUD 61 and the developer, Westside Office Park, Inc. As the result of a limited annexation agreement with the City of Houston, Harris County MUD 61 receives from the city a portion of the sales tax revenues generated by commercial and retail establishments within the district. This money has been set aside for just such a project as this Detention Pond and the proposed improvements. For the first year, regular maintenance will be shared by MUD 61 and the developer. In the future, maintenance will be handled entirely by the district.

It is the hope of your District’s Board of Directors that this project will prove to be an asset to the neighborhood and will aid in maintaining and enhancing property values.

At the June 16 meeting the Board considered a request from one of the residents for a deviation from the long standing rule that the only acceptable material for fence pickets is cedar. This resident sought permission to use cypress pickets as an alternative.

The requirement to limit picket material to cedar was based on consideration of the only readily available alternative at that time, namely treated pine, which as a number of disadvantages. The process that is used to treat pine, a much softer wood than cedar, was created to slow the development of decay in situations where the wood would be buried or touching the soil. Treated pine was not initially intended to be used above ground and although now sold for such applications its use does pose serious long term aesthetic problems. This is because when used for pickets, these are subject to extensive warping and cracking due to shrinkage from the natural seasoning (drying out) of the lumber. This happens as the outer surface shrinks faster than the inner heart of the piece during the drying process. There is also a toxicity issue with treated pine which makes its ultimate disposal more hazardous.

By contrast, cypress is a hard wood which is resistant to mildew and insects and stands up well to moisture. Because of these qualities it has a longer lifespan than cedar, from which it is hard to distinguish visually, especially after it has aged. At this point it is also less expensive

Based on research presented to the Board by Don McClelland, our Architectural Review Committee chair person, use of cypress as an alternative to cedar was approved. Residents are cautioned, however, that being a harder wood a nail gun is needed to secure the pickets to the horizontal rails and at this point pickets can only be purchased by the pallet. For those interested in considering cypress, on its use as fence material.

At its July 9th meeting, the MUD #61 Board spent a significant portion of the time discussing the detention pond and the flooding that occurred in our subdivision on the morning of April 28.

The MUD would like it to be appreciated that they had no part in the decision to construct the detention pond nor in its location, which was mandated and approved by the developer and HCFCD and designed by the Westside Office Park engineers. Neither does the MUD own it at this point. However, when the Board was presented with the plans it decided to commit some funds on landscaping etc. to make the pond an attractive feature for the neighborhood.

The Board is concerned about the flooding that occurred on April 28, but based on the results of their consultant Jim Ainsworth’s study, that he presented at the June 24th meeting at the clubhouse , all evidence indicates that the structure of the subdivision storm drain system and not the detention pond was the principal cause of the problem. The Board is concerned about what occurred and want to help find a solution and to that end has already spent a considerable sum of unbudgeted money on this investigation. However, the Board’s level of concern is sufficiently great that at this meeting they further commissioned Jim Ainsworth to follow up on his initial study to produce firm estimates for presentation at the Board’s August meeting for what he views to be the infrastructure changes that have the highest probability of reducing future flooding. There was a general agreement from all present that even with infrastructure improvements, future flooding can not be entirely eliminated under very severe and unusual weather events.

When the final conclusions are reached and approved, the MUD will convene another meeting at our clubhouse to share these recommendations with the residents.

Most, if not all, of the proposed changes will be to infrastructure owned by the County and the big issue will be how funding for such changes will be secured. As indicated in the HCFCD report that Jim cited in his June 24 presentation, over 2100 homes in the HCFCD were flooded, so the issue will be how to make the case to the County for the funding that would be required to address the problems in our subdivision where the number of flooded homes was a very small percentage of that total. This issue will be pursued once the funding requirements are known.

So that residents can keep abreast of developments on this and other MUD proceedings, both MUD #61 and MUD #62 have agreed to post the agendas of future meetings and subsequent approved minutes on a new MUD page that has been added to our WSMAonline.org web site.

At the MUD #61 August 13th meeting Jim Ainsworth, its engineering consultant, presented his further analysis of the drainage and topography of Section 1 and 2 of our subdivision, the sections that experienced the heaviest flooding during the rainfall event of April 28. The refinements were conducted to determine the limits and depth of street ponding that can be expected to occur when the storm sewer system becomes surcharged. Computer models were run for a range of rainfall events spanning 2-year, 10-year, 25-year, 50-year and 100-year frequencies. The analyses were run for the existing storm sewer system and for a system with the addition of possible drainage modifications designed to meet the 100 year criteria, which is that water can be no higher than one foot above the curb, which is 18 inches from the drain plate surface. Both models were run with and without the Westside Office Park detention Pond.

The cost estimates based on a conceptual design and including construction costs, a contingency of 25% and soft costs (engineering, survey, construction material testing, etc), indicate that to fully meet the 100-year criteria would, depending on the scope, be $1.94M or $2.25M for Section 1 and an additional $2.77M for Section 2. Further modifications that could be considered include the addition of backflow protection devices on the two outlets from the subdivision into the detention pond at $25K, enlarging the detention pond outflow trash racks at $30K and, due to community concerns with the emergency overflow weir, to construct a secondary extreme event structure. This latter cost was projected to be $105K. Note that the current overflow weir is over 1.0' below the lowest house elevation on Bucktrout. Jim’s view is that these additions might make us feel better but would be of marginal value in reducing the level of flooding. A modification to reduce the flow into the Earl of Dunmore entrance from Mason Road could also be considered at a cost of $78K. He has reviewed the issue of changing out the existing storm drain plates for grates, which would allow for an additional 5 cu feet/second flow through each. However, the model shows that these would have no effect on the level to which the water would rise, only on the time it would take to drain.

As these costs are significant, Jim was asked if the project could be phased so that initially only the single item that would have most effect on the area that was most heavily flooded would be funded. This would be the Bucktrout relief sewer as presented at the June 24 meeting but with a slightly larger (72") pipe size as was shown to be necessary following more refined modeling. The estimate for this portion alone would be $705K. This would leave $1,237K for an additional parallel storm sewer from Bucktrout to Abbey Aldrich on Carters Grove, increased to $1,545K if it is extended north on Abbey Aldrich to Joshua Kendall. Due to street topography, even with these expenditures a couple of isolated areas with ponding greater than the target of 1.0' or less will remain.

The MUD Board will convene a special meeting on August 19 to discuss all of the possible options, including that of doing nothing, and to agree on a way forward. Following this meeting the Board will discuss the funding issue with the County. However, it was made very clear that unless the County can make a significant contribution, the funding burden would ultimately have to rest with our residents through higher rates or maintenance fees. A subsequent meeting for our residents will be held at the clubhouse to present the MUD Board’s findings and recommendations including how the proposed work might be funded.

For the benefit of our new residents, and those who up to this point have chosen not to recycle, it may be useful to provide a reminder about this program and some encouragement to them to begin doing so. The recycling service provided by WCA, our trash collection company, is one of the best around and is exceedingly easy to use. Just put the items you want to recycle in the green bin provided to you and place it at the curbside before 7:00 am on a Thursday morning. Whereas most such recyclers are very restrictive as to what they will accept, WCA will take a wide range of materials including ALL solid plastics. For a comprehensive list of what is acceptable for recycling please refer to the Recyling portion of the Trash and Recycling page of this web site

Do remember that we pay a fixed fee for the recycling service irrespective of how many residents take advantage of it. Please help us to increase the value that we are getting for your hard earned dollars and at the same time make your contribution towards reducing the material that is wasted forever by being buried in a land fill. When you consider the benefit to our environment you will feel better for playing your part!

On the evening of September 8, the MUD #61 Board held a meeting at the clubhouse to present to the residents the results of the study of the April 28 flooding and the Board’s recommendations. Jim Ainsworth, the district engineer, presented a detailed slide presentation of the study. This will allow anyone interested to peruse the data on which the recommendations are based. As was stated at the initial June 24 meeting on this subject, contrary to general belief, the detention pond was NOT a factor in the April 28 flooding. In fact, had it not been for the ability of the pond to rapidly absorb the huge amount of water that fell in such a short time, far more than the capacity of Mason Creek could handle, the flooding would have been much worse. The problem is with the storm sewer infrastructure within our subdivision.

The bottom line is that from all the options and scenarios that have been analyzed and which Jim presented, the following two items will be pursued:

1) A method of reducing the water flow into the Earl of Dunmore from Mason road at a cost of $78,000.

2) A 48" additional parallel storm sewer along the east end of Bucktrout, from where it meets with Abby Aldrich, back to Carter's Grove and then across Colonial Parkway into the detention pond. The estimated cost of this would be $564,000.

For Section 1, which suffered the worst flooding, these projects would meet the 25 year criteria and limit the street ponding to the standard 1' above the curb (18" from street level).

The MUD Board will be presenting these projects and cost estimates to the County where they will be addressed by the County staff. This process will probably take in the order of 60 days. If the staff supports the projects they will be submitted to the Commissioner's Court for consideration. Progress will be passed on to all who have registered their email addresses with us using the Registration page of our web site If and when the project reaches this stage then this will be the time at which lobbying might increase the chances of success.

If the County is not prepared to support these projects, then at that point the MUD #61 Board will send out a survey to the Section 1 and 2 residents letting them know the cost that would be required if the MUD were to fund these projects via a bond issue, and seeking approval to proceed. .

In April, our area experienced an extreme rainfall event that resulted in flooding in Williamsburg

Seftlement. At least 6 houses in our neighborhood, most of which are located in the 22000 block

of Bucktrout, flooded during that storm. As a result, Harris County Municipal Utility District 61

(MUD 61) commissioned a study to investigate the extent and causes of the flooding.

The study, which looked at all of the storm sewer and detention facilities in our District, reached several significant conclusions. First, the storm which we experienced in April was an unusual storm, having dropped 5.31 inches of rain on us during a 4-hour period, classifying the storm as a “25 year storm,” and under circumstances where several days of rain preceding this storm had saturated the ground. Second, the newly constructed detention pond located on the south side of Colonial Parkway did not cause the flooding and, in fact, provided additional water-holding capacity that helped mitigate the flooding. Finally, the study concluded that the storm water sewer that was designed and constructed 30 years ago is not adequate to carry the water that accumulates in storms larger than 2-year frequency storms.

The study went on to describe certain things that could be done to minimize the water ponding depth in the streets during storm events, particularly in the Bucktrout area, which is the lowest area in the subdivision and therefore the place where storm waters ultimately pool when the storm sewers become full. In short, the study suggests that the situation on Bucktrout would be

helped during certain storm events by constructing additional storm sewer collection lines that would help move the water from the ponding area on Bucktrout to the detention pond and

ultimately to the outfall in Mason Creek. The study makes clear that while these new lines would help avoid water flowing into homes in certain storm events; it would not guarantee that those homes (or any home) would never flood. It further makes clear that even if the additional collection lines had been in place in April, the nature of that storm was such that the houses on Bucktrout may still have flooded. You can read the entire report by going to the District’s web site at www.hcmud6l .org.

Currently, Harris County is responsible for storm drainage in our subdivision; however, according to Harris County, over 2000 neighborhoods experienced flooding, and the county does not have the funds to correct the problems, including Williamsburg Settlement. As a result, the residents and taxpayers in Harris County MUD 61 are left with deciding if we should solve the problem ourselves.

The experts have estimated that the cost to construct the additional lines would be approximately $564,000. Since neither Harris County nor MUD 61 have funds available for that project, the only way the MUD 61 could undertake such a project would be to borrow the money through the sale of bonds. The District’s financial advisors have projected that the debt service on the bonds would be around $54,750 per year for 25 years, which would require a tax increase of approximately 5.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Put another way, assuming an average home value, after applying the homestead exemption, of $126,000, each homeowner would pay, approximately, an additional $67 per year in taxes.

Before proceeding with a remedial project of this scope, the Board of Directors wants to hear from the residents. Please take a moment to complete the following survey and return it in the enclosed pre-addressed envelope. If enough surveys are returned and the survey has substantial positive returns, the MUD 61 board will determine the next step, which will probably include a bond election.

In the event the results of this survey indicate a desire by you, the residents, to sell bonds and construct the additional drainage lines, it is expected that there would need to be held a bond election to formally authorize the issuance of the bonds. Because bond elections are costly to hold, it is contemplated that the Board would look at the long term system rehabilitation and replacement needs of MUD 61 and include in the bond authorization election such additional amounts as are projected to be needed. In such event, the Board will hold a meeting in MUD 61 to review and explain the items proposed to be included in the bond election before calling the election.

Regardless of where you live in the District, you can help minimize the potential for flooding by keeping storm water inlets clean, by refraining from putting anything other than storm water down storm drains, and by encouraging your neighbors to do the same. In addition, it is highly recommended that during storm events, you move your cars out of the streets, as the streets are designed to carry excess water during storm events that exceed the capacity of the storm sewers. Water could accumulate to depths that could damage a vehicle parked in the street during certain rain events.

Lastly, every resident is strongly encouraged to obtain flood insurance. You may do that by contacting your homeowner’s insurance agent.

Thank you for your time and interest.

Board of Directors

Dennis Gorden, President Joe Omowski, Vice President Dan Sherrill, Secretary

Richard Erbert, Director Randy Lusby, Director

MUD #61 included a note with the January 2010 water bill asking residents to take care not to allow yard debris and clippings to enter the storm sewer drainage system as this can be a contributing factor to street flooding during a heavy storm event.

The following steps can be taken by homeowners to reduce the amount of debris that enters the system:

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After performing yard work sweep up all yard debris and place in bags for garbage pick-up, rather than hosing down or blowing the debris into the street.

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After the cessation of storm or wind events, promptly sweep all yard debris into bags.

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Cover piles of dirt and mulch being used in landscaping projects to prevent those pollutants from blowing into the street.

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Do not over water your lawn. Overwatering causes water to drain into the street carrying loose yard debris along with the water.

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Instruct all employees or persons performing yard services on your behalf on the proper disposal of yard debris, and particularly, instruct them to not blow yard debris into the street storm sewer drains. Residents are responsible for the actions of those workers.

The notice goes on to remind residents that although voluntary compliance is the goal offenders can be subject to significant financial penalties. Please be sensitive to the problem that improper handling of yard debris can cause and help minimize future street flooding.

Just a reminder that if any resident has a complaint with any of the services that are provided by the Association, such as trash collection, landscaping, swimming pool operation etc., such complaints should be directed to Dolores Sue, our management company representative at PCMI. She can be reached at 281-504-1306, or by email to DSue@stes.com. She is the person who is tasked with the responsibility of forwarding such complaints to the responsible party and for following up on their resolution. Residents SHOULD NOT call our contracting companies themselves. If the complaint is such that prior discussion with a Board member would be helpful, the names, responsibilities and contact information for each director is given in the panel on the inside cover of every newsletter, and on the Board Members page of this web site.

Other avenues for communicating privately with the Board are the Feedback/Suggestions page.. Alternatively, if the issue is one that may be of interest to other residents, it can be posted on the Guest Book. Thank you for your cooperation.

In response to complaints raised by some residents, at the October 19 meeting the Board took up the issue of loose cats in the subdivision. To collect facts and the opinions of a wider sample of residents on the extent of the perceived problem an email was sent out to all registered residents. Thirty Eight responses were received. Of these fourteen believed we have a problem and favor the Board taking action, such as trapping, to remove them; fourteen were opposed to trapping - many believing that the cats are useful in keeping vermin down; and ten replies were informational in nature.

Marianne Hays, the Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES) Field Operations Manager who was consulted on the subject emphasized that The Harris County Leash Law precludes the use of Trap/Neuter/Return programs favored by organizations such as Alley Cat Allies to control the feral cat population and anyone who releases a cat in Harris County is subject to prosecution. As stated in the brochure published by HCPHES “The occupant/head of household of any premises on which a dog or cat customarily returns for a period of 7 days is presumed to be the owner of that animal”. This person is required to license and vaccinate the animal and house it in accordance with the provisions of the Leash Law. The preferred approach to handling loose cats is to catch and remove them using traps which HCPHES will loan to residents. There is no cost for providing the traps and subsequently collecting a trapped animal. Alternatively a person with a trapped cat can, for a fee, have the SPCA pick it up. No distinction is made between feral or loose domestic cats. If a cat is roaming free outdoors it can be caught in a baited trap by any resident. No license or permit is required. If a resident is known to be persistently harboring cats the resident can be reported to HCPHES which will have an officer visit that residence to explain the full implications of the law to them. If the resident ignores the warning and persist in harboring the animals they will be issued a citation.

As is evident from the email responses this is a very divisive issue with roughly half of our residents wanting the Board to take some action to reduce the loose cat population and the other half opposing it. The Board has therefore decided that rather than hiring a contractor to trap the loose cats as was originally envisaged, the residents who want the cats removed should take responsibility for initiating the action and PCMI will provide the necessary support. Thus those residents who perceive a loose cat situation to be a problem should contact PCMI with specific information, and if possible, photographic documentation. PCMI will then send a letter to the violator’s residence asking that he or she either restrain the pet(s), or if feral, that they stop harboring them. If the resident who made the report lets PCMI know that the violation persists, PCMI will refer the violator to HCPHES which will send an officer to the residence and begin the process that could end in a citation being issued. Alternatively the complaining resident can request a trap from HCPHES and take direct action to remove the animals themselves.

Those residents who are allowing their cats to roam the subdivision and/or are feeding feral cats are asked to respect the rights of their neighbors and to comply with the provisions of the Harris County Leash Law. To do otherwise could result in the loss of a pet or to face unpleasant legal consequences. Your cooperation will be appreciated.

As stated in ARTICLE 17 of the Deed Restrictions,

“The owner of a lot shall be entitled to display one sign thereon from time to time for purposes of selling or renting the property; provided, that each face of such sign shall be rectangular in shape and shall not exceed five (5) square feet in surface area, and that the content of such sign be limited to the words "For Sale" or "For Rent", the name and telephone number of the seller or real estate agent, and the words "Shown by Appointment Only". No other sign, advertisement, billboard or advertising structure of any kind may be erected or maintained within sub-division boundaries or within the right-of-way of any street bordering the aforenamed subdivision without first having obtained the consent in writing of the Board of Directors of the hereinafter named Association. Said Board of Directors shall have the right to remove any unpermitted sign, advertisement, billboard or structure which is erected or placed on any lot or adjacent easement or right-of-way without such consent, and in so doing, shall not be subject to any liability for trespass or other tort in connection therewith.”

Recognizing that many homeowners do in fact display signs which are in violation of the above restriction without applying for Board approval, this section expands on ARTICLE 17 to define the type, size and placement of signs as defined below for which the Board is prepared to grant blanket approval.

All signs shall be professionally made and shall conform to the above size restriction i.e. “shall be rectangular in shape and shall not exceed five (5) square feet in surface area”- (for example 2’ X 2 ½’). An exception to the rectangular requirement will be made for School Spirit signs which it is recognized are often of irregular shape.

Small signs provided by a security company that advertise that the home is protected by a monitored alarm system are approved.

Contractor signs are NOT permitted, and residents are asked to convey this fact to any contractor that is performing work at that residence.

Garage Sale signs shall be removed on the same day that the sale ends. Posting of these signs is not permitted on street signs, stop signs or streetlamps

There is a preference that religious and political signs not be displayed. However, as an owner may feel very strongly about these subjects and wish to express their views with a sign or flag, such items will be permitted provided that in the judgment of the Board they are in good taste, respectful and are not likely to be considered offensive to other residents.

Signs which are part of holiday decorations are approved.

At election time, signs promoting candidates and propositions are allowed by State law for defined periods of time before and after an election. Note that State Law takes precedence over deed restrictions.

All signs and flags must be maintained in good condition.

In all cases, the Board has final approval of any sign or flag and the interpretation and enforcement of these guidelines and has the authority to remove any such item that in its view is not compliant.

One of the services that was continued when the off-duty Sheriff’s deputies took over our security patrols this January is the Vacation Watch program. This is a service that many residents have used over the years to help lessen concern that their homes may become the target of burglars while they are away on vacation. They do this by providing information to the patrolling deputies so that their homes can receive special attention while they are away. To request a vacation watch a resident must complete a Vacation Watch Request form on which they can enter the information that the patrolling deputies will need to know. When the request has been submitted the completed form will be sent to the Security Liaison, who will channel that information to the Security Service Coordinator who manages the patrolling deputies. The requestor will also receive a confirmation copy.

Those who don’t have Internet access should call Dave Ellis at 281-347- 2580 and he will accept the same information over the phone. As he will not always be at his phone when you call and will need to record the information manually during the conversation, this process will not be as efficient as using the on-line form - which is the preferred method of requesting this service. Please note that you should NOT call the Sheriff’s department with a vacation watch request.

Regardless of which method is used, the information should be submitted no later than 3 days prior to your departure date.

In addition to using the Vacation Watch program it is also a good idea to let your neighbors know when you are going to be away so that they can be vigilant of any suspicious activity at your home. The Security page of our web site contains a Crime Prevention Vacation Checklist which is a detailed list of points you should consider prior to leaving on vacation. A little extra attention to these issues will greatly reduce the chance of your receiving nasty surprise when you return!

At its September 20 meeting, your Board of Directors developed the budget for 2012 and the Board is happy to report that the assessment will remain at its current level of $700 per residence.

As in years past, the approach taken was to first review all of the previous year’s costs and the anticipated changes that are expected to occur in each cost category for the coming year and then to project the income required to meet these expenses. In addition the Board has a fiscal responsibility to set aside some money each year for the capital reserve account which is required to fund major future expenses that cannot be reasonably included in a single year’s operating budget.

The budget that was approved at the meeting is shown on the 2012 Budget page of this web site where you can see a complete breakdown ofthe income and expense categories and compare the entries with the corresponding amounts that were budgetted in the previous four years.

The major change in the 2012 budget from that of the previous year is that for the reasons discussed on the Perimeter Fence page we had to set aside considerably more money to address the maintenance and renovation of our ageing perimeter fence. The challenge over the next few years will be to accomplish this while minimizing increases to our annual maintenance assessment, especially at times like these when many residents are having difficulty in stretching their incomes to meet their current commitments. We were fortunate in that at the beginning of 2011 we transferred responsibility for our security patrol from the Constable’s Office to off-duty officers from the Sheriff’s Department. Our experience to date with this new arrangement has been very positive and even though we are forecasting additional patrol hours for next year we are still able to realize a significant cost saving which can contribute to funding the fence project. Although partly offset by inflationary increases in other areas, additional funds for the project were also freed up by a reduced forecast of the cost of operating our pool. Taking all these issues into consideration, we were able to assign sufficient funds for the first year of the fence project and still produce a balanced budget for 2012.

At the budget meeting there was also a discussion of trying to reduce operating costs further by offering our service providers guaranteed three-year contacts if they are prepared to offer lower prices for such an arrangement. This will be explored as the various contracts come up for renewal.

The Board is committed to containing costs without compromising the services that our residents expect and is also continuing to pursue the collection of delinquent accounts to ensure that the cost of maintaining our subdivision is fairly shared by all residents.

There has been some concern expressed about the new Smart Meters that Centerpoint has recently installed in our homes. To allay this concern, here is a message received from CenterPoint Corporate Communications which addresses the way in which we can use these meters to reduce our energy bills, and also comparing the level of radiation that they emit to that from other devices in our homes. This letter was originally posted on our Guest Book, but as the Guest Book doesn’t allow proper formatting or links, those reading it did not have the benefit of watching the videos – which for those interested are worth a few minutes of your time.

Dave

Here is the full posting:

A lot of misinformation is being spread about smart electric meters. Smart meters can indeed help consumers save money by providing them more frequent and detailed information on their electricity consumption to encourage conservation. Visit www.youtube.com/centerpointenergyvid to get energy saving tips directly from Mike and Stephanie, two Houstonians who reduced their electric consumption by 36% this hot summer to win the Biggest Energy Saver contest – or listen to other Houstonians who are saving on their bills with smart meters.

CenterPoint Energy’s smart meters transmit electric usage information through radio frequency (RF) signals three times per day for a total of less than 100 seconds. Exposure to RF signals from smart meters is similar to or less than exposure from common household devices such as cell phones, microwave ovens, cordless phones, and Wi-Fi routers as demonstrated in this video.

Smart meters, which the Public Utility Commission of Texas authorized to be installed across Houston in 2008, are accurate, secured by a comprehensive cyber security system, and provided to give consumers, not utilities, more control over their energy consumption. PUCT rules also guarantee CenterPoint Energy access to meters to maintain or change them as well as to read them.

More information on CenterPoint Energy’s smart meters is available atwww.CenterPointEnergy.com/EnergyInsight.

Steve Waters

CenterPoint Energy

Corporate Communications”