Table of Contents
Tigards Awarded Lifetime Membership
Trip Reports
Christy Long: 2006 New Year Guad/San Marcos
Ken Anderson: 2006 New Year Clear Creek
Christy Long: Jan 07, 2006 Surfside
Natalie Wiest: San Antonio River
Natalie Wiest: North Shore of Galveston Bay
Natalie Wiest: Remember Goliad!
John Bartos: Buffalo Bayou 01/15/06
Mark Ittleman: Anahuac Harborfest
Mark Ittleman: Nov 2005 Sierra Club Paddle
Transfer
of Lake Houston State Park
by Bob Arthur
An Article
about the planned transfer of Lake Houston State Park ownership jointly
to the City of Houston (Parks Dept) and Montgomery County Precinct 4.
Your opinion sought. Please write or e-mail the people listed below.
The purpose of the Dec. 5 meeting at Splendora, TX was to gain public
input for the proposed transfer of Lake Houston State Park (LHSP) to the
City of Houston (CoH) and Montgomery County. The meeting was moderated
by TPWD Region IV Director Jerry Hopkins and in attendance was Houston
Parks & Rec. ( HPARD) director, Joe Turner, Rick DeWees, Karen Cullar
and others. Also Walt Dabney, TPWD Director and many other TPWD reps as
well as Montgomery County Commissioners and other officials.
Operation of LHSP will be jointly between CoH and Montgomery County Pct.
4, although Montgomery Co has no funding to contribute to the operation.
The TP&W Board is expected to approve the transfer on Jan. 25. TP&W
assured last night's attendees that the transfer documents will call for
the wilderness character of the park to be retained. Of the 4900+ acres
in the Park, 3800+ are floodplain, which should not be developed. After
the legal documents are complete, a Master Plan will be written which
should take about a year. There will be opportunity for public input during
the Master Plan development.
Facts about the park:
Approx 2/3 of the 4955 acre park is in Montgomery County, with approx. 1/3 being in Harris County and a portion being within the city limits of Houston, and the entire park being within Houston's ETJ.
The park has approx 11 miles of creek/river frontage and paddling access is planned.
HPARD's first steps will be to compile a master plan.
The park will NOT become a "ballpark/soccer field" type of park, but will retain its wilderness aspect.
The Grand Parkway is planned to miss the park either N or S.
No entry
or access is planned for all-terrain or off-road vehicles.
Interesting factoids:
Texas spends some $50 million annually on the state park system. Missouri spends over $500 million. One wag commented that Mississippi exists so that Texas won't be last on every major list of a states accomplishments.
Brazos Bend State Park had some 500,000 visitors last year and Lake Houston Park had around 40,000.
TPWD is and has been in a financial bind for years and rather major layoffs are occurring, 73 employees have been laid off recently with more to come in the future.
Matagorda Island will become a wildlife management area, rather than a state park.
There were
many comments from local citizens, off-road enthusiast, equestrian enthusiast
and others. Of particular note were several comments regarding SB 155,
by members of the ATV/ORV organization, The Texas Motorized Trail Coalition.
These folks are organized and they're coming to your town and your park.
Your comments should be sent to both people below. Please make individual
comments now. Specific knowledge of and recommendations about the park
are especially helpful.
Mr. Tim Hogsett
State Parks Division
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.
4200 Smith School Rd.
Austin, TX 78744
E-mail: tim.hogsett@tpwd.state.tx.us
Mr. Joe Turner
City of Houston Parks & Recreation Dept
2999 South Wayside
Houston, TX 77023
E-mail: lhsp@cityofhouston.net