InstantnewsBellaire.com

The second article in our Q&A series deals with Bellaire’s proposed comprehensive plan. In this series, candidates receive questions twice per week and have 24 hours to respond with an answer that is less than 300 words long. The answers publish with no editing.

Do you have a question for candidates about Bellaire issues? Please email it to agrant [at] instantnewsbellaire [dot] com.

InstantnewsBellaire asked the candidates this question:

On Monday, the city held a public hearing on Bellaire’s proposed Comprehensive Plan. The plan proposes a “vision” and specific guidelines to shape Bellaire’s future look and feel. Within the plan, what do you think is the most important guideline, and why? If elected, how will you work to ensure that this guideline is implemented?

Here are the answers from candidates for Place 3 on the Bellaire City Council.

Corbett Parker

Corbett Daniel Parker

As discussed in my policy paper (available at http://www.corbettparker.com/issues.pdf), I feel the most important guideline is that all actionable steps taken ensure that Bellaire’s residential quality of life is enriched, not depleted. Specifically, any commercial development must be analyzed from the viewpoint of protecting the residential atmosphere and desirability of all Bellaire neighborhoods.

This is important because any development undertaken will not only affect the immediately surrounding neighborhoods, but entire Bellaire community. Bellaire holds a competitive advantage of having a small-town community feel, but there are concerns that implementation of the plan might erode this uniqueness. While decreasing our residential tax burden by appreciating the commercial tax base is important, it must not override our commitment to providing premium residential living.

I will work to implement the plan in ways that: (1) are fiscally responsible and maintain our high level of safety; (2) blend commercial development into the nearby neighborhoods (provide adequate landscaping and parking); (3) mitigate potential adverse affects on drainage, traffic, and street infrastructure; and (4) keep longtime businesses informed of and involved in the decision-making process.

I will also seek community consensus. When mutually incompatible ideas are presented, I will listen to understand the competing concerns. Since the city owns very little of the land being discussed (besides easements), I will engage the commercial property owners to alleviate our residents’ concerns, while also asking what zoning changes and other incentives Bellaire could provide them.

I am the most prepared candidate to implement the plan due to: (1) already directly engaging residents about their thoughts on plan; (2) attending P&Z Commission meetings; (3) discussing plan in detail with current and past chairs of P&Z Commission, Bellaire’s consulting engineering firm, numerous council members, and business owners most affected; and (4) having a strong legal, finance, and economics background.

Roseann Rogers

Roseann Rogers

Much time, effort and research went into constructing the Comprehensive Plan. This thoughtful, multi-layered document is one of many resources to help guide us as we grow over the next 10-15 years.  This plan touches every aspect of our city and focuses on maintaining a good quality of life for all of our citizens.  It’s important to emphasize that the Plan  does not provide us all the answers, it provides us the frame work by which we can make informed decisions.  We must be flexible and continue the dialogue.  I plan on building on the work already done and continue to solicit public opinion to identify issues, discuss solutions and make informed decisions.

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Marie Anstead

Marie Anstead

The health, safety, and welfare portion of the draft Comprehensive Plan resonnates most with me.  It speaks to diversity of housing (which I embrace) but it does not explicate further specific height requirements and outer building aesthetics which must be passed by City Council in order to preserve our “small town” charm.  It also speaks to safety of our citizens with increased bike trails and sidewalks but appears to limit them to areas leading to public areas and does not set forth any timelines to have these implemented.  I think that it is unconscionable that we have our children learning to ride their bikes and mothers strolling with their children on the streets because there are no sidewalks.

Two elements which are missing from this section of the plan are noise abatement and the installation of fountains.  With respect to noise abatement, I think that the plan should outline that our residents cannot enjoy their backyards nor can citizens enjoy some of our parks (i.e., Ware Family Park) and hear each other speak because of the highway traffic from 610.  We want to be able to enjoy the outside and our green space but cannot without noise reduction.  Serious consideration of a noise barrier should be installed on the 610 portion which splits the city.  With respect to fountains, the comprehensive plan is silent.  I believe that the plan should set aside green space for a fountain or other item which, again, helps to identify with the “re-branding” of the City as being eco-friendly.

Richard Franke

Richard Franke

Several meetings have been conducted in 2009 to promote both understanding of and suggestions for the Comprehensive Plan. It is my understanding that the Comprehensive Plan is a vision that will evolve with more study and citizen input and not final document. The Plan recognizes the residential character of Bellaire and presents several opportunities for increasing the commercial tax base that could promote the City of Homes or adversely affect it if not implemented with a thorough risk assessment and financial analysis. As noted in an earlier Comprehensive Planning meeting, the plan must be supported by the City of Bellaire’s financial commitment to complete reconstruction of our severely deteriorated street infrastructure. That is not addressed in the plan but must be the first priority before we commit funds to other major projects. Redevelopment of downtown and the RDD area are important goals. Redevelopment of downtown should attract new upscale merchants but be sensitive to the small businesses that have contributed so much to Bellaire over the years. The RDD issue is complex and presents serious security and traffic flow issues. I am opposed to widening South Rice to accommodate METRO’s goals. That proposal emphasizes the importance of retaining control of the RDD plat to promote and protect  Bellaire’s interests and to not yield control to Houston or METRO. The beauty of the Comprehensive Plan is that it is a constructive tool to promote citizen input and involvement in planning for the future of Bellaire and making it a strong and attractive upscale community that can address twenty-first century challenges. We must remain aware that the free market is watching our progress and will be the judge of our tax base valuation and appeal to prospective citizens.