Sunday, August 28, 2005

ATTENTION: Sienna Plantation Developer Files Case Against Their Own Residents!!!

Johnson Development Company has filed a case for libel against several Sienna residents in early August following the completion of the “No More Apartments” petition drive which garnered in excess of 1100 signatures that was submitted to Missouri City council on July 18th. The claim seems to be looking specifically at SiennaTalk.com (now MissouriCityTalk.com –> currently shut down because of this action) website which was used by residents, beginning in March, to discuss local issues when they were denied access to purchase ads in the resident's newsletter and post on the residents website (Siennanet.com). The case number is 05-CV-144185 and it was filed by John Keville, of Howrey LLP (a Houston Law Firm) on behalf of Sienna/Johnson development (Larry Johnson, President).

In May our completely developer controlled resident’s association, without non-voting membership approval, passed a very restrictive covenant adopted to curtail resident’s ability to even discuss these issues internally with other residents/neighbors. Since that time another attorney’s group, Roberts, Markel & Guerry of Houston, representing Johnson Development Co., issued a cease & desist order for dissemination of information within Sienna.

We will do our best to keep the community informed of this and other development actions as they arise along with keeping http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com up an operating as long as possible. If you’d like to show your support for the efforts of those involved with the petition drive, then please e-mail city council, the local media and Johnson development representatives to let them know how you feel (see contacts below).

Stay in touch and keep informed.

Contact e-mails:

fbeditor@hcnonline.com -- Fort Bend Sun

bkcstar@earthlink.net -- Fort Bend Star

EricHansen@chron.com -- The Chronicle

City council contacts: Mayor@ci.mocity.tx.us; owenwall@wellsfargo.com; Council2@ci.mocity.tx.us; brjimerson@jimerson.net; bburton@ci.mocity.tx.us; Councila@ci.mocity.tx.us; ehrieiter@hal-pc.org; donsmith@ci.mocity.tx.us; Councilb@ci.mocity.tx.us; bkolaja@ci.mocity.tx.us; Council1@ci.mocity.tx.us

Developer contacts: http://www.johnsondevelopment.com/contactus.html --web contact

Larry Johnson-713-960-9977; larry@johnsondev.com
Chad Johnson-713-960-9977; chadj@johnsondev.com
Doug Goff-713-960-9977; dougg@siennaplantation.com




******
Committee for Responsible Development—MoCity Group
Responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com
Missouri City, Texas

Friday, August 26, 2005

Candidate Committee Has Initial Meeting

This appeared on http://www.missouricitytalk.com earlier today and we thought it should be shared here:

____________________________


This is intended to keep everyone posted on the progress of the search for a mayoral, and other council seats, which will be up for election in '06. The meeting took place on 8/25/05:

-Committee representatives from many Missouri City neighborhoods attended and participated in the initial gathering for "meet and greet" activities.

-Organizational matters were discussed and possible issues shared. Much consensus was reached but further dialogue will be conducted at subsequent sessions. Appropriate candidates were one of the many themes of this initial get-together. No final decisions have been made yet and these topics will be carried over to the next session.

-It was agreed that monthly gatherings would be the best option for now.


-Stay tuned for more as this process continues!

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

"Then & Now" Article Evokes Response-

This is from this weeks Then & Now Article in the FB Sun (8/24/05)--

Residents of Colony Lakes in Missouri City filled council chambers last Monday to voice their displeasure over the loss of a nature reserve in their community.

Many who bought homes in the Missouri City subdivision off Highway 6 did so in anticipation of a nature reserve serving as a permanent backdrop to their homes, but now find themselves staring out on a gutted piece of land stripped of its trees and lush greenery, replaced with a view of speeding cars on a major thoroughfare.
Channel 13 news reporter Mark Garay, a resident of the community, speaking for a group of about 20 residents of Colony Lakes, said he and other residents are not against growth, but were disappointed that the expected amenity of a nature reserve was removed, a feature as important as their homes' floor plan and price.
"I am here as a homeowner, not as a news reporter" said Garay. He said he bought his home more than a year ago based on the promise of protected wetlands gracing the perimeter of their property, a community of homes ranging from $180,000 to $270,000.
"We had waist deep water, wild life, foliage and were told that we could enjoy this without the threat of intrusion of development," said Garay. "Now it is just a big hole."

_________________________

The rest can be viewed at http://www.hcnonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15084706&BRD=1574&PAG=461&dept_id=532245&rfi=6


Topic thread--do you believe that the developer backed mayor is trully concerned about these issues or just remaining active until the press coverage dies down?

--Or should citizens get more active in the local political processes and retake some of the seats on council? Who is minding the store?--follow the money!

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Colony Lakes Residents Raise Concerns at Council (8/15/05)

Round 2,3, or 4?

During the open session of the Missouri City council's 8/15 meeting a repeat performance in an all to familiar local battle is brewing with a Houston developer (Johnson development company--Larry Johnson President), owners of Riverstone and Sienna Plantation communities in this area and major campaign contributors to our mayor.

Johnson Development Co. (JDC), their commercial/retail group, has been clear cutting old orchards along hwy 6 across from Lake Olympia to prepare for more strip centers. The controversy ensued when JDC clear cut, what residents of Colony Lakes were told were, community reserves of beautiful old growth orchards.

The council chambers were packed with upset residents explaining to council the disruption this has brought to their lives reminding many of the February & July '05 council battles over apartment development in Sienna and the destruction of many of its oldest trees near Waterbrook West by JDC.

The scene was much the same with the developer backed mayor appearing to be very concerned and promising to get to the bottom of this before the cameras. After the crowd left we had a chance to discuss this issue with them and will be networking with yet another neighboring community up in arms.



**********
Committee for Responsible Development-Mo-City Group
site: http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/
E-mail: responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com
Missouri City, TX

Friday, August 12, 2005

***Mayor Pro Tem--Council Has a Change of Heart!***

We just received a call from a city official stating that because of communications they had received from the public/press that the mayor pro tem item for discussion at this Monday's (August 15th) session had been removed from the agenda. Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Wyatt will remain in that position currently. --Congrats to Jerry!!!


This is great news for an ethical city council member who limits his campaign contributions to Missouri City area residents and civic associations. He has been the Mayor Pro Tem in Missouri City for a number of years now and has assisted many residents in their fight against apartments! We would like to congratulate those of you who were ready to attend Monday's session and/or called or e-mailed city council.


Thank you for your support and hard work on this!





*********
Committee for Responsible Development-Mo-City Group
website: http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/
e-mail: responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com
Missouri City, TX

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Mayor Pro Tem Under Fire Again?

We just picked this up from our sister site and confirmed it's on the Missouri City Council calendar for August 15th again. Contact your local council members and let them know how you feel about this--CRD:



-->You all remember the hoopla about the Mayor Pro Tem (Jerry Wyatt) who voted against further apartments in Missouri City back in February. The mayor and some of his cronies tried to take the Pro Tem position, at that time, away from Mr. Wyatt on city council. The vote ended up split (3-3) and Wyatt retained his seat.

See a CRD post referencing this issue from May on SiennaTalk.com:

"Mayor Pro Tem Being Attacked For Supporting Anti-Apartment Fight in Sienna...
Posted by: Responsible_dvlpmnt on May 25, 2005 - 09:05 AM

This just out in the Sun yesterday needs to be shared with the Sienna Plantation community:

Currently a move is under-foot to remove Jerry Wyatt, Mayor Pro Tem, in Missouri City. Allen Owen (Mayor) and several other on city council are working to support candidates to run against Mr. Wyatt as well as remove him as Mayor Pro Tem for his support of the anti-apartment fight here in Sienna. Please see the article at http://www.fortbendsouthwestsun.com for more.

-Get on the petition and get involved in local politics. Our developers have given significant campaign contributions and backing to the Mayor (60% over two election cycles--see public records on file with Mo-city) and others on our city council. Mr. Wyatt and Brett Kolaja who voted against the apartments need our support and help. Powerful forces are working behind the scenes and we need volunteers for the coming '06 elections.

-Contact us at responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com to get more involved. Only through direct citizens action can we take back council from the Houston developers now working in our community and through our city council."


---Well guess what? It's back on the Missouri City agenda for the August 15th session. It seems our pro-developer mayor wants to take that position away again. I'll be following this and so should you. After seeing the contributors to the mayor it's no question in my mind who's pulling the strings on this one (and this council).

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Campaign Contributions (Public Record)-

Political Contributors To
Mayor Allen Owen
1999-2004
(Developers in order of giving)
____________________


1. Clinton Wong (Land Development Co.)

2. Larry Johnson (Land Development Co.)

3. Paris Schindler (Land Development Co.)

4. Rocky Lai (Land Development Co.)

5. Larry Wong (Land Development Co.)

6. Bob Perry (Land Developer)

7. Jim & Sandy MacNaughton (Land Developer)

8. Pat Cagle (Land Developer)

9. Thomas Cagle (Land Developer)

10. E. Blake Hawk (Land Developer)

11. Scott Reamer (Land Developer)

12. R.E. Reamer (Land Developer)

13. S. Jay Williams (Land Developer)

14. Eugene Arensberg, Jr. (Land Developer)

--This data can be confirmed via request from the Missouri City secretary for campaign contributions for anyone serving on the city council over the same time period. Many other contributions were made from corporate sponsors who live outside of Missouri City to Mayor Owen and this data will be released in a timely fashion.

--Question #1: With such a large percentage of Mayor Owens campaign contributions coming from those in the land development business can you trust him to represent your interests at council?

--Question #2: Has Mayor Owen violated the city’s code of ethics of which he has signed (see below)?

--Question #3: Has the mayor violated his oath of office concerning these matters?

--You be the judge!

From the Missouri City Council Code of Conduct & Ethics Policy (Adopted 10/5/98) Sections: L & M state “Council members should not use their positions to secure special privileges and should avoid situations that could cause any person to believe that they may have brought bias or partiality to a question before Council.”

“Council members should refrain from personally appearing on behalf of their own financial interest or personal interest of any kind or on behalf of any person, business entity, group or interest before the City Council, any city board, commission or committee except in matters of purely public concern. When legally permissible, with regard to a council member’s own financial or personal interests, he/she may designate and be represented by a person of his/her choice in any such personal business matter or may choose to “step away” from the table and speak to Council from the podium as a private citizen.”

--This paper does not address the decorum violations brought before council against the mayor by residents on July 18th, 2005. Has the mayor or council agreed to form an ethics committee to review these complaints or are some avoiding any actions.


Submitted by Concerned Missouri City Residents, Citizens and the Committee for Responsible Development-Mo-City Group.

This Weeks FB Star Summary of Local Politics:

This came in from the publisher of the FB Star and is featured in this weeks Bev's Burner online at: http://www.fortbendstar.com/Columns/burner.htm :


Bev's Burner
Some's Hot, Some's Not 

By B.K. Carter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Bev Carter is the owner/publisher of the Fort Bend Star, winner of numberous state and national awards. She has been a voice of Fort Bend's largest circulated newspaper for 27 years."
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
A cautionary tale.....Joe Rome, owner of Stafford Auto Supply, called me last week and told me he had a story to tell me about one of our local Justices of the Peace.

"Oh, no," I thought, "I’m going to hear some horror story about justice denied."

But Joe went on to tell me about one of his employees who got a ticket and had to go to JP Gary Geick’s court.

The employee told Joe that a young man appeared in front of the Judge immediately before him. This young miscreant was going to have the book thrown at him. I believe he was speeding, had no helmet, broke several other laws and was just generally in trouble.

According to the story, the young man was due to be fined $300, but the judge lectured him about wearing a helmet then agreed to reduce his fine by $100 if the young man promised to go out and immediately buy a good helmet. He agreed.

Several days later, this same employee was driving down the road when he came upon a road accident. A motorcycle had piled up in the ditch. As the employee watched, unbelievably, the young man he had seen in Judge Geick’s court crawled out of the ditch, scratched and bleeding. He was wearing a new helmet and was able to walk out of the ditch on his own.

The Stafford Auto employee later told Joe that he was convinced that Judge Geick's requirement had saved the boy’s life, or at the very least lessened his injuries. It had been clearly illustrated to him, like no other method could, that some of the Judge’s lectures and requirements were important.

Tom, we love ya......I have received several emails from various individuals and groups complaining about Tom DeLay inserting a last minute "$1.5 billion giveaway to the oil industry, Halliburton, and Sugar Land, Texas" into the Energy bill before Congress. According to the information I have received, the money is slated to go to a "corporation that is constructed as a consortium." It seems that the only corporation that fits that bill is one that is connected to the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) consortium, housed in the Texas Energy Center in Sugar Land, Texas. If RPSEA wins the contract they can keep "up to 10% of the funds - in this case, over $100 million - in administrative expenses."

I'm sorry, but it seems to me that Tom is doing exactly what I have been complaining that he has not done enough of for this district, i.e., bringing home the pork!

And if you think that the publisher of a newspaper in Fort Bend County, Texas, home of the Texas Energy Center, is going to excoriate DeLay for using his position to funnel energy money to Fort Bend, then, why, you're crazy! I'm going to lionize him for it!

Tempers flare......I predict that the next round of school board, city, and water district races will have few candidates. I’m even willing to put a little money on it. The reason I’m so sure is that everybody in Fort Bend is mad at somebody in elected positions.

On one side, several members of the "old" school board have come under fire for their past votes. At the same time, several other newer members of the FBISD school board are generally disliked by the "old" group although the "old" group doing the disliking seldom make their discontent public. Both groups are fixing to get in some real trouble, and I predict it will be over zoning of children into certain schools.

Then we have Safford High School parents mad at the administration and the board for changing the high school dress code by what they considered at the last minute and what they consider as too strict.

And of course, Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella has always been mad at the school board ever since he found out he couldn't run it.

Mayor Leonard and several members of the Stafford City Council are mad at their former city engineers, Jones & Carter, and are doubly mad because Jones and Carter refused to take it and abruptly resigned as Stafford’s engineers before Stafford got the satisfaction of firing them.

Jones and Carter, who also work for Fort Bend County and WCID #2, are mad at Leonard and some of the other Stafford leaders because they feel they (Jones et al) were unfairly besmirched by Leonard and Stafford.

Mayor Scarcella is mad at WCID #2 because ....see above reason as concerns SMSD.

THEN, residents of Sienna Plantation are mad at the developers of Sienna Plantation and the council of Missouri City because of apartments. Mostly they are mad at Sienna uber-developer Larry Johnson and Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen.

Allen Owen doesn’t care because years ago Missouri City signed a development contract with Sienna Plantation promising not to annex Sienna for many years if Sienna would build its houses to Missouri City’s specifications. This also means residents of Sienna Plantation can’t vote for or against Allen Owen.

Larry Johnson doesn’t care because he’s already sold the land to other developers and builders who can mislead homebuyers about future building with impunity because they are on down the road before the homebuyers realize they’ve been had as far as apartments, levees, airports, and commercial development goes.

Other residents of Missouri City are happy because they don’t want those pesky Sienna Plantation rich folks telling them how to run a city because they (Sienna) could if they ever get the vote. The other Missouri City residents are also happy because they don’t have to provide fire and police protection for Sienna, although they did build a fire station out there. What’s up with that?

THIS brings us to Quail Valley which is mad at the country club because it keeps threatening to leave and even sold some golf course land to build some patio homes which never panned out, and the club didn’t even do what it said it would with the profits from the sale.

The club is mad at those nosey individuals who participate in the Quail Valley Fund and don’t even have the decency to belong to the country club. Many of those same people are gonna be real mad if they have to pay country club dues to the country club they didn’t want to belong to in the first place.

WHICH brings us to Meadows Place where a bunch of residents were riled over Ayshire Corporation’s plans to develop the corner of Kirkwood and West Airport. I don’t think the Meadows Place residents remember the history that Ayshire has with Meadows Place, a history that has been good for both. However, peace reigns as the P & Z (Planning and Zoning) gave a favorable recommendation to rework plans for that corner.

So as you can see, everybody in Fort Bend is mad at everybody else. I’m sure I’ve left out some players. But you can see why my money is on folks not wanting to run for elective office in those areas.

AND they are ALL mad at me because I tell all I know and (mostly) get it right.

More about Quail Valley.....Some leaders of the Quail Valley Fund (about 3,000 homes in Quail Valley's 5000 homes belong to the Fund) are scaring the Fund members by telling them that if the country club goes bankrupt, then home values in Quail Valley will plummet. I think home values will plummet if the fund obligates homeowners to pay a huge amount to benefit the country club. I think homeowners might have a hard time selling their homes if the property is encumbered with large maintenance fees.

Additionally, threats of bankruptcy don't scare me because if the club goes bankrupt, perhaps some other company which can do a better job, will pick up the club in a fire sale. Even though certain original agreements indicate that land at the club can be sold for residential or commercial development, Missouri City does have a zoning ordinance. I doubt if the Missouri City P & Z will ever allow sand traps, fairways and greens to be developed as housing.

Since the country club has done very little marketing to attract new members, I sometimes wonder if they want to go broke so they can sell the land for other development. I've heard they were offered $25 million for the 178 acres that comprises their Clear Lake club.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

MissouriCityTalk.com

Please visit the related discussion board for this site (formerly SiennaTalk.com) to get a better feel and history of the current threads running here at MissouriCityChatter. You can access the MissouriCityTalk site at http://www.MissouriCityTalk.com. They have folders open to most area neighborhoods and are waiting for your contributions. The site has had over 220,000+ hits in its first year of operation and also seeks advertisements.

The site administrator works very hard to keep the threads on topic and productive. -Give it try!




**********
Committee for Responsible Development
responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com
Missouri City Group
Missouri City, TX

POLLHOST POLL RESULTS:

POLLHOST POLL RESULTS:

 

Question: Do you trust Allen Owen, mayor of Missouri City, TX, to represent you rather than his Houston corporate backers?

 

Results:

 

3%  participating said yes  (n20)

 

91%  participating said no  (n573)

 

6%  participating responded not sure  (n39)

 

(N) sample =  632

 

Stay tuned as more surveys for coming elections are posted!

Web Statistics
Alienware Computers

This site covers the Missouri City, Texas and local vicinity. Copyright (c) c.calvin 2005-2010 ....you can contact the web-blog coordinator for MCC/CRD at responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com