This is a link to an article in Sunday’s Houston Chronicle (April 1, 2018) that issues a warning about our flood plain maps and our future under the new normal of climate change. You can find information on Bellaire’s flood permit process and flood mitigation task force under Floods in the main menu.
Harvey’s Floods
Bellaire has come a long way and thanks to longtime resident Lynn McBee the City’s history will unfold on this web site. Just click the menu item for Bellaire History and enjoy a good read!
When Bellaire voters approved a bond issue for $24 million dollars for Streets, Drainage, and Sidewalks with the explanation that ‘Projects will address replacement of streets and drainage systems in order to reduce the occurrence of flooding and improve street conditions’ they probably thought the City would install new storm sewers, replace corroded water lines, repave tired streets, rebuild damaged curbs, and complete a contiguous sidewalk along at least one side of every street in Bellaire. Continue reading
As of 2016 the City of Bellaire had over $104 million dollars in outstanding debt, $5600 per person, which is much higher than any of the surrounding municipalities. Almost a quarter of the of the City budget, about $9 million, will go out on debt service this year, and there’s mention of another bond issue in 2019.
Continue reading
Mentioning bonds in a prior post, I wondered where the City or Council planned to find the $8 million plus for Pathways or the $4.1 million for the Spruce Street upgrade. In 2016 Bellaire voters approved the sale of $54 million in bonds. Continue reading
Are you aware of the Branding Study? Over $50,000 has been spent as of March 15th but the cost could climb! The result was a new logo to replace our longtime and much loved one. It’s a B with a leaf and it was very unpopular with mo
st residents who spoke to Council. Resident responses ranged from “a child could have done a better job” to anatomical references and a giant tongue. For now Council has agreed to shelve this idea, but another iteration will probably be presented. Recently Council did adopt a font and verbal identity from the study. More information and documents on this study, including the contract that contains possible charges, can be found under the Studies link
What do you think? Email tdutton@bellairetx.gov and request that your message be forwarded to the Mayor and members of City Council.
What about the Pathways Plan? If you thought this was just for sidewalks you’re in for a surprise. The price tag on this study could be $8 million or more and add 8 ft wide walk/bike paths throughout the City, along Baldwin Avenue, for instance. Plus the cost for sidewalks. Council has postponed discussion on this plan until May. The downloads and maps can be found under the Studies link.
What do you think? Email tdutton@bellairetx.gov and request that your message be forwarded to the Mayor and members of City Council.
And coming up for Council’s consideration on Monday, March 19th, is a presentation for the Spruce and Fifth Street Design Considerations. 
Spruce_St&Fifth_Considerations . This presentation contends there will be no financial impact because the cost, I guess, is contained in the bond monies from the 2016 bond election. Is this how you thought the bond money would be spent?
What’s not mentioned is the impact on the long-time business owners along the north side of the 5100 and 5200 blocks of Spruce and the small bakery on Fifth St. How will the large delivery trucks to HEB navigate in this narrow space?
Also not mentioned is the estimated cost, which was revealed to be about $4.1 million. Mention was made that part of this amount was something about the 4500 block of Maple and Bolivar. Nothing about these streets was shown in the presentation. This presentation is a curious mix of several recent studies. On the map in the presentation the 5100 block of Laurel is still shown, old swimming pool and all, and somehow a second Locust Street shows up running along the alley behind the Shipley’s and Sherwin Williams stores.
I’m concerned there may be some hidden agenda behind this, what do you think? More on this later, along with the zoning changes that Council passed in 2013 for this area.
What do you think? Email tdutton@bellairetx.gov and request that your message be forwarded to the Mayor and members of City Council.
Click the Spotlight for more information.
WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE? WHY NOT RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL?
SPRUCE/FIFTH AREA: Construction has 
begun on Fifth Street on the first block of ‘streetscapes’ in the area. Six members of City Council are responsible for the destruction of one of the most functional areas of our central downtown. Businesses are already in trouble.
Planning and Zoning – July 11, 2019 – 4800 Fournace Place Request to rezone a portion of the Sheena (Chevron) property to Corridor Mixed Use (CMU) and for a Planned Development-Multi Family Highrise.
4301 Bellaire Blvd Rezoning – Consideration of the application has been postponed at the request of the applicant. Now scheduled for August 5, 2019
5235 Bellaire Blvd Planning and Zoning approved the application to allow a drive-
through service station for oil changes and emissions testing. City Council Public Hearing August 5, 2019.
FEMA Due To Release New Flood Maps in August
New Medical Building Proposed for 4460 Bissonnet @ Fournace
Medical offices are planned. They hope to break ground by July.
Recycling, organic gardening, less pesticides – all win/wins for our kids and our community. So are reusable bags!
Find informative articles here.
Leaks
at or near water meters have been reported around town. City crews make repairs for some residents, but others are advised to call a plumber. Check with the City, ask if Siemens is responsible for the repair.
Click on the Trolley to view the Table of Contents for Lynn McBee’s history of Bellaire.
And for a terrific photo history check this out:
You’ll find Little Free Libraries popping up throughout Bellaire. Loftin Park, Evelyn’s Park, Ware Family Park, plus private LFLs. “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin
Construction on the new Bellaire High school began in 2018.
The ne
w school was financed by the 2012 HISD bond election and completion is expected in 2022.
According to the City manager and staff our longtime City logo, representing Bellaire as a City of Homes, will soon be gone, thanks to City Council and the $50,000 branding study. Read more here.
We are
no longer informed of emergency repairs, water leaks, or Public Works projects underway. There seem to be excavations all over town. What sort of enforcement is required by the City for construction sites? Click on the photo for details.
Jim Blackburn, J.D. Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law, Rice University; Philip B. Bedient, Ph.D. Herman Brown Professor of Engineering, Rice University © 2018 by the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University Read more here.
Bellaire Flood Plain Elevation Map
Link to Harris County Flood Map (include your zip code)
Using a Flood Insurance Rate Map
FEMA Flood Map Service Center
How Base Flood Elevation is Determined
Find information on Flood Insurance here: https://www.bellairecivicclub.com/are-you-covered-up-to-date-on-your-flood-insurance/
Find Updates on the actions of the Harris County Flood Control District actions that affect Bellaire and Southwest Houston – the Brays Bayou Watershed.
New Flood Maps due August 15, 2019 – Residents are encouraged to examine the maps to determine their location and risk in the flood zone.
Click to review the Bellaire Comprehensive Plan
