HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Two flooding-related items drummed up quite a bit of discussion at the Houston City Council on Wednesday. One item was tagged and relates to how the city can use flood relief money, and another passed and opposes development in a flood-prone area.
Agenda item 12 received over an hour of conversation, mostly around its legality.
“I understand you are doing your jobs, you are trying to find money where you can to get us as much done as possible, and that’s the kind of energy we want to see, but it is also our obligation to make sure this is done legally,” councilmember Abbie Kamin said.
Before the city council, Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi explained why the council should approve allocating $30,000,000 from the stormwater fund to demolish buildings that impact drainage systems.
The city has a list of more than 300 buildings already approved for demolition.
“We use stormwater funding already to clean out ditches where there are no structures. Now, where we have structures that exacerbate that problem, this is an opportunity to make a larger impact,” Macchi said.
In a memo from the city controller’s office, it claims this is not a legal use of the money and said the storm water fund is to maintain and improve the city’s drainage system, not to beautify or substitute for code enforcement dollars.
But Houston city attorney Arturo Michel said this is an appropriate use of the fund.
“I’m confident this meets legal muster. I don’t really have any doubt about it, and I have spent a lot of time looking at it,” Michel said.
Several council members said they feel gun-shy about a yes vote after the city lost a lawsuit this year for mismanaging funds for street and drainage improvements.
The item was tagged by council members Kamin and Peck. It will be back on the city council agenda in January.
Agenda item 18, a flood-related resolution, did pass. The council agreed to oppose development on a piece of land where the west fork of the San Jacinto River, Spring Creek, and Cypress Creek converge and frequently flood. The city said that if development continues there, it could worsen flooding in the future.
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