Storm & Flood Management
STORM DRAINS
Our storm drain system has not been upgraded to keep pace with the growth of our city, and the increased runoff from more concrete on the ground has become too much for it to handle. In addition, most of our storm drains are not regularly cleaned and maintained by the city. This makes the storm drains even less capable of preventing flooding, and increases the amount of bacteria and pollution that runoff sends into our rivers and streams.
The City Should:
- Begin regularly cleaning and maintaining all storm drain systems in the city.
- Upgrade the storm drainage system, and explore alternatives for using city land to improve drainage.
AGRICULTURAL ZONING
Land that is zoned for agricultural use provides a critical buffer for our city against flooding. As more land is rezoned to residential and covered with concrete, less exposed land is available to absorb water. This is the mechanism that has led to severe flooding in Houston; the city is gradually turned into a concrete bowl that gathers water. What’s more, this land is often located in flood plain areas, so the homes that are constructed are likely to flood and lose value, causing home buyers to get burned.
The City Should:
- Significantly reduce or eliminate the rezoning of agricultural land.
- Maintain the commitment to not develop south of the Green Line.
BUILDING CODES
The use of slab-foundation construction has led to disastrous results in neighborhoods like Windsor Woods. When flooding strikes, a foot or so of crawl space makes the difference between a headache and a heartbreak. Furthermore, crawl space foundations allow more water to soak into the soil, helping to prevent flooding. Slab construction in flood plain areas is irresponsible, and the city owes homebuyers more than to simply say “buyer beware.”
The City Should:
- Significantly restrict the use of residential slab construction throughout the city.
- Not allow any variances to this rule in flood plain areas.
