City Keeps West U Residents Updated On College Street Project

The city of West University Place is keeping residents updated about the College Street improvement project, following an outcry from residents during a recent city council meeting.
Six residents addressed council on Sept. 27 all wanting to know what is being done about a flood restrictor that’s causing flooding in down-stream areas of West U. Many other residents were there in support of the speakers, filling almost every seat in the council chambers. To read the story, click here.
City Manager Michael Ross told the residents he would keep them updated about the situation and Mayor Bob Kelly encouraged them to come back on Oct. 11 to address council with their comments.
“Be sure and get as large a turn out as you can for the Oct. 11 Council Meeting. It sends a strong message to Harris County to get off the dime and get the restrictors out,” Kelly said in an email to residents on Sept. 28.
Ross followed up with the residents on Oct. 1 with a comprehensive report on the history and status of the College Street Project. To read the report, click here.
“We now have the new drainage system in place and the new Myer Tract detention pond is in place,” Ross said in his email. “There is adequate capacity for our new system in the Myer Tract but it will require further negotiations to finalize and we would hate to see something happen to jeopardize that for the City.”
“The County and the Harris County Flood Control District have been great partners on this project and we are confident that they will provide an appropriate resolution. Please give us the opportunity to work out the final details with them on your behalf.”
Ross’ report said that it has been the HCFCD’s view that the downstream effects from the College Street storm sewer pipe project needed to be mitigated, either with a temporary “restrictor” or construction of a detention pond on the Brays Bayou drainage system.
In order for West U to go ahead with the College Street drainage pipe project, a restrictor was required by HCFCD in order for the construction to begin, according to the report.
Currently, the College Street Storm System is in place and operating, but the restrictor is still in place at the end of the pipe at Poor Farm Ditch. The Meyer Tract has been constructed inside Loop 610 near Meyerland, but West U needs permission from HCFCD to use the detention pond. The city has been negotiating with HCFCD to determine responsibility and is still addressing the mitigation credits of $1.4 million.
Ross said that the restrictor limits the outflow of the pipe to about the same outflow as before the storm sewer was installed. The city will not know the full benefit of the new storm sewer until the restrictor is removed, but residents will see an improvement because of the new storm drains all along College.
Councilmember George Boehme said the city can’t just open its checkbook and pay for the restrictor to be removed. The city needs cooperation and permission from HCFCD before anything can happen.
“Any application of political pressure by West University Place (population 14,255) to Harris County (population 4,070,989) thirty days before a county-wide election is unlikely to get the results we want and could be very costly to the City of West University Place,” Boehme said in an email to residents on Oct. 1. “Please consider being a little more patient because it is quite likely we will soon get the result we are seeking from the Harris County Flood Control District based on the engineering arguments being advanced by our city staff, rather than the application of political pressure. I believe we will get the restrictors removed soon if we stay on course.”