West Lane Place Civic Association

[ email from Mark Stout to Marj Gordon and Barbara Staley ]

Hi Barbara,

My wife talked with a neighbor about the activity yesterday. He said the parking garage at Highland Village has a structural defect and is going to have to be torn down. He suspects the existing parking area along the RR easement is going to be extended to handle additional cars.

I certainly hope they do not make a parking lot entrance out of the existing dead-end at West Alabama.

Marj, any ideas who we should contact to get addtional info?

thanks

>From: ''Barbara Staley''
>To:
>Subject: Activity in the green space behind West Lane Drive along RR
>Date: Tue, 7 May 2002 18:20:35 -0500
>
>Dear Mark,
>
>First thanks for being willing to take our emails!
>
>Second, can you shed any light on what is going on behind our homes on West Lane Drive between our back yards and the RR tracks? There have been lots of tractors and folks working back there but we aren't sure what they are doing.
>
>There has been some amount of concrete dug up in the parking lot for the Highland Village employees to lay what appears some sort of line/cable.
>
>Any info you can offer is appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>Barbara and Mike Staley

More emails on H.V. parking lot

[ email trails related to HV parking lot expansion ]

Marj.

Thanks so much for your help. I will pass on this email trail to our
lawyer/neighbor (Steve Harris) and see what he recommends along with what
you are suggesting.

Do we need to write a formal letter to the WLPA board to ask for their help?
Please let me know what else we need to do to help resolve this mess!

Regards,
Barbara


----- Original Message -----
From: ''Marj Gordon''
To: ''Barbara Staley''
Cc: ''Mark Stout'' ; ''PageWilliams''
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 3:28 PM
Subject: HV employee parking lot and possible expansion


> Thanks for your e-mail, Barbara.
>
> First, I will try to answer your question about what involvement the board
of
> the WLP Civic Association might wish to have in addressing this issue.
Once we
> have all of the facts, I am certain the board will want to write letters
on
> behalf of the neighborhood to the appropriate people with Highland Village
and
> with Reliant Energy as well as to Councilman Kellar.
>
> To get the facts about what is planned for the area adjacent to the
current
> employee parking lot, I will pursue contacting the ''powers that be'' at
> Highland Village to learn what they have planned and to alert them to the
> problems presented by the current lot. If your neighbor has a recommended
> contact at HV, please let me know. Page Williams has already contacted
someone
> she knows with Reliant Energy to see what can be done about reducing the
glare
> from the present lighting.
>
> To answer your question about who you could talk to in addition to the
> councilman's office, I think you are on the right track with Highland
Village
> and Reliant Energy.
>
> Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I understand your concerns
and
> I'll let you know what action the board decides to take.
>
> Marj.
>
> >===== Original Message From ''Barbara Staley''
> =====
> >Thanks to you both for the info. My husband did attend the neighborhood
> >meeting last night and we are engaging a neighbor (lawyer) to speak with
his
> >legal contact with the Highland Village complex. He, too, along with all
of
> >us on the RR side of West Lane and further south should be greatly
concerned
> >about the activity behind us.
> >
> >The guard at the parking lot entrance off of Westheimer says he
understands
> >it will be more parking for the employees in the HV center. It will still
be
> >guarded and not open to the public. I can't imagine that employees are
happy
> >about this because their walk just to get to Westheimer will be even
longer
> >in the rain and the heat!
> >
> >We are concerned with a number of problems, including the extension of
the
> >parking lot, the car alarms that go off all the time-especially when a
train
> >goes by, lighting that blares into our first and second floor rooms at
night
> >from the ''security'' lights and the increased activity behind our homes
which
> >only invades what we thought was quiet and peaceful space when we moved
here
> >(except, of course, when the trains pass).
> >
> >Is there any involvement that the WLPA wants to have in this issue or
will
> >we need to go it alone? Besides our city council rep, is there anyone
else
> >we should talk to?
> >
> >Many thanks for your prompt response,
> >Barbara and Mike Staley

Info on Reliant street lights

[ Page Williams sent this from a friend at Reliant ]

>> I'm not sure what, if
anything we can do to get the lights shielded, but you have two different
ways of reporting street lights that are out. You can call 713-207-2222
and give them the 6-digit number on the pole, or if that's not visible, the
nearest address. You may also have some luck with online reporting via the
website. The link to that page is http://www.reliantenergy.com/outage.asp<<


By Mark Stout

Update on Activity

I have spoken with Highland Village Holding management and with HL&P who own the right-of-way in question. HV has leased additional space south of their current employee parking lot for 60 additional parking spaces. There will be no lighting on this addition. I requested the existing lighting be put on timers if it is not already and they are checking into this. The lot currently is policed from 8AM - 10PM and employees have access using a keycard. Most employees are gone by 10PM, with the exception being those employed by the restaurants. Neither HL&P nor Highland Village have any plans to use Alabama for access. In fact, HL&P's representative volunteered to work with me to be certain the fence & gate across Alabama are restored to the condition they were in prior to the Alabama construction. HL&P did ask me to caution everyone that the right-of-way is private property and contains high voltage transmission lines. They are concerned about the trepass onto this property by the adjacent property owners who have gardens and in one case playground equipment on the property. I will update everyone as I have more information. In the meantime, feel free to contact me with your questions or concerns.

Marj. Gordon, President
West Lane Place Civic Association