Village Center Presentation – May 04, 2021
Prepared by: Richard Ray
This is part three of my opinion of the meeting where I have previously discussed the meeting in general and the details presented about some of the buildings proposed. These comments will look at the remaining issues like Traffic, Walk/Bike Path, Flooding, and Projected Tax Income from this development.
Traffic Issues:
During the presentation about the various buildings and what kind of space each would contain, traffic flow was discussed. Saul explained that the center was being designed with turn lanes on Jones Rd. being constructed at various points to allow access to each building without blocking the flow of traffic on Jones Rd. Bobby interrupted and said, “if the Village Center generated enough traffic to cause backups, that would be a very good thing and the city would work with the county to get more roads cut through that area to resolve any problems”.
No questions were allowed during any portion of the presentation, so no discussion about existing traffic occurred. Today, a large number of 18 wheelers and other trucks use that portion of Jones Rd to get to and from the businesses on 529 as a quicker route to or from 290. That is without the issues of the train crossing at grade level. There seemed to be no traffic study that was done for that part of Jones Rd as it is today.
Walk/Bike Path:
As a part of the traffic discussion, Bobby interrupted and described a “Walk/Bike Path” that could be included along the channel from the Village Center that would go under the train tracks, Highway 290, and feeder lanes, then coming above ground on the north side of 290. The walk/bike path would then continue next to the existing channel that is between the motel property on 290 and the shopping center on 290 at Village Dr. The path would run along the side of the channel behind the businesses and then next to Village Dr. until it reaches Rio Grande. He said that was about ¾ mile. He said that was within walking and biking distance. He said he had been in discussion with the county regarding that possibility. Prior to the meeting, Bobby had posted comments on Nextdoor and Facebook about this idea. He even spoke of golf carts, but current ordinances do not allow them. No questions were allowed and no suggestions of where someone would park their car if their home was too far to walk the entire distance, to and from the Village Center.
Can Bobby’s Walk/Bike Path be done? It is my understanding that the current water channel under 290 is in the form of large culverts to allow some water to drain from that area due to Jones Rd flooding during heavy rains. It is my understanding that only the State of Texas can approve any changes within its’ 290 right-of-ways and any tunneling under 290 would require a substantial engineering study to determine the additional structural beams and support pillars required to span a larger area over a much deeper channel. That same issue would apply to the train tracks that only the owners of that right-of-way could approve. The estimated distance under the freeway and train tracks is about 500 feet. Then there would be the question of who pays and who would do that work? A tunnel wide enough to have a water channel for the normal water levels to flow without being on the walking path plus a 4-foot-wide walk path would most likely be at least 20 feet wide. The clearance height above the walking path would be at least 8 feet and perhaps might be required to be 12 feet or more. The structural beams for under the freeway would most likely be 3 feet or more in height to span under all of the feeder and main lanes of 290. A quick estimate would be that the new bottom of the revised water channel would be approximately 24 feet lower than its’ current level. That would require a ramp or stairs on each side of the tunnel to get from and to the ground level to the tunnel level. If ramps are used for bikes and handicapped individuals, the ramps would be very long for 20+ foot incline, maybe as much as 600 feet on both sides. A tunnel that is long enough to span under the tracks and the freeway would require lights at a minimum. The ramps and/or stairs would require hand-rails and other safety measures might be required.
“Water finds its’ own level” describes a known fact, that water will flow to the lowest area and will not move to higher ground until the water level reaches that level or is forced to a higher level via pumps and something that prevents the water to flow back to a lower level. If the channel is deeper under 290 than on either side of 290, then water would flow into that area from both sides under normal circumstances. That would continue until water is at the same elevation on both sides. An example is the underpass at 529. Very large pumps are used to pump the water from the street level to a channel away from that location. When those pumps fail, the intersection will flood to dangerous levels.
It is very unlikely that the walk/bike path will get more than a few minutes of discussion and I am amazed that Bobby would not have realized the issues. The fact that developers have been involved with the concept only raises more questions.
Flooding:
Saul and Bobby both stated that the development within Village Center would in no way increase the flooding issues in Jersey Village, that the new standards put in place since Harvey would protect against that happening. No questions were allowed or further discussions on how all of the new buildings and parking lots would not increase the run-off when the same retention spaces will be used as is today with open land.
Construction Time Lines:
Wellness Office Building 6/2021
Office Building 7/2021
Retail 7/2021
City hall 8/2021
Multifamily 11/2021
Hospitality 8/2022
These dates were shown on one slide. With the presentation on May o4, 2021, and dates as shown, it is hard to believe that any building is far enough along for anyone to sign a contract committing to anything. Bobby said the words “Trust Me” many times during and following the presentation and yet everything presented was still in the form of “Blue-Sky” talking.
Village Center without City Hall:
When the question of the project being developed without the City Hall as the anchor, it was stated that yes it could be done but the project would have to be redesigned with a different “anchor” to draw people to the center. That would mean that the people wanting to stay at the hotel would not be there for a few days or the people that would lease high-end apartments in that area would not be drawn without city hall and of course the same would be true for all of the other businesses. It has nothing to do with the more than $8 million that Jersey Village would be putting into the city hall building upfront.
Sales Taxes, Property Taxes, and Hotel Taxes:
During the presentation, comments were made those car dealerships are ok to have in the city, but they don’t provide any sales taxes to the city. That is true for car sales, but not for repairs or sales of other items. To that point, a “wellness center” can mean several things, but doctors’ offices were discussed more than other types. There are no sales taxes collected for doctor visits. Within Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, increases in property taxes and hotel taxes are required to stay within the TIRZ to be used to pay off debts and expenses for developing within that zone before the city sees any additional funds – that it could be 30-40-50 years.
The source of all of the increase in sale taxes that could be used to lower property taxes for residents in Jersey Village would be primarily limited to the restaurants and retail space within the Village Center. At this point, those businesses have not been defined. The Wellness Center, Hotel, office space, and apartments are unlikely to generate sales taxes.
Here are some comments from the JV City Manager regarding the TIRZ. – March 22, 2019, CY-FAIR News.
Before the city could move forward with development, he said a tax increment reinvestment zone needed to be established. A TIRZ finances improvements meant to boost property values within its boundaries. Portions of the incremental increase in future ad valorem property tax revenue are given to the TIRZ to pay for improvement projects.
The city of Jersey Village established TIRZ No. 2 in 2017 and approved the Final Financing Plan and Project Plan for TIRZ No. 2 on in February 2018.
“The TIRZ as proposed will allow the City and other taxing entities to partner with each other for public improvements each may have planned for the area,” states the TIRZ No. 2 plan document. “The City believes that a TIRZ is the best mechanism by which to partner with the private sector developers to plan, fund, and construct the needed improvements over the long-range time horizon such an ambitious undertaking might require.”
A link to the Full TIRZ Document can be found on this website as well.