Green in the Community

Recently, Larry Green had the honor of visiting with the residents of Dumbarton Oaks at their civic club meeting. The meeting was another opportunity for Green to hear first-hand their concerns. They were excited and ready to give Green the opportunity to address their issues.

The discussion revolved around the following concerns: animal control, parking violations, heavy trash violations, and street repair.  Below is a glimpse into some of the questions and answers Green discussed with the Dumbarton Oaks Civic Club.

Question: I have a neighbor who has more pets than I think should be allowed. They roam the neighborhood. There needs to be something done about the amount of pets one person is allowed to care for.

Green's Answer: Currently, the city of Houston's BARC program handles any problems concerning dogs or cats. There is an ordinance distinguishing between individual pet ownership and running a kennel. A person is allowed to own up to three dogs. After that the home would be considered a kennel and is subject to the rules and laws governing kennel ownership. There is no limit on the amount of cats a person may own. I believe we need to be diligent in reporting loose dogs and cats to BARC so that our neighborhoods are safe places for our children to play and citizens to walk the neighborhood without fear of being bitten by stray animals.

Question: We have some neighbors that park their cars in their yards and make the neighborhood look unsightly? What can be done about this?

Green's Answer: The City of Houston has created a program designed to address this issue and protect property values.  I know how frustrating it can be to drive down your street and see two or three of your neighbors with cars parked all over their front lawn. Together, we can address this issue by making sure our neighborhoods take advantage of the provision offered by the Prohibited Yard Parking Program. We must organize our neighbors to apply for and support a PYP Requirement Area. Once granted by the City of Houston's Planning and Development Department, it is effective for 20 years. Any person who violates the area can be fined up to $150 per day.

Question: I have neighbors who put out heavy trash anytime they feel like it? And it just sits there for days drawing bugs and animals. What is your plan to put a stop to this?

Green's Answer: We have a great Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) here in Houston. The SWMD has rules and guidelines for the disposal of junk waste, now called heavy trash by the City of Houston. I have found that unfortunately, some of our residents honestly don't know these guidelines. It is important to inform our neighbors of the guidelines by including them in the neighborhood newsletter or purchasing yard signs that clearly state when a heavy trash pick-up day is approaching. We all must do our part and report any violations to keep our neighborhoods free from unattractive garbage piles on our streets.

Question: What do you plan to do to improve our streets and sidewalks? We have sidewalks that are overgrown and have not been repaired in years.

Green's Answer: As a native of this area of Houston, I am familiar with the overgrown sidewalks, potholes, and other infrastructure problems that need to be addressed. I plan to ensure that Dumbarton Oaks, along with all of District K receives its fair share of city resources to repair streets and make sure our sidewalks are maintained and functional.