Composting is back (at least for pumpkins)! Drop off your pumpkins at the City of Houston Reuse Warehouse November 1-4! We’re taking retired jack-o-lanterns, whole pumpkins, seeds, pumpkin guts – any pumpkin parts you have lying around. Please remove any costumes or non-pumpkin decorations before dropping your pumpkins off. 

  • City of Houston Building Materials Reuse Warehouse
  • 9003 N Main St, Houston, TX 77022
  • November 1st through 4th 
  • 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
 

Council Member Kamin, the Houston Parks Department, Greater Houston Pickleball, and the Houston Pickleball Association worked to bring the APP Sunmed Houston Open to Memorial Park! This is the first-ever professional Pickleball Tournament to be hosted in the City of Houston. The tournament began yesterday morning and will run through Sunday. Learn more here. Today pickleball, which is a hybrid of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is the fastest-growing sport in America. 
 

I’ve teamed up with Council Member Amy Peck, Commissioner Jack Cagle, Trees for Houston, and Houston Humane Society to host a free tree and pet food giveaway. Fall is the perfect season for planting new trees in Houston, so come by to pick one up!

  • Freed Park
  • 6818 Shadyvilla Lane, Houston, TX 77055
  • October 27, 2022
  • 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
 

The Livable Places initiative is an effort to update portions of Houston’s development standards to enhance walkability and equity and to encourage housing variety and affordability.

After considerable committee discussion and input from community members, the Livable Places Action Committee is proposing changes to the City’s Code of Ordinances to address issues that may arise when single-family residential homes are located near mid-rise and high-rise structures. Residents are invited to review the draft ordinance amendments and give feedback by taking the residential buffering survey before October 30. If you’re not registered on the Let’s Talk Houston site, sign up to provide comments. Planning Commission will consider the changes at the November 10 public meeting.

The proposed amendments address four main topics:

  • Residential buffering standards – Would require a buffer distance between all single-family residential or multi-unit residential properties and high-rise or mid-rise structures. The Action Committee introduced a new category of mid-rise structures that must provide a buffer when located along only local streets and abut single-family residential or multi-unit residential properties.
  • Garage screening and lighting standards – To prevent headlights from cars in parking garages from shining on adjacent properties or streets, this amendment would require exterior screening. The amendment would also prevent garage ceiling lights from shining into adjacent residential properties or streets. 
  • Wall or pole mounted light fixtures standards – Proposes measures to prevent pole lights on commercial properties from shining into residential properties or streets. The Action Committee revised the standards to require that all outdoor fixtures be fully enclosed in the fixture housing and shielded properly to make sure there is no light trespass.
  • Dumpster screening standards – Proposes that commercial developments provide screening when they are located adjacent to streets or residential properties and include the dumpster location on site plans.

To learn more about the proposed amendments, you can review the presentation to the Planning Commission from September 29th. Visit letstalkhouston.org/livable-places to learn more. Email questions to LivablePlaces@houstontx.gov.