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Matt:

I am writing in response to your May 1, 2020 email to Tom Petrick and me regarding the HCFCD’s proposed purchase of CFPUD property currently leased to Raveneaux Country Club (RCC) for a flood risk reduction project along Cypress Creek. This response has been authorized by the CFPUD Board of Directors and approved by the CFPUD committee of Tom Petrick and David Normand.

We understand your email correspondence to set out two scenarios for a possible transaction between HCFCD and CFPUD. The CFPUD Board of Directors is not interested in your first scenario in which HCFCD would purchase substantially all of the CFPUD property currently leased to RCC at CFPUD’s cost plus carry and would commit to “engage with the community” and “work with” CFPUD on a long term plan for recreational facilities.

As to your second scenario in which CFPUD would donate a portion of the RCC property to HCFCD, the Board of Directors is willing to consider this option and would suggest the following terms as authorized by Texas Water Code Section 49.226:

• CFPUD would transfer roughly 60 acres along Cypress Creek to HCFCD to allow the construction of a HCFCD Phase I flood risk reduction project along Cypress Creek;
• CFPUD would transfer/exchange the 27 acres purchased in January 2020 from the Raveneaux owners to CFPUD;
• CFPUD would agree to grant easements within the balance of the RCC lease property in an amount to be determined (subject to a minimum amount of acreage) and consistent with a land use determined by the CFPUD Board of Directors:
  • HCFCD would have the right to excavate such easement areas and store storm water from Cypress Creek within the areas;
  • The easement areas would be part of a Phase II flood risk reduction project for HCFCD;
  • Easement areas would be determined within a set period of time of any HCFCD/CFPUD agreement to allow CFPUD time to determine how to utilize the balance of its property.
• Any agreement must include terms to minimize construction traffic along Cypresswood Drive including possible placement of spoil on CFPUD property or other alternate arrangements for transportation of spoil materials.

We look forward to discuss the terms of a possible agreement under scenario two with you and your colleagues at your earliest convenience. GP

Greer H. Pagan
Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP

From: Matthew Zeve, P.E., CFM
Deputy Executive Director
Harris County Flood Control District

On June 15, 2018, HCFCD hosted a public meeting at the Raveneaux Country Club to discuss the HCFCD Bond Election that was held on August 25, 2018. Over 500 people attended, which exceeded the official building capacity and required many residents to wait outside in the heat to get their turn at attending the meeting. At the meeting, some residents very forcefully demanded that HCFCD reduce the risk of flooding in the area. We subsequently received over 330 comments, including many passionate pleas for us to do something to address flooding. Since that time, the recent survey we conducted in the Raveneaux subdivision area has generated 670 responses with 51.6% of people choosing “Reduce Future Flooding” as their top priority. 7% of responses listed “Community Center” as their first priority.

Over the last six months, we have been coordinating and negotiating in good faith with the PUD to acquire the PUD property for cost plus carry and the 27.6 acres from Michael Block, which we did purchase in January 2020. These two purchases would well position us to address the community’s demands for a significant flood risk reduction project. That said, we are somewhat perplexed by your offer below. However, to address your request for something in writing regarding our intended next steps we offer the following terms as the basis for negotiations of an interlocal agreement if HCFCD has to purchase the remaining acreage from the PUD:

1. The PUD sells the remaining acreage to the Flood Control District for the cost of acquisition plus carrying costs.
2. Once acquired, HCFCD would continue to engage the community on developing plans for a major flood risk reduction project at this site, with the appropriate level of recreational components. The PUD would be included in the community engagement meetings as attendees.
3. RaveneauxHCFCD agrees to maintain the property, including during construction. After construction is complete, we would work with the PUD to identify a long term operation and maintenance plan for the detention component and recreational component(s).

A second scenario would be if the PUD was willing to donate a portion of the acreage to HCFCD. We see the same process as above taking place once HCFCD has access to the remaining acreage with one noteworthy change. Under this scenario, we would be able to engage the PUD with helping us develop plans and alternatives, with particular focus on the donated portions, before presenting this information to the at-large community. Keep in mind that even under this scenario, our overall focus will still be addressing the significant flood risk along Cypress Creek.

We understand change is hard, but we hope that the PUD sees the opportunity this site has to address an overwhelming majority of your resident’s concerns about taking meaningful steps to help address historic flooding in this area. We look forward to receiving what we hope to be your positive response.

At a special teleconference meeting of the Authority held on Monday, April 20th, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Authority approved the postponement of the pumpage fee and surface water rate increases from April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2020. The Board also approved suspension of late payment penalties for a four (4) month period ending July 31, 2020, subject to submission of a written letter of request from a district to the Authority.

Should you have any questions regarding these actions of the Board, please contact the Authority office.

At WCA, our highest priority continues to be the health and well-being of our customers and staff during this Coronavirus epidemic. Our drivers and crew members will be returning to full duty by the end of this week and WCA plans to resume service, business as usual, Monday, April 20, 2020.

How Will This Affect Your Service?

WCA residential service will resume to business as usual effective Monday, April 20, 2020.

Recycle Services

• Effective Monday, April 20, 2020
• WCA is resuming recycle service for the greater Houston area.

Back Door Services

• Effective Monday, April 20, 2020
• WCA is resuming backdoor service for the greater Houston area.

We have taken the recommended health and safety precautions in response to the Coronavirus epidemic and will continue to do so. We will keep you informed of any future developments that affect your service.

We thank you for your partnership and for your patience while our crew members were in quarantine. Please take care and be Safe throughout the remainder of this Coronavirus epidemic.

Sincerely,
WCA/VF Waste Services Municipal Department

For more information regarding changes affecting your area, please visit our community dedicated page at: https://wcawaste.com/covid-19-houston

WCA, CFPUD’s contractor for trash service, has announced that their drivers and crews are coming off of COVID-19 quarantine. They will resume normal services next Monday, April 20.

Service this Friday (April 17) will still be curb-side only, and there will be no recycle pick-up this Friday. However, normal back-door and recycle services will resume April 20.

Regards,

Cypress Forest PUD

CFPUD received an alert from our contractor WCA on March 31. On March 30, WCA learned that one of their drivers had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The driver did not serve the CFPUD community – he was employed at a different yard. However for precautionary purposes, 4 other drivers plus helpers who have been in close contact with this driver have been quarantined. In their absence, remaining crew members will need to cover larger areas.

Consequently, WCA is making some temporary changes to their service starting April 3:

1. There will be no recycle pickup.
2. Back door service is suspended – all trash must be at the curb.
3. There are no changes or limits to yard and bulk waste.

For further information go to the CFPUD website http://www.cyforestpud.com/

Let us hope that WCA’s employees are healthy and can soon return to normal operations.

Regards,

Cypress Forest PUD

At WCA, our highest priority continues to be the health and well-being of our customers and staff during an evolving situation. Last night, we learned that one of our drivers has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.  As a precaution, the helpers and other drivers who have been in close contact with this driver have been quarantined.

How Will This Affect Your Service?

WCA provides an essential service for the Houston Metroplex and our mission is to provide the best service possible to our communities. For now, our priority will shift to collect the putrescible waste first.  This is the material that begins to breakdown and decompose first in the Houston heat.

This means that residents need to separate their putrescible waste from their bulk waste to ensure proper and timely collection.  A two-bag maximum for bulk, per home, will be picked on your scheduled service day.  WCA/VF Waste Services will not be collecting carpet or construction materials as regular collection related to this event.

Recycle Services:

Effective Tuesday, March 31, 2020 – Until Further Notice

• We are suspending recycle service for the greater Houston area.

Please Note: Suspended services due to this event will not be made up or pushed to another service day.

WCA/VF Waste services made these decisions due to the severity of the conditions, and safety concerns to our community and the WCA family.  We thank you for your partnership and for your patience and continued trust in WCA/VF Waste Services.

Please take care and be safe throughout the remainder of this event.

Sincerely,

WCA/VF Waste Services Municipal Department

Please Note: If you have any questions please call or email customer service:

• Phone: 281-368-8397
• Email:  CSHouston@wcamerica.com

Effective March 17, 2020 – COVID-19 Important Communication

WCA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS WITH SOME BACK OFFICE MODIFICATONS IN PLACE TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR CUSTOMERS.

WCA is closely following the recommendations of the CDC on social distance, travel bans, school closures, quarantines and event cancellations. As such, we’ve decided to modify our front office operations in order to protect employees and minimize the risk to spread COVID-19 to our customers.

WCA will take the following precautionary measures:

• Effective March 17, 2020 non-essential WCA employees will telecommute, or work from home to follow the CDC recommendation of social spacing
• Access to our offices will be restricted
• Payments will be accepted over the phone, online and by mail
• Regular trash, recycling, and disposal service will continue but you may see delays
• Limit person-to-person contact
• Essential operations will be at the office to monitor our hauling, landfills, and transfer stations duties for all of your waste needs.

Next steps for our customers:

• Monitor our Facebook and COVID-19 pages for updates
• Please, be kind to contain all waste within closed garbage bags
• Carry on with your landfill and transfer station needs on our site locations.

WCA will continue to serve your community as always. However, we want to make sure you are aware that our regular trash service will continue but you may see delays. We have developed business continuity plans that will remedy any foreseeable business challenges that may occur.

We appreciate the flexibility of our employees and the understanding of our customers during this unprecedented situation. We will provide updates as they come available, please check back to our website.

Stay safe,

WCA Management

In an abundance of caution and in line with other City of Houston and Harris County agencies, the Harris County Flood Control District has postponed the Public Meeting originally scheduled for March 31 in connection with the Champions Stormwater Detention Basin project and Raveneaux property acquisition. All other Flood Control District Community Engagement and Public Meetings for the month of March 2020 also have been postponed.

Please help us get the word out to others who might be interested, and please visit the project webpage for project updates and future meeting information.

https://www.hcfcd.org/Find-Your-Watershed/Cypress-Creek/Champions-Stormwater-Detention-Basin-K500-24-00

WCA is currently experiencing difficulties with their operating systems and in some cases phone service. Normal collection service may be delayed and communication may be limited while they work to restore their normal operations. WCA appreciates your patience and will provide updates as they come available.