After a big crowd turned out at the August 6 City Council Meeting to speak against the Community Pathways Plan, Council agreed to put the item “on the shelf” and not revisit it.
Most residents spoke out against the plan while only a few said they were in favor of it. Residents formed a grass roots effort, going door to door on streets affected by the plan. The biggest consensus was that drainage should be the highest priority for tax money spent in Bellaire. Other concerns were trees being uprooted and yards being diminished.
After hearing from residents, in a meeting that lasted more than 4 hours, Council came to the agreement that the plan as presented was not “appropriate”. Mayor Friedberg stated that the “plan was too specific and also not specific enough”. He said that nobody wants to divert drainage project money for future spending on sidewalks.
The plan was not brought forward for a vote because it was not an agenda item and therefore it could not be. The plan will stay in draft form for future reference but will not be brought back for a vote at any future council meeting.
To view the City Council Meeting click HERE. To view Council remarks fast forward to 4:38.
