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Update: More Chapter 42 information located here

The City of Houston Planning Commission is holding four (4) public meetings on the proposed changes to the City’s Land Development Ordinance, Chapter 42. The public is invited to attend any of the meetings and learn what these changes will mean for their community. The proposed ordinance can be found on the Planning Department’s website, www.houstonplanning.com under Development Regulations.

All meetings are from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. The meetings are:

Monday, February 13
Sunnyside Multi-Service Center
4605 Wilmington
Houston, TX 77051

Thursday, February 23
Northeast Multi-Service Center
9720 Spaulding
Houston, TX 77016

Thursday, March 1
Sharpstown Community Center
6600 Harbor Town Drive
Houston, TX 77036

Thursday, March 8
Trini Mendenhall SOSA Community Center
1414 Wirt
Houston, TX 77055

Amendments to Chapter 42 will address the following topics:

• Average lot size/lot width in new subdivision plats
• Creation of guest parking for certain single-family residential units
• Redefining the width and length of shared driveway developments
• Requiring sign posting in residential subdivisions w/certain reserves
• Establishing a protocol on naming of partial replats
• Extending the Urban Area beyond the 610 Loop to the Beltway
• Building line overhangs encroach 30 inches, five foot for outside stairs
• Require surveyed site plans for single-family residential plats
• Resolve the conflict between Chapter 42 and the Design Manual for Lift Station Sites

These ordinance amendments will also result in changes to the Building Code and PWE Infrastructure design manual.

The primary reasons to expand the urban area out to the Beltway are to allow for obsolete commercial and multi-family areas to be redeveloped and to provide a variety of housing styles and prices for close-in housing. Neighborhoods with deed restrictions that prevent the further subdividing of lots, establish minimum lot size and restrict to single family residential uses are not impacted by this provision.

With areas outside the city limits continuing to develop and build affordable housing, there is a concern for the loss of middle income families and neighborhoods. In order to remain competitive with the far suburbs, we have to create additional products that compensate for higher land prices and other impediments.

Dear Ridgecrest Residents:

I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for all the many, many things you are doing to make our community recognized by other civic clubs within Spring Branch.
I was at a meeting, Spring Branch East Super Neighborhoods, last month and the discussion came up about the improvements the various civic clubs in Spring Branch had made. One of the persons in attendance said “The Ridgecrest Civic Club is to be commended for the terrific improvement of Hammerly”. “It is remarkable to see how the residents have made the driveways larger to accommodate the “Cars in the Yards Program” as well as the nice brick driveways and planters”. “Doris, you have done a great job!” I said “thanks, but I did not do the work, the residents of Hammerly did the work”. We must always give credit where credit is due.
As we all know, our most important project, for all of us, is the Deed Restriction Project. Weldon Tiedt, Alma West and I will be meeting shortly with an attorney to get his opinion as to what the best way for us to go. Do we keep 8 separate deed restrictions, or do we do 1 deed restriction for all of Ridgecrest. For the newcomers, and perhaps some that have lived in Ridgecrest for awhile, Ridgecrest is make up of 8 different sections, each having a different set of deed restrictions. For the most part, they are pretty much alike, except for perhaps a sentence or two.
As soon as we meet and get the attorney’s opinion, we will call a “community meeting” and we will all meet and discuss our findings.
This will be the MOST IMPORTANT MEETING you will ever attend in perhaps your lifetime. Decisions will be made in regards to what can happen to your property now and in the future.

Please plan on attending this meeting.
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Doris Hinson-President

Unfortunately, due to manpower shortage, we were not able to put the signs in the winner’s yards.
Below is listed the winners for Christmas 2011.

First place-Herbert Yeager-8021 Longridge-$75.00 Prize Money
Second place-Yolando & Angelica Salgado-8038 Longridge-$50.00 Prize Money
Third place-Carlos & Hermelinda Santelia-1929 Lynnview-$25.00 Prize Money
Honorable mention:
1954 Restridge-Josea Numez
1834 Pech-Jesse Hannibal
1926 Glosridge-Jose & Maria Corral
8409 Montridge(Name not available)
Beverly Cook and I made the “rounds” thru Ridgecrest. There were a lot of pretty houses. One thing we did not understand. A couple of streets did not have “one single Christmas Lights?.
Please contact: Doris Hinson P.O. Box 55867, Houston, TX 77055 for your check.

Folks,
It is very important to always get the name of the person you are reporting to the City of Houston, Police Department or any other department . Without the name of the person you talked to in regards to your problem, it is impossible for them or me either to help you. With the Police Department, when you call in a complaint, ALWAYS GET THE NAME OF THE PERSON YOU ARE TALKING TO. THE MAYOR, HERSELF, DOES NOT ISSUE PERMITS FOR ANYTHING!

HOUSTON (KTRK) — Houston City Council has passed a revamped noise ordinance to provide a solid framework for complaints and citations.

The vote took place Wednesday morning and Council Member Mike Sullivan was the only ‘No’ vote.

The change could lead to more tickets being handed out. A lot of residents told us they are anxious for substantial changes while some bar owners are saying it would give too much power to police officers to subjectively issue tickets based on neighborhood complaints.

The city says it receives nearly 60,000 noise complaints per year and that today’s revisions will:

Establish clear guidelines for HPD officers to respond to loud bass music without the need for a sound meter;
Improve language by adding or deleting provisions that inhibited Officer and citizen comprehension, and the ability of the City to rigorously prosecute violations.
The penalty for violating the Noise Ordinance is being doubled: from $500 to $1000.
Revise the permit structure to make it easier to comply with requirements: extended daily (up to 5 days) and annual permit terms.
Allow the City to revoke a sound permit for non-compliance and repeat violations.
Council agreed to revisit the ordinance in six months to make sure it’s working as intended.

To report noise complaints, you may contact the HPD non-emergency line at 713-884-3131.
Article: Houston Chronicle

Schwartz Park

Welcome to the Ridgecrest Civic Club. Ridgecrest is a deed-restricted neighborhood residing in the 77055 zip code of Houston, TX. We are a small part of Spring Branch East super neighborhood in the northwest corner of Houston. Though small in area, we have the largest civic club in the whole Super East region. Just outside of the 610 loop, we are close to downtown and even closer to many restaurants and amenities that serve our area.

Please use the navigation bar above to get around the site and see all that we have to offer. This website hopes to keep residents, both current and prospective, up to date on the happenings in Ridgecrest as well as community issues and information. If there is something you’d like to see on this site, please let us know!