Citizens For Missouri City's Future

What Your Tax Dollars are Buying with Quail Valley Park

The Missouri City Future Group has done a lot of research on this issue and developing Quail Valley Park. While Hurricane Ike slowed us and city officials from explaining it to us, there were two overarching goals that we believed must be part of the package:

1. Plans included wider community interests than golf.
2. It contributed to our recent success as being named a "Best Place to Live"

The overarching goal is to continue to make Missouri City a great place to live and play.  By offering a destination and place of distinction, that attracts quality business. New businesses bring jobs and prosperity to our community. They bring new families who want a good place to live and play. That increases property values. We are blessed in Missouri City with a wide variety of homes and neighborhoods that are safe, clean and well-kept.

Buffalo Run Park attracted Trammell Crow's Lakeview Development. And Lakeview is proving to be the kind of good citizen business we want.

Lakeview Development aided in relocating wildlife (fish and turtles) and are contributing to a new butterfly garden and further beautification of Buffalo Run. Being in an attractive place people want to live is important to the kind of businesses we want.

So what does Quail Valley Park bring us that contributes to this climate? We asked permission to use a photo of an ad. The pictures in the ad were made in Quail Valley Park during the past 2 weeks. We've also expanded the ideas we researched from city leaders, for more information press here. Press image to enlarge it. More pictures of Quail Valley Park.

Headed in the Right Direction

There are no silver bullets for community growth and vitality. No "one thing" can ensure a community grows in a positive and desirable manner.  There are pieces that have to complement and work together to make  Missouri  City a place we want to live.  (Click on images to enlarge them.)

While no city is perfect, we believe Missouri City is headed in the right direction and managing the areas she can change or influence. Here are the policies we believe  that we believe demonstrate Missouri City's progress and will  keep Missouri City strong  today so that we can grow tomorrow.

With economic development Missouri City is changing the proportional tax roll mix with new commercial development.

By increasing the commercial component of city revenue,  Missouri City can eventually reduce homeowner property taxes. We believe Missouri City is doing a good job with both quality retail and multi-use facilities such as Lowe’s, Sienna Town Center and Colonial Village as examples of good commercial development.

Creating jobs and drawing businesses such as Trammel Crow’s  Lakeview  Business Park, Ben E. Keith Distribution Center, and Global Seismic have continued to create the proportion of new commercial tax revenues. 

This economic development also has created opportunities to revitalize  Texas Parkway and Cartwright corridors and again shows why no one piece is enough by itself.

Missouri City is working to encourage mixed use development to ensure strip centers are not overbuilt.

The Texas Parkway and Cartwright Corridor projects provided an example of defining what we want and to use our vision when working with developers to ensure their projects produce desirable growth for the community as well as viable businesses.

Missouri City has not been afraid to stand up to developers who do not bring value to our community. By acquiring the Quail Valley properties, the City is preventing a loss in the city tax base which is estimated as a loss to over 11,000 homes with conservatively calculated losses of $703,000 annually to city revenues. While Missouri City can't "fix" the national mortgage melt down, it's comforting to know Missouri City acts where she can make a difference.

Quality of life is nebulous like beauty, “you know it when you see it.” Through working with homeowner associations, businesses and civic groups, Missouri City is investing in the future with projects such as planning our overall community and setting aside space for bicycle lanes in addition to walking and hiking trails that improve pedestrian as well as vehicle mobility and provide recreation, physical fitness, energy conservation along with beauty and nature.

Missouri City’s planning and fiscal responsibility is why we have a strong bond rating and were able to successfully sell bonds recently despite the uncertain national financial markets.

Despite these projects and growth, on a tax comparison, Missouri City has the 8th lowest tax rate of 26 similar Texas cities. For example, our property tax rate is .0049 to Pearland's .0067.

Missouri City didn’t have these good things happen by chance. It’s come from working a little bit everyday for many years—and yes, some trial and error to find what works—to be pragmatic.  Missouri City is headed in the right direction. Vote May 10^th for those candidates that meet your criteria for moving  MIssouri  City in the  right  direction.

This article also appeared in the Fort Bend Independent.

It's Time for a Change in Missouri City

by Floyd Emery

Change has been a popular topic at both the national and local level of politics. Let’s take a look at what changes might make a better community in Missouri City.

Change from a tax base consisting primarily of property taxes to one with an increasing component of business and sales tax revenues.

We need to continue to move from the concept of a “Bedroom” community to one of a dynamic community with a balanced blend of residential, business and recreational opportunities. This requires that we continue to look for those business opportunities that have brought us the Lakeview Business Park, Ben E. Keith Distribution Center, Lowe's, Fort Bend Tollway/Sienna Town Center, and the continued development of business opportunities along the Highway 6 and the Fort Bend Tollway corridor. 

Could capitalizing on growth such as Lakeview Business Park, Ben E. Keith and Global Seismic fuel redevelopment along Texas Parkway that optimize ongoing City efforts to revitalize that corridor?

How might more recreational opportunities such as  Buffalo Run  Park and the acquisition of Quail Valley properties including the tennis center help change quality of life and seal more business deals along Texas Parkway and Cartwright and through out Missouri City?   

These would be welcomed changes by every resident—and attract more residents and businesses. But to make this happen we need to change our thinking that government is the sole change agent.

Change our thinking that only government can solve our challenges.

There are many elements that affect our quality of living in  Missouri  City. 

Many of these are  not within the control of  City government and include:

 Schools.  We all want the best schools and teachers for our kids and grand kids. However, the real control of this resides with the  Fort  Bend Independent School  District, not Missouri City  Council.

 Home values. Here the City can insure that their ordinances promote maintenance of homes, good construction practices, and are vigorously enforced. Let’s face it, a key factor in home values is how well we as residents maintain our homes and property.  Active HOA’s (Homeowners Associations) insure partnership with the City to keep our neighborhoods well kempt through deed restrictions. But the real element in this formula is pride. That’s on our shoulders as homeowners—and pride is contagious. Nothing is more effective than creating an atmosphere of competition on the looks of your home and/or yard to promote pride in ownership.

 The mortgage crisis. “Home Foreclosures” in  Missouri  City are also an example of a trend that City policy has little or no impact. We all are affected by the thought of someone losing their home or angered when an individual/business venture just walks away from an obligation. But let’s be realistic and acknowledge that City policy has little impact on reversing these circumstances or what led up to them.

Let’s keep the focus on what the City can control versus distracting from the real issue: we have to work together to make a great place to live. We can do that, but first we have to change the dialog.

Change the dialog within  Missouri  City. 

Make it inclusive rather than the increasingly use of phrases that are “I” and “Me” oriented.

There appears to be an increasing level of speech that pits one area of the City against another. The last time I looked there is no City of Riverstone,  City of east 2234  or City of Quail  Valley. 

These areas make up  Missouri  City.

To think otherwise, would the city have been able to convince Riverstone residents that the $4.5 million to develop Buffalo  Run  Park was a wise expenditure? Will the expenditure needed to acquire the old  Tennis  Center at Cartwright and Cypress Point be acceptable to residents of First Colony? Or will the purchase of the Quail  Valley  golf properties for use as green space and recreation be acceptable to residents of Quail Green,  Lake Olympia  or  Fondren  Park?

There are many other projects and expenditures that have these same attributes, but unless we “change” the dialog and thinking to the lines of “We” and  “Us”,  Missouri  City  will not capture the  attention of businesses and residents needed to reach the potential of  being a  city on par with its progressive neighboring cities.

To summarize “Change” starts with each of us as individuals and can only be implemented if we become involved. This starts with educating ourselves on the issues and whether our elected officials are working to forward those areas of change that you may desire. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Get involved and educated! By all means use your loudest and most effective voice: your vote.

TIRZ: Is that a bad disease?

No it's not a disease, but it could influence your property values and property tax rates long term. We're not experts in TIRZ so we did some research to take a position on an important city issue and financing tool . . . so here are our findings and some answers to your questions why we support the Fort Bend Tollway/Sienna Town Center TIRZ # 2.

Become Part of the Solution

It's easy to start to accept that things have been this way for so long that nothing can be done.

 The time for revitalization and not being bunkered into our individual subdivisions has come. As part of that, our Future Group is calling on Homeowner Associations, working with the Missouri City Business Alliance and various other civic groups to make a positive future. In tandem with Missouri City efforts, collectively all of us are stronger than just a few.

Residents and business owners near Cartwright and Texas Parkway have an opportunity to re-shape our future in an organized and orderly fashion. The study engaged by Missouri City and conducted by George Johnson Development Company partnered with Civic Design Associates is starting. They are holding a town hall planning meeting to get YOUR IDEAS for the future on March 25 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the Community Center at 1524 Texas Parkway.

What is your vision of how our community along Texas Parkway and Cartwright should look and feel? What kind of shopping, services and businesses would you as a resident support?

We have a special commenting section with thoughts to jump start  your  imagination.

Jump start the process now. You can comment below so we can spark off the ideas of others. There are only two rules for posts to be accepted:

1. Comments must be positive. For example, if you don't like the way a current area looks, describe how you'd like it to look.
2. Comments must be future oriented. We can't change the past. We can re-shape the future.

For idea starters. Or you can comment below.

PS. I'm dreaming about an urban village where I can walk or ride a bike to shop, play, meet friends or make news ones! This place has tree-lined trails that connect homes to shopping and entertainment. What are yours?

Become part of the solution! We support the Texas Parkway / Cartwright Corridor revitalization process.

For more info on the session published by Missouri City .

Or download the flier.Download missouricity_poster_final.pdf

A way to stay informed and involved. If you are a Missouri City resident and support economic development, investing in quality of life and raising property values, join the growing group of residents who support us.

 

Headed in the Right Direction

Citizens for Missouri City's Future believe Missouri City is headed in the right direction. For us the leading indicators beyond commercial tax revenues growing are:

Economic Development
Changing the proportional tax roll mix with new commercial development such as:

• Participating in the Sienna TIRZ (TIRZ #2). We believe public/private partnerships are an essential ingredient to the success of these ventures.
• Increasing the commercial component of city revenue and eventually reducing homeowner property taxes. Examples include Lowe’s/ARC project, Trammel Crow Lakeview Business Park, and Ben E. Keith Distribution Center.
• Encouraging mixed use development and ensuring strip centers are not overbuilt.
• Investing tax revenues now to reap larger benefits in the future.

Property Values
Increasing city wide property values by managing city planning and community life cycle:

• Studying alternatives to commercially re-develop the Texas Parkway  (2234) and Cartwright Road corridors.

• Protecting homeowner property values city wide by acquiring the Quail Valley properties to prevent a loss in the city tax base which is estimated as a loss to over 11,000 homes with conservatively calculated losses of $703,000 annually to city revenues.
• Enhancing the success of the Texas Parkway/Cartwright redevelopment project through the planned acquisition of the “Tennis Center" into a multi-purpose recreational center for all ages. 

Quality of Life City Wide
Advancing policies that keep Missouri City desirable and vibrant:

• Studying and implementing the best areas for bicycle lanes in addition to walking and hiking trails that improve pedestrian as well as vehicle mobility and provide recreation, physical fitness and energy conservation.
• Continuing implementation of plans for parks, public safety, mobility and infrastructure.
• Advancing city wide community appearance.
• Acquiring the Quail Valley golf properties and creating a multipurpose recreation center for city wide recreational purposes.

While you may have others, these are the big issues that impact city revenues, your taxes and quality of life city wide today—that keep us Strong today so we can grow tomorrow.

Share these important projects with your neighbors, friends and colleagues. And, join us.

Nature YOU Can Touch, Today

Much has been made of Sugar Land's Memorial Park on the Brazos. It is indeed a lovely development in the making due to its mostly immature trees. Missouri City is ensuring that it does not lose from the center of its city:

2,000 mature trees

490 acres teeming with wildlife

36 golf holes

16 lakes

7 miles hiking and biking paths

1 mile kayak trails

Once land is developed, it is gone.

Citizens for Missouri City's Future supports Quail Valley properties acquisition for parks and recreation to benefit all of Missouri City from its central location.

Join us to have more fun, enhance Missouri City's quality of life and retain and stabilize property values city wide to ensure city fire and police services! Coupled with diversifying our tax base, ultimately we're investing in policies that decrease property taxes in the future.

Who says you can't have it all? Invest in nature you can touch, today!