Livable Center Plan Implementation: White Oak Station Subcommittee Meeting

Meeting held April 25, 2012 at the District offices.

Thanks to you all attendees!

Attendees:
Bill Odle
Dorothy Miller
Marlene Gafrick
Kim Slaughter
John Sedlak
Wayne Norden
Melanie Fahey

Who else should be on the committee?

• Jeff Weatherford from Public Works – Having members from Public Works, METRO and Planning may facilitate funding. Marlene will reach out to him. 

Discussion of METRO Plans 

• Antoine route has a high ridership, We need to look at the numbers. Kim will pull. 
• Does METRO have demographics for area, peak time? Kim will get METRO tracking info. May have to survey the route. 
• We know people walk and use bus, also is regional use potential to serve people from 249 and beyond. We have a parking lot, can we turn it into a park and ride? 
• Interesting to know use of Pinemont Park & Ride and Seton Lake Park & Ride on 249 – Pinemont not heavily used 
• How would METRO look at WOS location and consider it? METRO has to look at land use and costs. 
• Would be nice to know where people who use Pinemont are coming from and Antoine riders final destination. METRO has done an origin destination survey last year. Looking for similarities. Get METRO info and share with subcommittee members. 

How can we begin to implement some of the plan recommendations?

• Can we use Kroger parking lot for events, like the airline flea markets, Kroger property for sale, property ownership: http://mycity.houstontx.gov/public/?sid=1 
• Could consider a park & ride at conference center, land we control, annex parking has 80 spaces 
• 4 bus shelters at Antoine & Tidwell, Kim looking at routes to provide more details on plan. 
• Overflow parking at WOCC could be a van pool location starting out. 
• Funding to support through HGAC, METRO does all matching for the things they will need. 
• Could District do a survey? “If we provided a van pool would you participate and where are you going” METRO can help right and distribute via Survey Monkey. District can distribute through GIP and have volunteers canvas community at grocery stores. 
• Don’t need large volumes of people for a van pool, people drive, METRO provides the Van. 
• Pinemont location, could we do joint development like Skinner road location as mixed use location 
• Need to look at what TXDot is doing, there are plans to not continue the T ramp from park and ride to 290, under negotiation to keep, planning three reversible lanes down the middle. Marlene meeting with TXDot next week, will learn more. 

Is rail possible for area?

• Group examing high speed rail very interested in Burlington Northern line, space for a commuter rail is in realm of 2040 plans 
• Near-term reality, must plan around METRO use of current facilities and usage, improve current ridership 
• BLINK willing to put in two EV stations at conference center 

How does METRO look at establishing Quickline services?

• Based on volume of riders and volume of similar origins and destinations. 

Is there a way to take four corners to clean up, fresh shelters, signage, bring character?

• Building at 5801 Antoine, what is it? Marlene checking. We need to sign up for E-permit report that comes out every Monday. 
• Need people to adopt stops. 
• Need public works to improve sidewalks. 
• What capital investment could the District to put into new bus shelters? Regular shelters cost $20,000. 
• Put in a fresh clean look to increase community pride and visibility will send criminal element elsewhere 
• 2 step process- clean-up what exists, partner with existing vendors- Q-star program, get area vendors signed up, then move on to signature look 

Next steps:

• Kim collecting data 
• Wayne and Metro need to work together on van pool 
• Antoine improvements, Jeff can give us idea of improvements planned on Antoine and Tidwell
• Monthly meeting for the next three months, 4th Wednesday-May 23, June 27, 8:30 – 10 am