Monday, July 29, 2019

Fort Worth History Buffs....You Make the Call....Public Road or Private


Last week our tenant called to tell us a large fence was being put up across the front of the property blocking access to the property where my husband was born and raised.  The property is located on Trammel Davis Road, which was originally a county road and then annexed by the City of Fort Worth in later years.  Trammel Davis originates at Precinct Line Road, intersects at Norwood Drive, and then ends at Greenbelt Road.  Here's a picture of the area.  My husband's property is in the yellow box.  The red line indicates where the fence is being erected. 


My husband and I drove to the house and sure enough, an 8 foot high game fence, the type one would use to keep game on their property was being erected.  I called the City of Fort Worth's Call Center and asked if Trammel Davis was still a public road.  I explained our situation and was instructed to call Code Compliance. I called our Code Compliance officer who explained that she was very busy and wouldn't be able to get out to the property until next week.   I explained we had a tenant on the property that was being blocked access.  I explained that our tenant is terminally ill and needed access to the property.  She stated I would get a faster response if I submitted a complaint online. I submitted my complaint online and received a call back this morning.  The Code Compliance officer explained she had tried to go out to our property but was blocked by a barricade.  She recommended I call Fort Worth Transportation and Public Works.  I must've called 10 numbers before I called my City Councilwoman who helped me find a number.  Meanwhile, our tenant called and reported that he was fenced in on the property and had no way to get out.  I explained our situation to TPW city staff and was finally called later this afternoon to let me know someone would be out tomorrow.  I explained that our tenant was terminally ill and was fenced in without a way to get out or any emergency vehicle to get in.  The city staffer stated that I hadn't indicated earlier that our tenant was terminally ill, and that it would be tomorrow before I was contacted.  


So, with my nervous energy, I'm blogging about yet another horrible experience courtesy of the City of Fort Worth.  Our tenant is a kind, hard-working man who doesn't deserve this inconvenience and threat to his safety and well-being.  He won't be able to get to work until we either cut down the fence or Fort Worth actually helps us.  We have the bolt cutters ready!

I'll keep you posted!




Thursday, July 18, 2019

Another Tree Massacre by Developer (Benchmark Development, Inc.) in East Fort Worth

Tuesday morning, as I drove to work on what really used to be scenic Randol Mill Road on the east side of Fort Worth, a chill went down my spine when I saw the heavy equipment at 7429 Randol Mill Road.  The developer, Benchmark Development, Inc., out of Frisco, Texas, purchased 20+ acres of beautiful, huge pecan tree-lined green space for the purpose of building even more houses along Randol Mill Road.  I tried to talk myself into having some faith that the developer would keep their word as they had promised the neighbors they would keep the pecan trees.  I tried to believe the City of Fort Worth wouldn't let this happen again, especially after the DR Horton tree massacre.  



I was disappointed, yet again, as I drove home from work and saw the destruction of the hundreds of years old pecan trees sacrificed by for the developer to squeeze a few more lots onto their property.  I'm waiting for a return call from Fort Worth's Urban Forestry to see if this was a permitted act of destruction or another wanton act by developers who know they will have no consequence by the City of Fort Worth.   


Please think twice before considering buying a home from this developer (Benchmark Development, Inc.) as they have proven to not be men of their words.  Think twice before living in the City of Fort Worth too, especially the east side of Fort Worth, as for the love of tax money, the City allows developers' to build in areas that can't support the current infrastructure.  

Shame on Benchmark Development, Inc. and the City of  Fort Worth. 

Benchmark's lack of respect for hundreds of years old pecan trees.

The beautiful area before Benchmark.












Sunday, May 12, 2019

Fort Worth Flooding Can Be Prevented!


The swings in my backyard,
Areas of the east side of FW went underwater again this week and the City of Fort Worth, developers DR Horton and LGI Homes, and the engineering firm Pape Dawson knew it was going to happen.  FW had City trucks with flashing lights in the flooded areas, DR Horton had staff out in the area taking pictures of the LGI stormwater run-off to make their run-off not look so bad, and LGI/Pape Dawson had equipment on site to clean up the torrential flood of red silty mud which 
came barreling down their hill.  



Some of the silt from LGI's hill.
It’s a shame these “professionals” are having to go to such lengths now when all of this could have been prevented during the permitting process.  Believe it or not, the City of Fort Worth permitted both developments knowing they were located on hills above existing property owners and knowing the current infrastructure, or lack thereof, could not handle existing loads. Our neighborhood learned Fort Worth only considers velocity of run-off, not volume of run-off, when permitting new development.  DR Horton's development is 50 acres, clear-cut of trees and LGI Homes is 100 acres cleared of trees on one of the highest points in Tarrant County.  

DR Horton's 50 acres....BEFORE.
DR Horton's 50 acres....AFTER.
LGI's pillaging of 100 acres....the run-off water in my backyard as a result.  It's been like this for more than a year now!
DR Horton has been flooding us with their run-off since February 2016.  LGI has been flooding us with their run-off since March 2018. Three years later and our situation worsens with every rooftop and inch of concrete poured.  What changes have been made to the permitting process to prevent this from happening to other neighborhoods?  NONE!  Are we any safer now then we were three years ago?  Fort Worth installed 2 flood warning signals along Randol Mill Road but neither were functioning during the road flooding.  Fort Worth has a website that allows citizens to check the real-time flood status of monitored locations but unfortunately these warnings are linked to the signals lights which weren't working at the time.  Randol Mill was over-topped with run-off in at least 6 locations and motorists had no warning.  http://fortworthtexas.gov/floodwarning/


Not functioning during the street flooding.
FW website which indicated no flooding at intersection of Cooks and Randol Mill.
Randol Mill near Cooks Lane.  
The east side has had three deaths in the last year due to flooding caused by run-off.  It's a miracle there haven't been more deaths.  What’s the magic number of deaths before Fort Worth provides us with flood protection caused by run-off?!

This situation isn’t exclusive to the east side of Fort Worth, it’s happening all over Fort Worth.  Areas that historically didn’t flood are now flooding due to over-development and grossly inadequate infrastructure.  The City knows they are flooding us out of our homes and we are letting them do it.  The City's solution thus far is to buy your home or buy flood insurance.  Either option is unacceptable!  Our homes are our biggest investments and it's time we come together to put a stop to this madness!

FORT WORTH....you are failing your City!  STOP permitting new developments until you fix what you are doing to us!!!

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Update on Stuck Cow

                  Thanks again to the Fort Worth Fire Department for saving one of our girls! 





Amazingly, she does not appear to be injured in any way and is happily grazing with her herd.  

I think the FWFD should give her a name....




Saturday, February 2, 2019

Fort Worth Firefighters Respond to Unusual Call


You never know what you're going to see on the east side of Fort Worth....but what I saw and experienced today was compassion above and beyond the call of duty by our Fort Worth Firefighters!
 
My husband and I run about 100 head of cattle on the east side of Fort Worth in the Trinity River bottoms off Randol Mill and Precinct Line Roads.  This area used to be all farmland.  Randol Mill is actually named after a mill once owned by a man named Randol.  The mill was a hub for farmers who brought their crops to the mill to be ground up into feed.  The mill even played a part in Fort Worth being named as the county seat.  It was wild and western back in the day!

Over time, this area has changed.  Development keeps coming and has pushed most of the farmers out of the area.  We love farming and we love our livestock.   It's become a challenge to maintain fence lines when fishermen and people on four-wheelers and dirt bikes cut our fences.  

We're blessed by the Lakes of River Trails neighborhoods as they are wonderful neighbors who help keep watch of our animals. 

Today, as the cows crossed the river, a young heifer and a baby calf found themselves stuck in the mud.  I slid down the bank and waded into the waist-high mud losing both my shoes.  I was able to free the calf who crossed with his mother who patiently waited for her baby, but I couldn't free the young heifer.  

I called the FWFD non-emergency number and explained our dilemma to the very kind officer.  Within minutes Engine 27 was on the scene.  I watched as the firemen carried equipment through the briars and brush down to the river where they tried with all of their might to free our heifer.  It didn't look good and I believed we would have to put the heifer down.

My husband and I went home to get what we needed to put our heifer down when I received a call from the fire department that Engine 14, Rescue 14, and Battalion 4 were at the scene and were going back in to try again.  Together as a team, the men worked together and freed our heifer from the mud and hoisted her up the steep bank.  The video is shortened but what I witnessed warmed my heart and made me proud to live in Fort Worth.

The heifer got to her feet and crossed the river and reunited with the herd.

There is no way to thank the FWFD for their compassion, bravery, athleticism, and professionalism!  You do Fort Worth proud everyday but today was something many of us will never forget!