This Week at City Hall

Aug. 15, 2014Office of Council Member Ellen Cohen

Historic Design Guidelines and Mobile Food Units at Committee

Chair Cohen will convene a meeting of the Council Committee on Quality of Life on Wednesday, August 20th at 2:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall. During this meeting, the committee will discuss proposed design guidelines for Starkweather Historic Districtas well as proposed amendments to Houston’s regulations relating to mobile food units. All committee meetings are open to the public and will include an opportunity for public comment.

Transportation Accessibility Survey Underway

To inform the Houston Transportation Accessibility Task Force, a study is underway to evaluate accessibility within our city’s transportation market for Houstonians with disabilities, including those who require wheelchair-accessible vehicle-for-hire services. This survey will provide information on current market conditions, identify barriers to use, and establish a baseline for demand for accessible services. All residents are encouraged to participate in this short survey.

On the Agenda

The Houston Fire Museum has leased the historic Fire Station 7 from the City of Houston since 1982 and, this week, Council approved Station 7’s designation as surplus to allow the Fire Museum to purchase this property. The 1898 firehouse is located in District C’s portion of Midtown and receives approximately 25,000 visitors annually. Once they purchase the property, the Fire Museum plans to upgrade Station 7 to allow for exhibit expansion and a new climate control system.

What’s Happening in the Annex

Council Member Cohen met with Harriet Latimer and Executive Director Gib du Terroil of the Lighthouse of Houston, which is a nonprofit education and service center dedicated to assisting blind and visually impaired Houstonians to live independently. Now in their 30th year of operations, the Lighthouse plans to consolidate their facilities in order to expand their programs at their North Montrose location, which include training, counseling, community education, and independent residential living services.