Legal Action Status
(last update: 03/24/08)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Information from Public Meetings
Clear Lake City Historical Information
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Welcome to the home page of the
Clear Lake City Green Space Preservation Committee
Click here to join the Green Space News e-mail list!
March 24, 2008
Golf course condemnation Trial rescheduled for first week of September, 2008
The trial date for the CLCWA condemnation of the former Clear Lake Golf Club property originally set for March 17, 2008, has been reset to the first week of September by Judge Cagle. Document discovery requests from the CLCWA legal team to RGG produced over 14,000 pagers of documents which had to be reviewed and follow-up requests prepared. Lawyers from both sides needed more time for additional discovery, depositions, and pre-trial motions. It is anticipated that this will be the only delay in starting the trial.
January 10, 2008
CLCCL Annual Meeting set for January 14 at Freeman Library
The Clear Lake City Civic League is holding its first meeting of 2008 on Monday, January 14 at the Freeman Memorial Library, 16616 Diana Lane, at 7:00 pm.
Agenda:
- 2007 Financial Report
- Report on the Golf Course condemnation procedings
- Election of two new directors
If you can't make the meeting Monday, but would still like to renew your membership, please print out, complete, and mail in the form below.
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CLCCL 2008 Membership Form:
- Adobe Reader (.pdf) format (12 KB)
- MS Word Format (.doc) format (25 KB)
January 10, 2008
CLCWA Condemnation of Golf Course Set for Trial
The Clear Lake City Water Authority condemnation of the former Clear Lake Golf Club property has been set for trial on March 17, 2008. The case will be heard in the Harris County Civil Court of Law #1, Judge Jack Cagle presiding. It is anticipated that the issues of the "right to condemn", the amount of land needed for the public purpose, and the fair value of the land will be decided by the six person jury and judge. An administrative special commissioners hearing held on September 17, 2007, recommended a value of $14,132,000 be established for the property based on the value of the property without deed restrictions. The CLCWA objected to the valuation recommendation because the special commissioners did not have legal authority to decide on the validity of the deed restrictions. The validity of the deed restrictions and the land valuation will now be decided in court.
August 4, 2007
Condemnation suit hearing postponed to Sept 17
The Clear Lake City Water Authority and the current owners of the Clear Lake Golf Club were to present their appraisals of the golf course property to the court-appointed special commissioners on August 1. The process calls for these commissioners to listen to arguments regarding the property's value from both the current owners and the CLCWA, and factor those arguments in when making their property value determination.
The current golf course owners reported that they did not have their property appraisal data ready yet, so this hearing has been rescheduled for September 17.
June 18, 2007
House Bill 3232 signed into law!
On Friday, June 15, Gov. Perry signed House Bill 3232 into law. Effective immediately, the new law places restrictions on the redevelopment of neighborhood golf courses. The bill explicitly identifies neighbors within 200 feet of the golf course boundaries as stakeholders in the redevelopment, and ensures they have legal standing to be involved in the redevelopment process. For more information on the new law, please click here.
Many thanks to all of the Clear Lake City, Inwood Forest, and Quail Valley residents who wrote letters to and/or called their state representatives and the governor to ensure our elected officials understood the importance their constituents placed on this legislation!
May 27, 2007
Updates to Legal Action Status page
There are three distinct legal activities currently in work with the golf course:
- The progress of House Bill 3232 through the Texas Legislature,
- The progress of the Clear Lake Country Club's lawsuit to be released from their deed restrictions, and
- The progress of the Clear Lake City Water Authority's (CLCWA's) lawsuit to acquire Clear Lake Country Club's golf course property via the eminent domain process
May 25, 2007
Letter-writing campaign in support of HB 3232
House Bill 3232 (which restricts development of subdivision golf courses like the Clear Lake Golf Course) has passed the both the House and the Senate without a single member voting in opposition. However, a veto by Governor Perry could still prevent this bill from becoming law.
In cooperation with the neighborhoods surrounding the Inwood Forest and Quail Valley golf courses, the CLCCL is conducting a letter-writing campaign in the Clear Lake City area with the goal of hand-delivering several hundred letters in support of this bill to Governor Perry's office.
LETTERS ARE REQUIRED NO LATER THAN 6PM TUESDAY, MAY 29.
- Sample letter and neighborhood collection point information:
- Adobe Reader (.pdf) format (23 KB)
- MS Word Format (.doc) format (30 KB)
May 8, 2007
New website section: "Legal Action Status"
A new link has been added to the navigation bar on the left side of the page: Legal Action Status. Several Clear Lake golf course-related issues are simultaneously working their way through the courts right now: The Clear Lake Golf Club owners have filed suit against Exxon to be released from the deed restrictions. The Clear Lake City Civic League (CLCCL) and Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) have filed petitions in intervention against the golf course owners in their deed restriction suit, and the owners have in turn filed to block the CLCCL and CLCWA from joining the suit. Separate from all the deed restriction hubbub, the CLCWA has also begun the process of acquiring the golf course via eminent domain, by filing suit to condemn the golf course property.
We thought the best way to keep the community informed on these various legal proceedings would be to dedicate an entire page of the website to the topic. When you jump to the Legal Action Status page, you'll find a chronological listing of the legal actions that have been taken by all parties involved, as well as the relevant court filings (the newest information will appear at the bottom of that page). If you're interested in following along from home, we encourage you to check back periodically for the latest information.
The Legal Action Status link on the home page will include a note on when that page was last updated, so you can tell at a glance if there's new information there.
March 18, 2007
RGG Story in Houston Links Magazine
Houston Links magazine, a publication devoted to news and stories of interest to Houston golfers, has an article in the March, 2007 issue regarding the sale of the Inwood Forest golf course to a group led by RGG. RGG has closed the course and intends to develop it.
The story is available free for online viewing, but you must download the entire magazine issue in .PDF (Adobe Reader) format. This should only take a minute or two for broadband users (DSL or cable-modem), but may take tens of minutes for dial-up users.
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March 2007 issue of Houston Links Magazine
(Story begins on p. 18.)
March 17, 2007
New Mailing List (allows online sign-up!)
We have begun using a different method of sending our "Green Space News" e-mails to our friends and neighbors. Individuals interested in news regarding the activities of the Greenspace Committee and related events may now sign up to receive periodic e-mails by clicking the link near the top of this page, which reads:
- Click here to join the Green Space News e-mail list!
Note that if you are currently receiving Green Space News e-mails, no action is required to continue receiving them. (All current subscribers should have received an email announcing the new mailing method on March 17 or 18, 2007.)
March 17, 2007
Clear Lake City Water Authority Property Purchase Update
At its regular meeting on Thursday, March 8th, the CLCWA Board received the three appraisals they had commissioned for the golf course. The appraisals were reviewed and the Board agreed to select the middle appraisal. The Board then authorized that a "letter of last offer" be written and sent to RGG and its legal counsel. That letter was sent to the owner March 14, 2007. The middle appraisal amounted to $1,395,000 and that was the offer.
If the golf course owners do not accept the offer, the law requires that CLCWA representatives meet with the owners to try to negotiate an offer which would be acceptable to both sides. If no deal is reached, the CLCWA would file a motion of condemnation in state district court, after which a judge will appoint a panel of commissioners to review all the appraisals on both sides. This panel of commissioners would then make a recommendation back to the judge on what they feel is a fair price for the property. The CLCWA does not know how long this process might take.
In the meantime, RGG’s petition to be released from the deed restrictions is also still pending. No court date has yet been set.
March 6, 2007
CLCCL Intervenes in RGG vs. Exxon Lawsuit
As mentioned earlier in the March 1 news update, RGG recently sued Exxon to be released from their deed restrictions, and the CLCCL voted to intervene in that lawsuit on behalf of Clear Lake City residents. This week, the CLCCL filed a plea of intervention representing Clear Lake City homeowners to request that the court deny RGG's request.
- Click the link below to view the CLCCL's court filing:
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CLCCL's Plea for Intervention in RGG v. Exxon lawsuit
(Adobe Reader (.pdf) format, 871 kb)
March 1, 2007
Major News Update
Several events have occurred recently that will be of great interest to anyone concerned about the status of the golf course:
- RGG Attempts to Break Deed Restrictions in Court Action
Clear Lake Country Club, LP (otherwise known as RGG), has filed suit against Exxon Land Development in state district court in an attempt to break and eliminate the deed restrictions (restrictive covenants) on the golf course property. In its petition, RGG claims that the "economic conditions" have changed and they could no longer operate at a profit. As a result, they claim that a golf course is no longer an economically viable use of the property. The petition states that RGG desires to use the property for its "highest and best use" without the land use constraints imposed by the restrictive covenant and if the court does not grant the request, the land would remain effectively abandoned for the next 15 years. By asking that all restrictions be removed, they mean both the restriction that the property be used only as a recreational facility until 2021 and that the land be restricted to single family residential property after 2021.
Click the links below to view RGG's court filings:-
RGG's petition to be released from deed restriction
(Adobe Reader (.pdf) format, 450 kb) -
Related court clerk paperwork
(Adobe Reader (.pdf) format, 113 kb)
- Clear Lake City Civic League Votes to Intervene in Lawsuit
At their meeting on February 12, the Clear Lake City Civic League approved a motion to authorize hiring the law firm of Wilson, Cribbs & Goren to intervene in the lawsuit on the side of Exxon in order to protect the interests of Clear Lake City residents in keeping the deed restrictions in place. This law firm represents the Quail Valley residents in their legal battle against RGG so they are already familiar with the situation and background. The decision by the Civic League follows action taken by the Clear Lake City Water Authority at its meeting in early February when they also hired this law firm to intervene in the lawsuit to protect their interests in their ongoing condemnation process of the golf course property.
- RGG Purchases Yet Another Golf Course for Development
We have discovered that the partners of RGG have recently purchased the Inwood Forest Golf and Country Club located in northwest Houston and immediately announced the next day that they were closing it on March 7th. It is our understanding that they intend to request the City of Houston to re-plat the property for commercial and residential development.
- Clear Lake City Civic League Membership Drive
The Civic League is initiating a membership drive to bolster community support during this litigation proceeding. Membership is open to all adult residents of the Clear Lake City area and dues are $5 per person annually. It is urgent that everyone interested in the community and the protection of the deed restrictions become members and support the effort of the Civic League. If you join the Civic League, your interest in the litigation of the deed restrictions becomes an intrinsic part of the process. The Water Authority is proceeding with the condemnation process, but elimination of the deed restrictions could quadruple the cost of acquiring the property and might jeopardize the condemnation. By officially joining the Civic League, you are joining the ranks in support of the deed restrictions. It is up to each of us to help protect the community from zealous overdevelopment.
Click below for a copy of the membership signup form:
- CLCCL Membership Form
(Adobe Reader (.pdf) format, 12 kb)
- Clear Lake City Civic League Fundraising Drive
The Civic League has committed $25,000 (funds raised by the Green Space Preservation Committee over the last two years) to handle an intervention for summary judgment, which is the current litigation. Look for a fundraising drive to garner the money needed to stay at the table should this situation go to trial. Funds raised in support of the green space effort that still remain after the CLCWA acquires the property will be used for recreational and/or aesthetic amenities on the property.
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RGG's petition to be released from deed restriction
July 2, 2006
Introducing the new Citizens' Advisory Committee
At this time, the Greenspace Committee is essentially in a holding pattern, awaiting further developments in the Clear Lake City
Water Authority's (CLCWA's) effort to acquire the golf course. Unless the CLCWA's effort to acquire the property fails, there is little
for the Greenspace Committee to do. If, however, the CLCWA does succeed in acquiring the golf course property, and subsequently begins to redevelop the
property into a flood-control detention pond facility (please see the Frequently Asked Questions page,
question 12, for more information about the CLCWA's effort to acquire the golf course, includng what they intend to do with it), then the efforts of
interested community members will need
to shift from a focus on preventing residential / commercial development of the golf course to a focus on working with the agencies involved in the flood
control project to ensure that the end result is a multi-use facility that provides recreational and aesthetic benefits to our entire community.
With this new focus in mind, the Greenspace Committee has solicited the help of two leaders from our community, John Jacob and Chuck Shaw, to
organize a new Citizens Advisory Committee to begin preparing for that new role. While it is not yet certain that the CLCWA will succeed in acquiring the
golf course (and even if it does, that may not happen for many months at the soonest), Mr. Jacob and Mr. Shaw have agreed that it is worthwhile
to anticipate the CLCWA's succes, and begin collecting community input and forging the relationships with corporate, non-profit, and governmental entities required to successfully
create a multi-use facility that residents of Clear Lake City can enjoy and be proud of.
Please click here to learn more about Mr. Jacob, Mr. Shaw, and their new committee: Citizens' Advisory Committee
February 25, 2006
Greenbucks for Greenspace Update #4
Today (Sat, Feb 25) is the last chance to order tickets! Take a look at some of the goodies you could take home with you if you come out and party with us! (Pictures will open in a new window.)
Call Jim Dean (281-480-3917) or Yvonne Horner (281-488-6702) for tickets!
February 7, 2006
Greenbucks for Greenspace Update #3
Check it out: The latest Greenbucks for Greenspace flyer has a ticket order form! Click here to get it! (22 KB in .PDF format)
NOTE: The deadline to purchase tickets is February 25, 2006, so hurry!
January 23, 2006
Greenbucks for Greenspace Update #2
Looking for a little more information on the Greenbucks for Greenspace event? Click here for a flyer! (26 KB in .PDF format)
January 21, 2006
Greenbucks for Greenspace Update #1
The Greenbucks for Greenspace event is still planned for March 4. Funds raised from this event will ensure the green space committee is able to initiate appropriate actions to protect neighborhood residents' interests regarding the golf course if required. While the Clear Lake City Water Authority is taking steps to acquire the golf course property, there are still risks that something might upset that process, and the community must remain postured to act in its own interests. Any green space committee money left after the CLCWA acquires the property will likely be used for some sort of recreational improvements to the property, so these funds will not be lost or used for "non-greenspace" purposes.
In the meantime, the fundraising committee has asked for help with the Greenbucks for Greenspace event:
- We need ticket purchasers. Only $50 each for an evening of food and entertainment. Contact Jim Dean, 281 480 3917 or Yvonne Horner, 281 488 6702
- From the ticket purchasers we need around 25 volunteers to work 1 hour shifts selling extra chips, raffle tickets, checking in guests, etc. All fun and not strenuous. There will be a volunteer briefing on March 1.
- Donations of Spirits (wine, liquor, beer, accessories) for the Wagon Load of Spirits raffle. This is a perfect spot for that gift you received that you do not plan to use.
- Donations of items we can sell in the Silent Auction. Tickets to shows, concerts, Astros games, gift cards, particularly season ticket holders who have tickets they can't use will be great.
January 21, 2006
"Frequently Asked Questions" page now available
A new link on the left side of the page has been added for "Frequently Asked Questions". Pretty self-explanatory. Got a question about why we're here or what we're doing? Scan this list and see if we've answered it. (There might even be a few questions there that you haven't thought to ask yet!)
Still got questions? Send us an email!
November 20, 2005
Past meeting info now available
A new link on the left side of the page has been added for "Information from Public Meetings". The intent is to provide public presentation material in an easy-to-reach place. Note that for various reasons, this may not be a comprehensive archive.
November 14, 2005
Public Meeting on Saturday, November 19
The next public meeting of the Clear Lake City Green Space Preservation Committee will be on Saturday, November 19 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Clear Lake Recreation Center gym (same location as the August meeting). The recreation center is located on the corner of Ramada and Diana. Click here for a map
Final results of the hydrology study commissioned by the Clear Lake City Water Authority (CLCWA) will be the featured agenda item. Preliminary results were reviewed at the last public meeting held in August. Saturday's meeting will cover the final results, and important actions being taken by the CLCWA that will have a direct beneficial impact on the entire Clear Lake City community regarding both green space and flooding.
Also on the agenda is a discussion of the closure of the golf course and the implications for the community regarding vandalism, mowing and other maintenance and security issues that involve the Clear Lake City Community Association enforcement of the restrictions on the property.
Tickets to the Green Bucks for Green Space fundraiser to be held on March 4th will be on sale, as will KEEP GREEN SPACE GREEN t-shirts.
September 28, 2005
Green Bucks for Green Space Night coming March 4, 2006
The Green Space Preservation Committee Keep Green Space Green Casino Night originally scheduled for October 1st has been moved due to Hurricane Katrina and Rita disaster relief efforts on the part of several committee members. The new date is Saturday, March 4th, 2006. If you purchased tickets for the October evening, please contact Yvonne Horner at 281-488-6702 to let her know if you can exchange the tickets for the new date.
Thank you for your patience as we assist our Texas and Louisiana neighbors!
August 16, 2005 (Updated Aug 28)
CASINO NIGHT coming October 1!
Join the Clear Lake City Civic League as they host a Casino Night fundraiser at the Nassau Bay Hilton Hotel Saturday, October 1, starting at 6pm. Games will include Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Let It Ride, Texas Hold 'Em, a raffle, and a silent auction. Food and drinks (including a cash bar) will also be available. Tickets are $50. To order tickets or get more information, come to the public meeting (see next item, below) or contact any of the people on this list.
August 16, 2005
Update: Public Meeting August 20 at 2:00pm
The next public meeting of the Clear Lake City Green Space Preservation Committee will be Saturday, August 20, from 2:00 to 4:00pm, in the gymnasium of the Kermet H. Applewhite Sports and Recreation Center, 16511 Diana Lane. (That's the formal name for the Clear Lake City Community Association's "rec center", at the corner of Diana and Ramada. Click here for a map.)
The committee will review its activities since its formation in February, as well as discuss the current status of the Clear Lake Golf Club, and the community's options for the future preservation of the golf course as green space. Preliminary hydrology study results will be on the agenda, as well as comments from area elected officials who have been invited. Tickets to the October Casino Night will also be available for purchase.
August 7, 2005
New reference links added
The "Useful Links" section (see menu at left) has been updated to include articles written about the Clear Lake Golf Club situation in the Houston Chronicle and in The Citizen (there are also two articles included with The Citizen stories regarding recent RGG activities with the Quail Valley community). Green space committee press releases will also be archived in this section, and additional links will be added from time to time. Notable future additions will be mentioned here in the Latest News area.
July 24, 2005
Minor website reorganization
There have been a couple of recent changes to the website that are worth a quick mention. First, the main page now goes directly to this "latest news" listing, which is organized from newest-on-top to oldest-on-bottom. There's also a new section added on the left to document letters and other statements from area officials and organizations in support of the Green Space Committee's efforts. If you want to get an idea of "who's on our side", pop over to the "Voices of Support" link in the left sidebar and take a look.
As several of you have gently pointed out, this website has not been updated very frequently. I am rededicating myself to its upkeep, and will try to do better, but please understand that your webmaster here is just a conscript volunteer, and a rank amateur at website building/management to boot, so you're gettin' what you're payin' for! That said, there are plenty of things on my to-do list:
- More info on upcoming public meeting in August
- More info on a Casino Night fundraiser in October
- Some good news about the results from the garage sales and golf tournament from earlier this summer
- A "Frequently Asked Questions" list
May 25, 2005
GOLFERS UNITE!
KEEP GREEN SPACE GREEN Golf Tournament
There is no better way to show your support of one of Clear Lake City's golf courses, and our green space, than to sign up for the golf tournament, on June 11th.
Clear Lake City Civic League, in conjunction with the Green Space Preservation Committee, is holding a golf tournament Saturday, June 11th at the Clear Lake Golf Club on Diana and Reseda.
All proceeds will go to the Clear Lake City Civic League earmarked for the Green Space Preservation Committee.
Click here for sponsorship and player registration information: Tourney.pdf
Click here for the official press release announcing the event: Tourney_PR.pdf
(.pdf files require the free Adobe Reader to view--Click here to download Adobe Reader)
April 13, 2005
Summer Garage Sale Being Planned!
The fund-raising subcommittee is working to organize a community-wide garage sale this summer as a way to generate much-needed funds for our efforts. They're looking for a Garage Sale General who can marshal the troops and make this event happen! Click here to jump to the Fundraising Subcommittee page for more information.
April 12, 2005
Petition Drive Press Release
Curious about the results of our recent petition drive? Not surprisingly, community opinion was overwhelmingly "pro-green space"!
Click here to read the official press release in MS Word (.doc) format, or here for Adobe Reader (.pdf) format.
(.pdf files require the free Adobe Reader to view--Click here to download Adobe Reader)
So what's the Clear Lake City Green Space Committee been doing, anyway?
The Steering Committee has been meeting weekly since mid-February, 2005, to set goals for and to review the progress of the various subcommittees in achieving our mission. The Steering Committee co-chairs typically meet at least one additional time per week, and subcommittees meet independently as required to accomplish their assignments.A short list of activities to date:
This page will be continually updated to keep you informed of upcoming and completed activities. Please check back often!