City to Broadacres: Photography must be allowed Planning a photo shoot? Remember the 'golden rule,' they say

A jogger runs under the canopy of live oak trees on the esplanade of North Boulevard in Broadacres. The Broadacres Homeowners Association last week posted signs prohibiting photo shoots on its esplanades. Since then it's been determined that the land is in the public right-of-way, meaning that the HOA cannot prohibit any public access. less A jogger runs under the canopy of live oak trees on the esplanade of North Boulevard in Broadacres. The Broadacres Homeowners Association last week posted signs prohibiting photo shoots on its esplanades. Since ... more Photo: Steve Ueckert, Staff Photo: Steve Ueckert, Staff Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close City to Broadacres: Photography must be allowed 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

Signs prohibiting photography on the picturesque esplanades of Broadacres have come down, after the city of Houston confirmed that the popular place for photo shoots is in the public right-of-way.

Last week, the Broadacres Homeowners Association, frustrated at what they felt was abuse of the neighborhood greenspace, posted signs making their well-tended esplanades off-limits for those wanting to use it as a backdrop for wedding, engagement, quinceanera or other photos.

And just as soon as those signs went up, so did the pushback on social media, where a public cry broke out on Facebook, twitter and websites with many criticizing the HOA for its drastic move.

Now, the signs that once declared "Welcome to Broadacres; No Photo Shoots" are gone. That means photographers can resume taking clients to the tiny neighborhood of million-dollar homes on North and South boulevards near Rice University — as long as they stay off of the sidewalks.

Cece Fowler, president of the Broadacres HOA, said that it's been determined that while the city owns the streets on North, South and West boulevards as well as the brick sidewalks that run down the middle of the esplanades, the Broadacres Trust owns the grass. It also owns a small park with tennis courts that runs along the west side of the historic neighborhood along Parkway Drive.

For decades, Houstonians have gathered on the esplanades to have their pictures taken under the thick canopy of decades-old live oaks. Fowler said up to 40 to 50 photo shoots were taking place a week, some involving big groups of people who sometimes brought sofas, chairs, bookcases and other large props.

One hung a chandelier from a tree branch. Another drove a Jeep onto the esplanade and damaged the grass, brick walkway and sprinkler system.

"We hope the community will be respectful of the neighborhood. Remember the Golden Rule — would you want somebody coming into your neighborhood doing the same thing?" said Alanna

Reed, public information officer for the city of Houston's Public Works department. "It's about having respect for each other and being good neighbors."

Reed cautioned photographers and their subjects, noting that the sidewalks must always be clear for public use. The city's 311 line should be called about any obstruction, whether it's improperly posted signs or photo shoots that block the sidewalk.

That means if a person is perched on a chair on the walkway, they're officially in the way and need to move. Anyone needing to block part of the street must get a permit from the Mayor's Office of Special Events. Reed said that photographers with bigger projects should work through the Houston Film Commission.

Fowler said that while many people have been quiet and respectful during small photo shoots, it's a number of commercial photographers who have ruined the experience for people who live there.

"We didn't anticipate there'd be this kind of reaction (to the signs)," Fowler said. "As long as I've lived in this area, we've never had the problems of the last three to four years — and the last two months have been the worst of all."

On Dec. 7, Fowler posted 13 signs throughout the esplanades. During the weekend she took some of those down. The HOA spent $1,300 on the signs.

"It's the photo shoots and all the photographic equipment that comes and blocks the sidewalk. City ordinance forbids blocking the sidewalks," Fowler said. "It's the abusive commercial photographers that have ruined it for everyone. That's the bottom line."

Broadacres was founded in the early 1920s by Captain James A. Baker and his son, James A. Baker Jr. — who were lawyers at what was then the Baker, Botts, Parker & Garwood law firm — as an early affluent neighborhood. James A. Baker III, also a Houston attorney, served as U.S. Secretary of State and White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush.

The neighborhood's residents now include philanthropists Robert and Phoebe Tudor, University of Houston President Renu Khator and her husband Suresh, who live in the UH president's house, and former president of MD Anderson Cancer Center John Mendelsohn and his wife, Anne. The neighborhood has kept its upscale feel, and many stately homes by noted architects Birdsall P. Briscoe and John Staub have been well-maintained or restored.

Fowler said that the HOA isn't planning any other action, but if people block the sidewalks they'll likely call the city's 311 help line. She said they may also hire private security to temporarily patrol the area.

"Our signs said 'Welcome to Broadacres' and we meant it. We do want people to enjoy our neighborhood as much as all of us enjoy it. When people push strollers and kids on trikes can't ride down the walkway because commercial photographers have set up camp and there are four or five on each boulevard, then there's something wrong," Fowler said.

"As I said before, we should be spending our time on more important issues," she said. "In the scope of things, this is very small potatoes."