Woodlands board mulls task force for community, development issues

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The Woodlands Township Board of Directors is considering creating a task force to deal with community concerns, such as development and construction issues.

The board created a task force earlier this year to address drainage issues in The Woodlands following the two major flooding events last spring. In addition to a representative from the township board, representatives from The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency, the San Jacinto River Authority, the area municipal utility districts, the Montgomery and Harris County engineering departments, The Woodlands Development Company and other local organizations were invited to join the task force.

"The township does not have responsibility for drainage. … However, what the township board has tried to do is protect the interest of our residents," said Don Norrell, president and general manager of The Woodlands Township. Norrell said the task force has met twice so far and the meetings have been productive.

Board Chairman Gordy Bunch suggested that the existing drainage task force or a similar group also be tasked with addressing other concerns of residents that might not be directly under the purview of the township.

"We should have a task force with a (board) director and staff to address community concerns that the township does not have direct control over," Bunch said.

He listed a number of issues that residents have brought before the board in recent years, including clear-cutting to make way for a shopping center in Creekside Park, a church expansion thinning trees behind a residential neighborhood and troublesome construction practices irking residents of East Shore.

Bunch appointed new board member Bruce Rieser to be the representative on the drainage task force as well as for the community issues task force, and directed township staff to draft a plan for a task force to come before the board in the new year.

"I'm happy to be the point person on a lot of this stuff," said Rieser, following up on a promise he made at the last board meeting. "I'll try to bring people together."