Two consultation firms conducting a study concerning the implementation of the Cypress Creek Greenway have called for community feedback from residents and local officials. CDS Spillette Alliance—an urban consulting and market research group—and Marsh Darcy Partners—a real estate and planning firm—have produced a survey to gather feedback, and they will host three open houses in March for further input from the community.

The open houses aim to discuss public opinion and gather information regarding which features and amenities are important to area residents.

"Everybody that hears about the project, loves the project," said Jen Powis, advocacy director with the Houston Parks Board. "It is something that has been worked on for years, but there are still people who are unaware of the project's vision. It is important that the community is aware that [these projects] are happening, that there are sections that already exist and that now is the time to take action, letting their MUD boards and local officials know that this is something the community wants."

As part of the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, the Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Houston–Galveston Area Council with grants for six case studies throughout the 13-county region in late 2012. The H–GAC and the Houston Parks Board, a local partner, gave CDS Spillette Alliance and Marsh Darcy Partners a $100,000 grant to assist with the implementation of an interconnected Cypress Creek Greenway. The two firms have been analyzing the steps needed to implement the Bayou Greenway initiative along the Cypress Creek corridor.

"We have this great opportunity through the H–GAC to move the ball forward and really look at the economic value of these projects," Powis said. "The reason why this is so important is the study looks at Houston's entire [bayou] system as a whole once completed. There is real value in protecting the bayous as well as the land around it."

One of the project's big deliverables, Powis said, is the benefit study endorsed by the Greater Houston Partnership in 2008. The report shows a variety of economic and public health benefits the interconnection of Houston's main bayou corridors would bring residents.

Much of the efforts to implement Cypress Creek have been spearheaded by the Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition and the Cypress Creek Greenway Project. Ongoing efforts will be a partnership between local nonprofit organizations, MUDs and other governing entities and community member volunteers.

The Cypress Creek case study is scheduled to be complete in April and is expected to help establish a connected Cypress Creek corridor between Spring Creek and west of Hwy. 290 in northwest Harris County.

Open houses will be from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on:

March 19

Saint Aidan's Episcopal Church

13131 Fry Road, Cypress

March 21

Cypress Creek Christian Church

6823 Cypresswood Drive, Spring

March 26

Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble

Community feedback will be compiled through the online survey, which can be accessed through the project's Facebook page at: facebook.com/CypressCreekGreenwayCaseStudy.