Anderson said he expects the contract to close within a few months.

Raveneaux Country Club had contemplated building apartments on a large section of its land in 2006, but the process halted after CFPUD—whose service area includes the country club, Champion Forest and adjacent neighborhoods­—agreed to purchase the land Raveneaux had planned to develop. Deed restrictions established from this transaction require the district to approve development plans on the country club’s property, Normand said. 

In 2008, CFPUD voters approved an $8.2 million bond referendum, of which $5.5 million was used to purchase 258 of the 285 acres owned by Raveneaux Country Club in 2011.

CFPUD agreed to lease 210 acres back to Raveneaux Country Club for about $5,500 a year so the club could maintain day-to-day operations of its golf course, Normand said. This transaction left the country club’s owners with 27 acres for possible development with stringent deed restrictions in place, Normand said.

“If you look at the contract, there are specific requirements as to what can be built, what the cost per square foot has got to be, how many square feet [and]how many entrances,” Normand said.

Resident Protests

Although residents approved the 2008 bond knowing the 27 acres could be used for development, flooding last year raised residents’ concerns about what could happen now that a project has been proposed for the site.

In spring 2016, heavy rainfall caused Cypress Creek to rise and spill over its banks, flooding the country club, Cypresswood Drive and some Champion Forest homes. 

Vernon Vanis has lived in Champion Forest for 10 years and although his property was not damaged, he said it was the worst flooding he has seen.

“Everybody is worried about flooding whether there is construction or not,” Vanis said, “but any kind of construction in a flood plain raises the question, ‘Well is that going to aggravate the flooding?’”

This concern has led residents to place signs on their lawns protesting development along Cypress Creek and to start a petition online against the development addressed to Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle—which had 775 signatures on Aug. 4.

Vanis said he believes the signs and the petition are not intended to stop development, but rather to shine a spotlight on the potential effect of any development along Cypress Creek. 

County regulations

Precinct 4 Communications Director Mark Seegers said Cagle has corresponded with residents concerned about the potential development. However, as long as property owners abide by all necessary regulations, the county does not have much say in private property dealings, Seegers said.

Shawn Sturhan, assistant manager of the Harris County Engineering Department’s permits office, said developers must meet certain requirements before building in a flood plain. One measure requires developers to build above the base flood elevation, which is the average height attained by flood water.

To meet this requirement, a developer will often layer dirt, sand or rock underneath the structure to raise its elevation. Developers must remove an equal amount of land from the flood plain to offset the addition of this material, Sturhan said.

Anderson said Beazer Homes will comply with Harris County flood plain regulations.

“As with all projects, our engineer has prepared a detailed drainage analysis which Harris County will review and approve in accordance with their design criteria,” Anderson said.

Sturhan said the permit process forces developers to take measures that ensure the development is not increasing flooding hazards. The department will not approve plans that could worsen flooding conditions, he said.

“I cannot make you make the flood plain better,” Sturhan said, “but I can regulate that you do not make the flood plain worse.”