After 30 years in the making, Yale Street in the Heights is the first official green corridor in all of Houston.
“The best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago,” stated the Houston Heights Association’s President Stacey Courville while addressing a crowd of citizens and dignitaries gathered at the Heights Fire Station on Sunday afternoon, Sept 18.
On June 22, 2016, Houston City Council voted to grant official protection to the 1.6 mile stretch of Yale spanning both sides from 6th to 19th streets. The measure calls to protect from removal or damage all trees that measure 15 inches or greater in diameter. Special permitting is required to override the decree.
The HHA and its Urban Forestry Committee, headed by 30-year resident Jonathan Sumulian, worked with the city to secure the designation. The city demanded that, in order to receive green corridor recognition, the neighborhood had 90 days to encourage a minimum of 75 percent of non-residential property owners to sign a petition supporting the measure. The hard work of local citizens payed off – they were able to garner 76 percent of the non-residential property owners’ support.
Sumulian played an important role in helping bring the Yale Green Corridor to fruition. “The designation is not only important on a neighborhood level, but also for the entire city as the first pathway to designation. It laid groundwork for others to follow,” Sumulian stated.
“We… firmly believe that the protection of our trees and green spaces are vital to the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” City Councilmember Ellen Cohen stated.
Cohen then introduced 92-year-old Heights resident Melvalene Cohen (no relation) and explained the the long-time resident was wearing the same beautiful denim skirt suit she was wearing the day she and Houston City Mayor Fred Hofheinz (1974-1978) planted an official garden in the Heights some 35 years prior.