This Week: Council to Vote on Floodplain Regulation Proposal; the 4th Annual Lyon Cohen Symposium.

Council to Vote on Floodplain Regulation Proposal

Mayor Pro Tem Cohen and her colleagues are expected to vote on proposed changes to Houston’s building code ordinances relating to flooding onWednesday, April 4th. Currently, Houston’s floodplain ordinance (Chapter 19) only regulates homes within the 100-year floodplain, and requires that new structures be built one foot above the 100-year measurement. The Houston Public Works Department has recommended that all homes in the 500-year floodplain be regulated, requiring new structures to be built two feet above the 500-year measurement. The department reported that, had all of Houston’s homes been built to this standard prior to Hurricane Harvey, approximately 84% would have been protected from flooding (excluding reservoir-impacted areas). The Council Committee on Transportation, Technology, and Infrastructure received a presentation on the proposed changes on March 21st.

What’s Happening in District C

On Wednesday, April 28th, the 4th Annual Lyon Cohen Symposium will take place from 5:30PM – 8PM in District C at Congregation Beth Israel. The Symposium’s panel discussion will explore the intersection of ethics, including Jewish ethics, in the modern media industry. The event is dedicated in loving memory to Mayor Pro Tem Cohen’s late husband, Lyon Cohen, and a merit scholarship will be presented to a recipient exemplifying Lyon’s optimism and devotion to ethics. Participants may register online.