Residents in the Heights win tree fight

(7/31/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- A group of homeowners in the Houston Heights district is claiming victory after it managed to save several 150-year-old oak trees.

The seed, you might say, was planted last April when a grass roots movement to save the pair of trees and its resident night herons confronted a developer over a double lot on Ashland Street destined for town homes.

The Houston Heights Association ended up buying the property. Over the past year, it carved out a contract to save the lot, but with a custom-designed set of deed restrictions.

"That would protect trees," said Joellen Snow with the Heights Association. "Those restrictions have been recorded and now we've found this wonderful young family to purchase the property and build their dream home."

Enter the Kirst family -- Carl, Joy, and baby Gwendolyn -- whose dream home will be built around the trees and not on top of them. That's important to the new owners and they say it should be to the larger community.

"It's something I think is very important to the character of the city, to keep up this green space," said Carl Kirst. "It's something we very much feel strongly about."

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have money. The Heights Association is blessed enough to have around a quarter-million dollars and could pay cash for the lot.

Construction on the house should be complete by the end of next year.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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