Community Notes 02-20-2012

1. Chapter 42 Proposed Amendment Ordinance Meetings. The city is proposing revisions to the City’s Land Development Ordinance, Chapter 42. Among the proposed changes is an expansion of the “Urban Area” designation beyond its current boundaries of Loop 610 out to Beltway 8. This will promote more densely populated development patterns and impact more traditional and established neighborhoods. There are three remaining meetings about these revisions that the public is encouraged to attend. For a list of meeting dates and places, visit http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/.
2. Charting the Buffalo Meetings – Cancellations. The Harris County Flood Control District is currently modifying the Charting Buffalo draft report, and therefore, suspending the report’s distribution, review period and all scheduled community meetings until further notice. The Charting the Buffalo meetings on February 21 and 27 have been cancelled. Learn more at http://www.chartingbuffalo.org/.
3. Texas Land Trust Council annual Statewide Land Conservation Conference. The Texas Land Trust Council’s annual Statewide Land Conservation Conference will be held in Austin on February 22nd – 24th, 2012. This event will present timely and in-depth information regarding land trusts and private lands conservation in Texas. More information at  www.texaslandtrustcouncil.org.
4. The North Face Explore Fund. The North Face Explore Fund was designed to inspire and enable the next generation of explorers by funding non-profit organizations that are working to re-connect children with nature. The fund supports organizations that encourage youth outdoor participation, focusing primarily on creating more connections of children to nature, increasing access to both front & backcountry recreation, as well as providing education for both personal & environmental health. Proposals are due by March 1st. More at http://www.explorefund.org/.
5. Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium: The Business Case For Water Conservation. The Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium will be held on March 2nd from 8:30am-3pm at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center Ballroom (300 West Walker Street, Leaugue City). The symposium will cover cost-effective approaches to water conservation, methods for ensuring an economically viable water utility, and more. To learn more, visit http://www.texaswater.org/.
6. Conservation Reserve Program General Signup. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is conducting a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. The program focuses on improving the quality of water, controlling soil erosion and developing wildlife habitat. For more information, visit http://www.usda.gov/.
   
7. Coca-Cola/KAB Recycling Bin Grant Program. The Coca-Cola/KAB Recycling Bin Grant Program supports recycling in communities on college campuses by providing bins for the collection of beverage container recyclables. The grants are divided into two categories: Public Space Bin Grants and Collegiate Bin Grants. The Public Space bin grants are open to non-profit organizations, government agencies, schools and religious organizations. The collegiate bin grants are open to degree granting colleges. More at http://bingrant.org/
8. Ben & Jerry’s Foundation: National Grassroots Grant Program. The National Grassroots Grant Program of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation is providing support to nonprofit community organizations that bring about progressive social change by addressing the underlying conditions of societal and environmental problems. The grants are up to $15,000. Letters of interest may be submitted at any time. More at http://www.benandjerrysfoundation.org/.
   
9. Local Sustainability Matching Fund. The Local Sustainability Matching Fund will provide matching investments on a competitive basis to build partnerships between sustainability directors and local place-based foundations to advance discrete sustainability initiatives that demonstrate broad-based community support and engagement. The deadline is March 5th. For more information, visit http://www.fundersnetwork.org/.
   
10. Wildlife Conservation on Private Land. Conservation Partners, a a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and other regional/initiative specific partners,is providing grants on a competitive basis to organizations working with NRCS field offices that help to optimize wildlife habitat conservation on private lands. The deadline for the proposals is March 13th. To learn more, visit http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/.
11. Cullinan Park Photo Contest. The deadline for submissions to the Cullinan Park Conservancy’s photo contest is March 20, 2012. As an effort to bring more visitors to the Park, and to raise the appreciation for the extraordinary natural resources at the Park, The Conservancy welcome all photographers to submit images of landscape and wildlife for consideration. More information can be found at http://cullinanparkconservancy.org.
12. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Seabrook, and on HCC. More info on the TPWD website(* indicates a segment about the Houston area). This week’s broadcast will include:
    • Texas Bass
    • Devil’s Sinkhole State Natural Area
    • TPWD People: Billy Tarrant
    • The Invaders – Invasive plants
13. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html
    • February 21: Green–Good–Moderate to strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range
    • February 22: Green–Good–Moderate to strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • February 23: Green–Good–Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.