OPINION: Founder's Dream Dead

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Across the street from my house is a noisy construction site—full of dusty, earth moving equipment and scurrying workers. No, I’m not in a newly built subdivision. Actually, I’m in the second oldest neighborhood in The Woodlands, The Village of Panther Creek. To be more precise, I live on what used to be a street made up exclusively of Life Forms houses.

Life Forms, for the uninitiated, is an architectural style unique to The Woodlands, with a high concentration in the older part of the development. Its roots lay with Scott Mitchell, architect son of The Woodlands founder and philanthropist George P. Mitchell. Life Forms was a radical concept that came to fruition in the twilight of the 1970s. Originally, the idea was to design to suite homeowners needs based on their individual living patterns with a result that seamlessly blended with the area’s natural, wooded environment. These nature-inspired houses feature cedar siding, oversized windows, split-level floor plans, and screened-in porches. At the end of the day, Life Forms owners have something unique and personal that reflects the idyllic forest setting that makes The Woodlands a desirable refuge from the concrete jungle of Houston.

And following that line of thinking, The Woodlands Township has historically been supportive by preserving what made the community so unique. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. That construction site a few yards from my house is a clear-cut lot. It used to have an original Life Forms house on it surrounded by mature trees. The landowner decided it didn’t suite his tastes and plans to build a new house—one that does not attempt to simulate the look and feel of a Life Forms design. In an effort to block this insidious project, neighbors banded together and attended a Township board meeting to voice their concerns. After hearing protests and reviewing the proposed renderings, the Board, unfortunately, decided to approve the project—overturning local tradition and history in one fell swoop. A tragic loss for both my neighbors and my family, but an even greater loss for The Woodlands as a whole. With this one house, the Township successfully established a dangerous and irresponsible precedent. One that has blatant disregard for the soul of the community it purports to protect.

If The Woodlands Township exists to operate as standard bearers of the community and uphold our quality of life, then we as residents are truly in dire straits. Knowledge of local history fades with each passing generation. More clear-cutting and more demolition inevitably loom on the horizon. And those of us who care—those of us who invested in our local history will pay the price for the actions of a handful of very shortsighted and self-serving individuals. Apologies, George.

Life Forms owners unite! Push back the oncoming tide of property tax-driven development. Don’t let The Woodlands Township dictate the view from your home.