I often get Internet request asking to be set up for home searches for subdivisions that do not have home-owner's associations. I have lived in other states where that would be no big deal as zoning helps to maintain the areas. This request takes a different spin in Houston as we do not have zoning in the Houston area. When there is not a Home Owners Association there are usually also no deed restrictions. With no deed restrictions you tend to get a little bit of everything. I took some pictures in a subdivision in Spring that has no deed restrictions. I have always called the subdivision the Vegetable Patch as the streets are named such things as Carrot, Turnip and Tomato. The actual name of the subdivision is Farmette Meadows.
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As you can see there's a little bit of everything in Farmettte Meadows. I took all of these pictures on Carrot street. As you drive along the street you might see cars on Cinder blocks, trailers in front of house, businesses, homes etc. If you are going to open a business this might be the perfect place. If you are looking for a subdivision where you have similar types of property to maintain your property values this might not be the best place.
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I lived in 3 states prior to moving to Spring and I must say I almost fell off my chair when I was in real estate school and learned that Houston DID NOT HAVE ZONING!! Every other place I lived had zoning and for me it had become a way of life. I quickly learned that with no zoning you are really dependent upon home owners associations and deed restrictions to maintain your property values. When you don't have an HOA Farmette Meadows is an example of what you get. I'm not saying this is bad it is a great place to start a business but it is not for everybody.
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My husband had a co-worker who bought out in Waller County in an unresticted area. When he bought the house a nice house was next door. Shortly after they moved in the nice house next door was sold and the new owner decided to open a junk yard. Like I said earlier if you have a business a subdivision with no zoning might be the place you want to be but if not this is probably not be where you want to be. When the junk yard opened his co-workers property values went down the tube.
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Beautiful pictures, looks like "Little House On The Prairie"!
Hi Marchel, That was an interesting post and it sort of represents the free range of life. Maybe the caveat for Spring Texas should be " careful for what you wish for" or "pay attention to what your neighbors are wishing for, you might get it as well", lol.
Talk about diversity. Vegetable Patch or Farmette Meadows has a little bit of everything! Does anyone have a vegetable garden. Love the names of the streets!
Howdt there Marchel
You get to see a lot of that kind of thing, in my area here, even with zoning. The thing is, if your one of the good ole boys. What you do is overlooked by the town.
Hi Marchel, We have a town here like that, very interesting place. But nothing like Carrot Street. That is a hoot. So, if your realtor were not on the ball it could be a very big headache, nightmare on Carrot Street so to speak. Yikes.
You mean there is still no zoning there in Houston. I know it was on the ballot in either 1993 or 1994, just after I had left, but I never checked back to see if it has passed. I guess it didn't.
With all the bad we hear about HOA this is the main reason to have one. It protects the value of the home from having a junk yard built next door. Yikes there goes any equity down the toilet.
So if Houston has no zoing laws,guess that means your taxes are lower as you have no Zoning Dept which has to have staff, Director, Committees etc. A silver lining, perhaps?
Marchel--I have many clients that need to be out of the metro in areas that are less restrictive for several reasons as well. Most have campers or trailers that they need to be able to park outside and many HOA's have restrictions on this. Your Spring readers will appreciate the info on this area.
JANE, Little house on the prairie is actually a good way to describe this subdivision.
WILLIAM, Our area is a bit of a free for all with NO ZONING and so yes you do need to be careful what you ask for. This subdivision is not for everyone but I also have clients that seek out subdivisions like this.
SHIRLEY, I'm sure there are lots of vegetables growing in Farmette Meadows as they have large land sizes.
DALE, I guess our subdivisions with HOA's are much more restrictive as you don't see this much in Spring except for those subdivisions that don't have restrictions. It doesn't seem right that someone should be overlooked from the rules though. A rule is a rule and should be obeyed by all.
ANDREA, Carrot street is very unique. We bought the parts for our outdoor kitchen from a business that is on Carrot Street. The street is about as diverse as you can get.
RUSSELL, For zoning to happen it should have happened some 50 years ago. It is really too late to bring it in now. It was on the ballot in Tomball just a few years ago and was outvoted there also. It would have killed a lot of commerce in Tomball as it was built around no zoning. It does make for a VERY unique area and makes us more dependent on HOA's than most other areas.
MISSY, I wish that did make our taxes lower and maybe it does for our County taxes but we still have high school taxes and most subdivisions have a MUD Municipal Utility District Tax (you have to pay for water somewhere). The good news is that we DON'T have state income tax.
TERI, There are only a few areas like this in Spring but very close to Spring we have Magnolia which has a lot of country subdivisions with lighter restrictions so you can have that camper or trailer in your front yard and still have some restrictions to maintain property values.
That is so surprising to me, no zoning. We have areas like Farmette Meadows but usually out of city limits.