On Monday night, the Howe Planning & Zoning Commission voted in favor for a zoning change for a commercial property at 501 N. Collins Freeway, on US Highway 75, to multi-family to make way for a small apartment complex. However, tonight’s city council denied the zoning request and the property will remain commercial.
A petition of 14 local neighboring property owners opposing the change was submitted to Mayor Jeff Stanley and the council during the meeting. Bill Stambaugh, Micah Belden, Janice Akins, Rebecca Luna, and Gay Brennan spoke to oppose the zoning change. Only property owner Phillip Shaffer and the potential purchaser of the property, Gurishkumar Patel, spoke in favor for the zoning request.
Howe’s comprehensive plan, zoning plan and economic development plan stay on course with this decision.
Howe fifth graders Jacob Campbell and Dax Foster were featured in the Winter 2016/2017 edition of the Dallas Morning News Photos of the Year Magazine. The two youngsters took a break from cleanup and were making the best of a bad situation after the destructive tornado damage on April 26, 2016.
Despite the public showing up against a requested zoning change that would move commercially zoned US Highway 75 property to multi-family to make way for a one-acre apartment complex, the Planning & Zoning Commission of Howe voted two to one in favor to approve the request.
The location rests at 501 N. Collins Freeway along Howe’s “Ribbon of Commerce” between Star Auto Body and an apartment complex. Property owner Phillip Shaffer made the comment to the P&Z board that since there are apartments next to the property, what should circumvent this property being rezoned for multi-family use?
Two longtime Howe residents stood up and gave views that Howe should stay the course with the commercial planning on Highway 75. One individual stated that there isn’t going to be another Highway 75 come through Howe and improperly zoning it could hurt the long term plan.
P&Z board member Dale Rideout made a motion to approve and Jerry Park made a second to the motion. Jack Leavenworth voted against the change.
“I think, it’s my opinion to keep with the development plan and maintain the C-1 zone.” said Leavenworth.
“I would like to see a business there myself rather than apartments, but when is that going to happen?” said Jerry Park.
“We’ve got apartments to the south as well so I don’t see that part being a problem.” said Rideout.
One could make the case that if you allow apartments to be built due to an apartment complex next to it, soon could be apartment complexes along side each other all the way down US Highway 75.
No one other than Shaffer and the purchaser Gurishkumar Patel spoke in favor for the zoning change.
The zoning change will go in front of the city council tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. at the Howe Community Center at 700 W. Haning St. for final decision. It is a public meeting.
It is game number 744 in Howe Bulldogs history and playoff game number 35. It is the 6th ever Regional Championship Howe has ever played in, but the second in three years. Howe has an overall record of 381-338-24 and an overall playoff record of 14-17-3. Howe advanced on two of the three ties.
The Bulldogs have won 24 of their last 31 games and Head Coach Zack Hudson has tied Buck Smith with 29 wins in Howe history. That total only trails Norman Dickey (51), Jim Fryar (41) and Davey DuBose (34). Hudson now has won more playoff games (5) than any other coach in Howe history.
It is the second time Howe has ever played at Royse City ISD Stadium. Howe beat Edgewood in a comeback thriller last year in the bi-district round, 43-33. Howe had 513 rushing yards that game to set a school playoff record for rushing yards and total yards.
It is the first ever meeting between the Howe Bulldogs (9-3) and the Mineola Yellowjackets (10-2). Mineola went undefeated in District 7. Out of that district came Farmersville (playing Pottsboro tomorrow), Mt. Vernon (eliminated by White Oak, 46-12) and Winnsboro (eliminated by Jefferson, 43-36). Mineola has scored 576 points on the season (48/g) and given up 202 points (17/g). Howe has scored 395 (33/g) and given up 262 (22/g).
Mineola will feature senior 5’9, 190 quarterback Jeremiah Crawford who has rushed for 1,918 yards (12 yds/carry) and thrown for 782 yards (47 completion percentage). They are led on defense by head Coach Joe Drennon’s son, Michael Drennon, who plays linebacker.
Mineola lost to Cameron Yoe in the state championship two years ago and got beat in the semifinal round a year ago by eventual state champion Brock. Now those sophomores and juniors are seniors and they feel this is their year to win the whole thing.
Howe has rushed for a school record 4,550 yards and are averaging 6.55 per carry. Howe’s 52 rushing touchdowns is also a new high. Since Howe went to the Slot-T offense three years ago, they have amassed 13,076 yards (6.97 per carry) with 151 touchdowns in 37 games.
Last week, Tyler Grisham became the all-time leader in school history in rushing touchdowns (42) and overall touchdowns (45). He surpassed Nathanael Falls in both categories.
Howe Bulldogs running back Tyler Grisham is racking up some impressive numbers during his team’s success over the past few years. Grisham, who started playing varsity as a freshman in the 2013 season is putting on the final touches of his high school assault on the Bulldogs rushing record books. Grisham has now amassed 2,969 yards on 466 carries and piling up 42 rushing touchdowns which he just moved past Nathanael Falls a week ago who had 41. Grisham has had three receiving touchdowns, which added to his rushing touchdowns means he has crossed the endzone for Howe more times than any other player to ever wear the black and white. Full statistics gathered from 1980 – current have Grisham needing 16 yards to surpass Anthony Hawthorne as the team’s leading rusher during that period.
With the amount of playoff games played, Grisham needs just 61 yards on Friday night to become Howe’s all-time leading playoff rusher. Hawthorne sits on top with his 585 yards in the 2014 round which included three games. Grisham also trails Hawthorne in playoff touchdowns, 10 to 9.
Meanwhile, teammate Jaden Matthews has also crept up the charts also with his 2,372 rushing yards which ranks him fifth among all rushers since 1980. He is also fifth in overall playoff rushing yards at 301. Matthews career 25 touchdowns ties him with M.H. Jeter for eighth all-time.
Howe slot back Brent Masters also ranks seventh in playoff yards with 253.
It is game number 743 in school history and playoff game number 34. Howe’s overall win/loss record is 380-338-24 and playoff record is 13-17-3. Howe has won 23 of their last 30 games with those losses coming to Pottsboro (twice), Waskom, West Rusk, Gunter, Van Alstyne, and Leonard.
This is the first ever meeting between Howe (8-3) and Jefferson (9-2). Jefferson averages 401.8 yards per game on offense and 38 points per game. They are allowing 21 points per game on defense. Conversely, Howe averages 394.1 yards per game and 33 points per game. They are allowing 23 points per game on defense.
Howe’s 33.09 points per game ranks them 4th of 73 in school history in that category.
34.17, 2015
33.83, 1998
33.70, 1940
33.09, 2016
Howe’s 23.18 points allowed per game is 8th of 17 teams since 2000 in that category.
12.18, 2000
14.42, 2015
16.60, 2002
19.00, 2010
19.40, 2001
21.80, 2009
22.58, 2003
23.18, 2016
Howe head coach Zack Hudson has a record of 28-18 at Howe – a remarkable turnaround from the 5-11 record he started with in his first 16 games at Howe. His next win will tie Buck Smith (29-21) in wins. Smith accumulated those totals while the head coach of the Bulldogs from 1980-84.
Norman Dickey, 55 (1964-1976)
Jim Fryar, 41 (1985-1989)
Davey DuBose, 34 (1996-2000)
Buck Smith, 29 (1980-1984)
Zack Hudson, 28 (2013-)
Round 2 playoff games:
12/5/1970, beat Windthorst, 22-0 11/22/1985, beat Grand Saline, 18-0 11/24/1989, beat Electra, 17-9 11/23/1990, tied Olney, 10-10 (tied on penetrations, advanced on first downs) 11/19/1998, lost to Boyd, 28-13 11/22/2003, lost to Maypearl, 21-14 11/19/2010, lost to New Boston, 35-0 11/21/2014, beat Hughes Springs, 50-32 11/20/2015, lost to West Rusk, 31-14
On this day in Bulldogs History
Howe is 1-2 on games played on Nov. 18. In 2000, the ‘Dogs lost the only playoff game played on this date. It turned out to be Davey DuBose’s final game as head coach of Howe.
1938, Howe beat Collinsville, 27-0 at Bulldog Stadium 1966, S&S beat Howe, 34-0 at Bulldog Stadium 2000, Farmersville beat Howe, 20-17 in bi-district at Denton ISD Stadium
