Houston Zoo

[TXBO]

Houston Zoo removes 30.06 signage.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas ... 503473.php

[ELB]

Yeah! One down, two zoos to go.

Walker planned on taking his complaint to the Office of the Texas Attorney General before the city stepped in.

By Sunday, the signs were gone.

On Monday, zoo officials said in a statement that they were "investigating the legal implications of the request" as they honored it in the meantime.

However, the fact that they are "investigating" makes me think the sign removal was only a tactical move...while they go apply for their child care or amusement park licenses.

[ScottDLS]

Houston Zoo < 75 acres, so Amusement Park designation is a fail under 46.035. I'm not sure how being a Day Care Center would help them unless they think it makes them a school.

[winters]

I never considered their sign legal in the first place. And second they probably removed it so they wouldn't have to pay a fine. They if they think they are so in the right to have it then why did they take it down?

Does the city really own the land or does TMC? Most of the medical center land is owned by TMC.

[Abraham]

"However, the fact that they are "investigating" makes me think the sign removal was only a tactical move..."

Or, a face saving one...with nothing further...

[Keith B]

They will look for any loopholes, but they won't be able to find any unless they can get certified as an educational institution.

[Vol Texan]

I feel the need for a little Freddie Mercury right now.



I might just have to renew our family's Houston Zoo membership.

[Charles L. Cotton]

They will look for any loopholes, but they won't be able to find any unless they can get certified as an educational institution.

They aren't an "educational institution" so there won't be any certification forthcoming.

Chas.

[ELB]

.... I'm not sure how being a Day Care Center would help them unless they think it makes them a school.

I dunno either, but it apparently didn't stop the Ft Worth zoo from setting up one. At least it will keep their paper-pushers busy!

[ScottDLS]

Next up....they are a Hospital Government owned Church? Let's violate the 1st (establishment clause) and the second while we're at it!

[DanD]

I was curious what it would take to establish a school and I ran across the Texas Education Code, which is 2927 pages long. After scanning through the first 100 pages or so I gave up reading. It appears schools are highly regulated by the state.

Here is the Texas Education Code:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/D ... ONCODE.pdf

Are there any other laws that regulate the formation of a school?

[Keith B]

They will look for any loopholes, but they won't be able to find any unless they can get certified as an educational institution.

They aren't an "educational institution" so there won't be any certification forthcoming.

Chas.

What I should have said was 'unless they try to get certified as an educational institution' which they won't. I was trying to be facetious and failed.

[EEllis]

They if they think they are so in the right to have it then why did they take it down?

Does the city really own the land or does TMC? Most of the medical center land is owned by TMC.

The were told to take it down by the City.

The city owns the land donated out of the old Herman estate, and TMC owns little to nothing they are a business district, an organization of many different groups not an independent organization.Most of the hospitals own their own land and buildings.

Old George Hermann donated most of the land for Hermann park, he saw central park in NYC when traveling and thought Houston should have a park like that, and after his death Houston got more land for the park and over 2 mill to build and maintain a hospital. GH really had a thing about what he saw as outrageous doctor fees.

The land "behind" The old Hermann Hospital was not part of the original land given for the park or the hospital but was sold to the city by the gov son Stephen Hogg in the '20s. When M.D. Anderson died he started a foundation to promote science and medical research. They bought 134 acres of swamp behind the hospital and gave the U of T land and money to establish a hospital for cancer research with the stipulation of naming it for Mr. Anderson. They also cut a deal with Baylor for them to move their medical school to houston which they split the school and moved part of it to houston in 43. They then approached the Methodist Hospital and promised lands and funds if they moved their hospital. So on and so forth. So they didn't hold the lands but gave them out to organizations to get them to move to the med center.

[ELB]

Houston Zoo made Instapundit,

CIVIL RIGHTS UPDATE: Houston Zoo forced to remove “No Guns” signs.

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/214532/

The article he linked to, from CBS News, makes no mention of the law that's driving the Zoo's compliance. And of course CBS positions three people complaining about guns in zoos higher up in the article, with only a couple supporting comments at the end.

[tomtexan]

Seems as if MDA is not happy with it.