Beautifying our community is an acknowledged goal of the City of Baytown, with trash abatement being a significant priority. In 2000, Baytown initiated an Adopt-A-Street program in conjunction with the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Adopt-a-Highway program. Seventeen local groups were soon participating in the program with Adopt-A-Street signs being seen throughout the city.
Adopt-A-Street participants: Baytown City Council, Municipal Court’s R.A.P. Program,
Enichem Americas, Inc., Cici’s Pizza, Luby’s Cafeteria, Fair Park Neighborhood Watch
Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement Center, Presley Ventures, Lee High Interact Club, Sterling High Interact Club, Baytown Youth Organization, Bayer, Grace United Methodist Church, Seal-Pac, Environmental Health Specialties, and St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.
Due to the program’s success, in 2008, it was expanded into the current “Adopt-A-Site” program. No longer limited to streets, almost any public property within the city limits can be “adopted” by groups or individuals. “Sites” may include roadways, city and neighborhood parks and subdivisions throughout Baytown.
In order to recognize project participants, signs identifying a site’s sponsor are being erected for roadways of at least one mile and sites of at least three acres. Certificates of appreciation are awarded to sponsors of shorter roadways and smaller areas.
Since the program’s expansion, several additional groups and/or individuals have elected to participate in the Adopt-A-Site program: JoAnne and Kelly Martin; Friends of Cedar Bayou United; Mandy Poehl; SealPac; Kathy Nelson; Frank’s Collision Repair; anonymous; GCCISD Special Olympics/Second Baptist Church Youth; Sunnybrook Clean Machine; BOP Homeowners Association; the Medina Family; LCY Elastomers and Trophy Barber Shop. Others have requested and received materials to begin the program.
The Adopt-A-Site program is overseen by the City of Baytown through a joint endeavor of the Baytown Health Dept and Adopt-A-Site sub committee of the Baytown Beautification Advisory Commission. Participants are provided materials when they join the program. They agree to clear trash in their area quarterly for two years.
Official sponsor groups are not the only ones who can help keep our City clean. TxDOT encourages individuals to report those seen littering by calling 1-888-839-8683 or by going to their website at www.dontmesswithtexas.org. Select “Report a Litterer” on the left of the screen and complete their simple form. You will need to have the litterer’s vehicle license plate number, day, time and what was left on the roadway.
If you or your organization wants to help beautify Baytown, getting involved in our Adopt-A-Site program is easy. Download the program forms from the City of Baytown’s website at http://www.baytown.org/public/beautification/default.htm or call the Baytown Health Department at 281-420-5384.