HOUSTON -- Along the edges of the Hogg Bird Sanctuary Park, attached to Memorial Park, homeowners are nibbling away at what should be left to nature.

It’s an area that is supposed to be left alone.

“It needs to be protected. It needs to be protected and they’re not protecting it,” said area homeowner Katy Emde.

She showed off areas where one of her neighbors has turned the bird sanctuary into a backyard—mowing right past the boundary.

She’s made the same complaint before and the parks department sent letters.

Once 11 News asked about it, the city did something similar Tuesday.

11 News photo

“It seems this year we have one individual who has cut crews, cut a little further we contacted him today talked with him and he’s going to instruct them not to cut that much into the park anymore,” said William “Joe” Turner. He’s with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

But some city leaders are beginning to wonder why the bird sanctuary doesn’t seem to be sacred.

Earlier this year the parks department considered letting a construction company park heavy equipment in the area.

That could threaten the entire park’s charter which says the land must be preserved.

“If we allow any encroachments in the Hogg bird sanctuary we could potentially lose all of Memorial Park,” said Houston City Councilwoman Pam Holm.

“The parks department doesn’t seem to be really thinking about what’s going on here,” said Emde.

Now Emde is watching the birds and the neighbors.

And the city is taking another look at the park’s charter to see just what the rules are.