Bay Area Edition | November 2024

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Bay Area Edition VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4 NOV. 26DEC. 27, 2024

Funding coastal protection

Kelly Burks-Copes (left), project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Sarah Purdon (right), Coastal Texas Project manager for the Texas General Land Oce, survey the area where Ecosystem Restoration feature G28 will be built. The improvements are the rst portion of the Coastal Texas Project to be funded.

RACHEL LELANDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

After active hurricane season, Coastal Texas Project waits for more federal funding

the project, former GCPD Executive Director Nicole Sunstrum said. Despite this, she said some develop- ments from 2024 could help things move forward. “It can be frustrating that we don’t see more action on the federal side, but the size of this project is unprecedented,” Sunstrum said.

hurricanes, according to documents from the Gulf Coast Protection District, or GCPD. Construction, however, has yet to start, and o- cials with the various agencies associated with the project, which runs down the Texas coast, believe it could take a couple more years for work to begin. Lack of funding, particularly from the federal government, has been the key challenge in starting

BY RACHEL LELAND & JAMES T. NORMAN

In the 16 years since Hurricane Ike made landfall in Galveston as a Category 2 hurricane, ocials have laid the groundwork for a robust coastal defense project to the tune of $34 billion. The project will include a number of components that could protect the coast against storms and

CONTINUED ON 22

Also in this issue

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Education: Read why Clear Creek ISD ocials want to extend the length of term limits for board trustees (Page 12)

Development: Find out what the groundbreaking of the Texas A&M Space Institute will mean for future space projects (Page 20)

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Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity. About Community Impact

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Impacts

• Opened Nov. 2 • 4628 E. NASA Parkway, Seabrook • www.spacecitycow.com

4 Novelli’s Deli & Sports Bar The restaurant serves hot sandwiches, pizza, wings and beer, among other items. • Opened Nov. 2 • 3209 Hwy. 3, Dickinson • Facebook: Novelli’s Deli & Sports Bar 5 Spice Wing The restaurant’s menu includes wing combos in a variety of flavors, such as citrus chipotle barbecue, garlic parmesan, hot honey lemon pepper and mango habanero. Other menu items include chicken and waffle plates, chicken sandwiches and appetizers, such as fried pickles, onion rings and jalapeno poppers. • Opened Oct. 22 • 400 W. Bay Area Blvd., Ste. F, Webster • www.spicewing.com 6 Vida Mariscos The restaurant serves ceviche, empanadas, tostadas, oysters, enchiladas and tacos, among other items. • Opened Oct. 25 • 210 Osprey Drive, Webster • www.vidamariscos.com 7 Bobablastic The bubble tea shop sells over 50 drinks with topping combinations, including hot, creamy, iced and blended teas, along with ice cream floats and lemonade, among other menu items. • Opened Oct. 4 • 1835 W. Bay Area Blvd., Webster • www.bobablastic.com 8 Dumpling World The shop, which serves steam dumplings, pan-fried dumplings and pot stickers, has two other locations in Sugar Land and Austin. • Opened Oct. 14 • 16630 El Camino Real, Houston • www.dumplingworldtx.com

ARMAND BAYOU NATURE CENTER

Seabrook

2351

CLEAR LAKE

146

GALVESTON BAY

BAYBROOK MALL DR.

Nassau Bay

KINGS ROW

518

528

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FLYWAY DR.

Webster

JASMINE AVE.

OSPREY DR.

646

WALKER ST.

League City

517

4 19

517

2 Luxe Wellness and Aesthetics The medspa will offer services such as botox, dermal fillers, PRP fillers, IV drip therapy, microneedling and microdermabrasion. • Opened Oct. 24 • 1108 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 240, League City • www.luxewellnessmedspa.com 3 Space City Cow The business offers over 180 unique ice cream flavors such as Mexican hot chocolate, vanilla cherry swirl and banana pudding.

Now open

1 Cosmic Air Adventure Park & Arcade The family-centered entertainment venue features a trampoline park, immersive video games and concessions with items including pizzas, chicken tenders, cheese sticks, fries and hot dogs. Wine and beer are also available for parents. • Opened Nov. 2 • 19801 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 800, Webster • www.cosmicairpark.com

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9 Planet Beach The spa offers services such as massages, sunless spray tans, anti-aging skincare and weight management. • Opened Nov. 15 • 1804 FM 646 Road, Ste. E, League City • www.planetbeach.com 10 Tiny Cantina The business serves margaritas, daiquiris, seltzers, ciders and beer, among other items. • Opened Oct. 4 • 500 Baybrook Mall Drive, Friendswood • www.tinycantinaus.com

Now open

Coming soon

15 Lobster & Beer The California-based, counter-service seafood restaurant and bar serves a lobster-centric menu featuring lobster rolls, lobster macaroni and cheese, and craft cocktails. The menu also includes soups, salads, rice bowls and shareable appetizers, such as drunken mussels, nachos and jalapeno crab dip. • Opened Oct. 28 • 20801 Gulf Freeway, Ste. 24, Webster • Instagram: Lobster Beer NASA

18 Andretti Indoor Karting & Games The entertainment venue will offer indoor go- karts, ropes courses, laser tag, mini-golf and arcade games, among other attractions. The business has locations across Texas, as well as Georgia, Florida and Arizona. It has six other locations planned as well. • Opening spring 2026

11 Angry Chickz The chicken joint will offer chicken sandwiches, sliders, tenders and bowls filled with rice, macaroni and cheese, french fries, slaw or pickles. • Opening early 2025 • 18207 Egret Bay Blvd., Webster • www.angrychickz.com

• 1307 Jasmine Ave., Webster • www.andrettikarting.com

In the news

12 East Bay Emporium Formerly known as Alvin Antique Center and Marketplace, the business moved from Alvin to Webster in October. It offers vintage goods and other unique collectables. • 1121 W. NASA Parkway, Webster • www.eastbayemporium.com 13 Lifestyle Health and Wellness The med spa relocated to a new spot near Webster at the beginning of September to get more business, the owner said. • 18096 Kings Row, Ste. A, Houston • 409-370-3770 14 Chick-fil-A The business’ location in Dickinson reopened Oct. 22

after closing for renovations in early July. • 1640 FM 646 Road W., Dickinson • www.chick-fil-a.com

19 Roma Pizza The restaurant opened in Dickinson on Oct. 11 after relocating from League City in July. It serves cheese, barbeque, buffalo spicy, chicken ranch, meat lovers and veggie pizzas, among other menu items.

16 Sole’d Out The business relocated from Friendswood to League City and held its grand opening Nov. 3. The store sells sneakers and streetwear brands. • 2800 W. Main St., Ste. B, League City • www.soledoutftx.com 17 The Heights of League City The nursing facility is now owned by San Antonio-based Touchstone Communities. It provides care for veterans,

• 3023 FM 517 Road E., Dickinson • Instagram: Roma Pizza Dickinson

Closings

20 Donut Distillery The business served donuts, coffee, teas and ice cream, among other menu items. It opened in 2023. • Closed Oct. 26 • 1507 W. Bay Area Blvd., Ste. A, Webster • www.donutdistillery.com

residents and families in the area. • 2620 W. Walker St., League City • www.touchstone-communities.com

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BAY AREA EDITION

Government

CCISD school liaison officers receive 3% raise Roughly three months after Galveston County gave the go-ahead, Clear Creek ISD finalized a 3% increase in pay for its school liaison officers, or SLOs. The overview CCISD approved the increase at its Oct. 28 meeting, which came three months after Galves- ton County did so in August. Compensation for each SLO is calculated according to their individual career path step and corresponding salary grade or step, accord- ing to Galveston County Commissioners Court documents. Salaries for both SLOs and the SLO administra- tive assistant are funded by the county, as well as the new 3% compensation, CCISD documents show. CCISD will not make any financial contribu- tion toward the increases.

Animal shelter asks for food donations The League City Animal Care & Adoption Center is asking for pet food donations amid capacity challenges and its community pet pantry program running low. What you need to know Officials from the animal shelter in an Oct. 17 social media post asked the public for pet food donations for its community pet pantry program, which provides food for commu- nity members fostering pets. All brands and types of pet food are accepted as long as they are sealed, accord- ing to the post. Donations can be dropped off at the shelter during business hours, in the bins outside the building after hours or shipped directly to the shelter’s address at 755 W. Walker St., League City.

SLO responsibilities • Conduct investigations of certain criminal violations that occur on CCISD property • Patrol the boundaries of CCISD campuses to control narcotic or alcohol sale and use • Work with faculty, administration, student body and parents to teach about and detect the presence and dangers of narcotics and alcohol • Act as educational resources for the criminal justice system and its operation in society • Provide security on CCISD campuses to prevent theft, trespassing and intrusion • Respond to night and/or weekend calls when CCISD buildings are found opened or unlawfully entered

$51,250 to over $93,800 is the range of salaries for SLOs 3% compensation increase

47 SLOs at CCISD $130,500 in additional cost to county

SOURCES: CLEAR CREEK ISD, GALVESTON COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

BY RACHEL LELAND, EMILY LINCKE & HALEY VELASCO

County awards $18.9M to charity projects On Oct. 29, Harris County commissioners voted to designate $18.9 million in federal funds for 22 local nonprofit organizations. Two-minute impact Funded by the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, the funds can be used to increase the organi- zations’ program capacity by improving facilities or outreach efforts. The county’s contract began Nov. 1 and will run through Sept. 20, 2026, according to Oct. 29 meeting documents. Nine organizations in Precinct 1 and eight organizations in Precinct 2 received funding for their projects. Meanwhile, Precincts 3 and 4 dedicated funding to two separate projects each and one joint project together. Looking back In 2021, the U.S. Treasury allocated $915 million

Animal rescue to help county shelter pets ThisIsHouston, an animal rescue, can now provide veterinary care to found pets at Harris County’s animal shelter, follow- ing a contract approval by Harris County commissioners on Oct. 29. About the program State regulations require Harris County Pets—the county’s animal shelter—to hold found dogs or cats for three days so their owner can claim them, according to Oct. 29 meeting documents. Veterinary care during the waiting period—and the cost of care—will now be the responsibility of ThisIsHouston. Put in perspective The contract is expected to help Harris County Pets with ongoing capacity issues.

5 largest Harris County nonprofit donations made Oct. 29

Kids Meals, Inc. (provides meals to preschool-aged children)

$3.5M

Memorial Assistance Ministries (offers programs promoting family stability)

$2.08M

TOMAGWA HealthCare Ministries (provides health care to under/uninsured)

$1.44M

HOPE Clinic (provides health care to under/uninsured)

$1.53M

Ibn Sina Foundation (provides health care to under/uninsured)

$1.12M

SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY, NONPROFITS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds under ARPA to Harris County. Commissioners have until the end of 2024 to fully obligate the remainder of its $915 million in federal funding.

Election

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

After securing Galveston County sheri race, Fullen looks to avoid penalties

L I V E T H E B A Y L I F E

With Jimmy Fullen winning the race for Galveston County sheri, attention will now turn to a hearing expected at some point in 2025 to determine if he will face penalties for allegedly falsifying information related to his job. Current situation Galveston County election results from the Nov. 5 election were ocial as of Nov. 14 and showed Fullen, a Republican, with nearly 62% of the vote in the race for Galveston County sheri. He received 94,870 votes . Fullen is on track to be sworn in early next year as sheri, according to county documents. That will be followed later in the year by a hearing that will recommend whether or not to revoke his peace ocer license, ocials said. However, legal questions surround the upcoming hearing, ocials said. Texas code states the peace ocer license of an elected ocial, such as a sheri, can’t be revoked except for

Jimmy Fullen

Fullen has since appealed the decision and will have a hearing with the Texas State Oce of Administrative Hearings, or SOAH. The hearing was originally scheduled for Jan. 14 but parties in the case requested to move it back in October, according to lings from SOAH. The parties have until Dec. 6 to come up with agreed dates. Explained Texas code states “a person is not eligible to serve as sheri unless the person ... holds an active permanent peace ocer license.” However, that is complicated by state statute that allows TCOLE to revoke the license of an elected ocer only if they are convicted of a felony or the case involves a criminal oense related to the job. Fullen’s case is not a criminal one, said Gretchen Grigsby, director of the oce of government relations for TCOLE. Even if Fullen’s license could not be revoked, a lesser penalty, such as a suspension, is still possible but would not result in his removal or aect his author- ity, Grigsby said. Fullen did not respond to requests for comment by press time on Nov. 19.

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In June, the Texas Commis- sion on Law Enforcement, or TCOLE, led a petition to begin the process of revoking Fullen’s license. In lings, ocials stated he failed to disclose information, gave false information or omitted information based on: • His job experience • Being disciplined at work • Accusations of discrimination • Having written complaints about him at work • Failing to disclose prior arrests

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BY RACHEL LELAND

Crews, Hicks share goals for term after winning re-election undeveloped land, most of which lays on the city’s west side, and prepare for an inux of commercial and residential growth following the development of Grand Parkway through League City.

On Nov. 5, League City voters re-elected incum- bents Tom Crews and Justin Hicks to League City City Council positions 3 and 5, respectively. Ocial results as of Nov. 14 show Crews with 23,327 votes to challenger Scott Higginbotham’s 22,912 votes , according to Galveston County. Hicks received 23,981 votes to challenger Joe Italiano’s 20,447 votes . Council member Courtney Chadwell ran unop- posed for Position 4. In their own words Crews said he wants to focus on getting street lights installed in League City on Marina Bay Drive. “I started last year. It got voted down,” he said. “Somebody’s got to do it.” Hicks said he hopes to improve the city’s rep- utation among developers to continue to attract interest and support the city’s growth. This comes as the city seeks to develop its remaining 40% of

Hicks said he hopes to create a more ecient model for the city to work with developers. “I’m working on the customer service model side of it, because ... for people to generate economic growth for our city, ... time is money,” Hicks said. “If we’re lacking signicantly in the permitting process, we’re just turning away what would be benecial to the city.” What else? Crews added that he’d also like to see the city enter a partnership with ride-sharing apps like Uber to oer public transportation. The city of Kyle entered a similar partnership with Uber in October 2021 where customers in Kyle would only pay the rst $3.14 of any Uber ride

Tom Crews

Justin Hicks

as long as the ride starts and ends in Kyle, Commu- nity Impact reported. “There’s a lot of logistics that go into it, but that is something I’d like to get done in the next four years,” Crews said. Hicks also said he wants to attract more com- mercial development to the city’s west side ahead of the Grand Parkway’s development. “We have to make sure that we land commer- cial tax-carrying businesses out there,” Hicks said. “I would like to have that done before they start laying that road out there.”

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Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

CCISD seeks longer terms

Next steps

The backstory

Board member Scott Bowen said at the workshop that the Legislative Affairs and External Affairs Committee members discussed when it would be most ideal time to start the new election system to “cause the least disruption.” “It seemed like having one more even-number election in 2026 allows us to have the fewest truncated and extended terms in order to get everybody on the new schedule,” Bowen said. “We would want to write it so that we would not pass our resolution until after the [2026] election, but get it in time for [2027] and then go ‘27, ‘29, ‘31, onward.”

The district first discussed the potential change at its September Legislative Affairs and External Affairs Committee meeting. This committee meets with district administration to review and prepare recommendations for fed- eral, state and local legislative issues, according to district documents. The committee is a standing board committee that consists of three members in active legisla- tive years. In nonactive legislative years, those members include two board members and one alternate, according to district documents. During CCISD’s board election in May, Harris County was not able to administer elections for CCISD due to it being the year of a presidential election, Sarmecanic said. “After an election recount and election contest, we’re really moving in that direction of wanting the counties to run the elections, but especially during a presidential election year … Harris County did not have the bandwidth … to administer the election for us, so [it put] us in the position of having to run our own election,” Sarmecanic said. In the 88th legislative session in 2023, the state passed a bill to increase the board term length for another school district in Collin County, Sarmecanic said. This bill, titled as House Bill 2285, was tailored to the district’s population. Sarmecanic said a bill for CCISD would do the same thing but for Galveston County and League City. Sarmecanic also said if approved by the state, district officials believe a bill for CCISD would be best to allow the district to have elections during odd-numbered years during primary elections in May.

At its Oct. 14 meeting, Clear Creek ISD’s board of trustees unanimously approved allowing Superintendent Karen Engle to seek legislative approval for an increase in the length of CCISD’s board terms. This would bring term lengths for board members from three years to four years, according to district documents. The Texas Education Code allows trustees of independent school districts to serve three- or four-year terms. At the Oct. 14 board workshop, CCISD’s General Counsel Leila Sarmecanic said having elections every year is costly. District agenda documents note increasing the trustee term length of three years to four years “would promote stability and save time and money by only requiring the district to conduct elections every other year instead of every year.”

What could happen next

January 2025 Superintendent Engle seeks legislative action to increase board member term lengths 2025-2026 Legislators consider increasing board member term lengths for CCISD 2025-2026 If the district receives a resolution from the state, the board will consider increasing term lengths. 2027 Board terms would be increased to four years if approved. Elections will be held biennially.

Clear Creek ISD cost to run elections

$445,772

+299%

$160,847

$111,730

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

SOURCE: CLEAR CREEK ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

Clear Creek ISD reviews educational outcomes Clear Creek ISD officials reviewed beginning-of- year assessment results to reflect on the progress of academic success within the district at the board of trustees Oct. 14 workshop. What you need to know At the beginning of the year, CCISD tests elementary grades in reading and language arts, or RLA, and math. In both courses, students improved from year-to-year, except for kinder- garteners in language arts, which saw a decline in scores compared to the 2023-24 school year, according to district documents and data. Trustee Scott Bowen said he felt like learning loss from summer could be reason why some students, particularly in math, are under goal entering into the next grade. “If ... we’re seeing that fall-off then maybe that should inform some of our actions,” Bowen said.

Health advisory committee coming to Clear Creek ISD The School Health Advisory Council, or SHAC, was approved at Clear Creek ISD’s board of trustees’ Oct. 14 meeting. The full story SHAC is a group of 15 district and commu- nity members tasked “to ensure that CCISD’s school health programs reflect local commu- nity values,” per district agenda documents. The board, which will meet in December, February and April, is tasked with making policy related to student physical activity; recommending appropriate ways to teach sexual education; developing strategies for mental health, substance prevention abuse and child nutrition; and increasing parental awareness, documents show.

CCISD benchmark math scores

2023-24

2024-25

2 3 4 5

NOTE: MATH SCORES ARE ON A SCALE OF 0.0-5.0, WITH STUDENTS EXPECTED TO GAIN ONE POINT AT EACH GRADE LEVEL.

CCISD benchmark RLA scores

2023-24

2024-25

80%

60%

40%

20%

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

SOURCE: CLEAR CREEK ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Trustees approve chiller, HVAC, capital projects Clear Creek ISD is continuing a slate of bond projects with nearly $3 million set aside for chillers; heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC; and capital improvement projects. The gist district documents. The replacement will take about 32 weeks. The 2023 bond will also pay for the replacement of HVAC units at numerous campuses, which were

Other bond projects

$28,000 to replace the remaining 32 LED pendant fixtures at McWhirter Elementary, which have reached their lifespan $155,895 for testing, adjusting and balancing of mechanical equipment at Space Center Intermediate

not listed in district agenda documents. The total cost for the HVAC units will be $2.08 million , and will be completed in late July 2025, according to district documents.

$22,000 for parking lot improvements for the front of Clear Lake High School

Chillers will be replaced at Clear Creek High School, amounting to nearly $306,000 paid through the district’s 2023 bond, according to

SOURCE: CLEAR CREEK ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

BAY AREA EDITION

Events

BY ASIA ARMOUR

November

Nutcracker in the Park This holiday vendor market at League Park features local crafters and owners, family-friendly activities and ballet lessons with real Nutcracker ballerinas. • Nov. 30, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. • Free (admission) • League Park, 512 2nd St., League City • www.leaguecityholidays.com

December

Crafting Cultures This event at Helen Hall Library will have attendees explore a variety of cultures through hands-on activities, crafts, stories and fun facts. • Dec. 5 and Dec. 19, 6-7 p.m. • Free (admission) • 100 W. Walker St., League City • www.leaguecitylibrary.org Holiday in the Park This three-day, family-friendly event takes place at League Park and is hosted by The League City Proud Organization. It features holiday shopping, food vendors, entertainment and three parades, including the Grand Night Parade—one of the largest holiday parades in Galveston County. • Dec. 6, 5-9 p.m.; Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Dec. 8, noon-5 p.m. • Free (admission) 2024 Chili Chase The Galveston Bay Sailing Association concludes its fall racing series with this chili cooking competition, which is sponsored by Cruzan Rum. Participants will present their chili, either made during the race or ashore, for awards from the organization. • Dec. 7, 10 a.m. • $40 (registration) • 1500 Marina Bay Drive, Ste. 113B, League City • www.gbca.org • 512 2nd St., League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov

Galaxy Lights Space Center Houston hosts this holiday season exhibit until Jan. 5. It features a space-themed holiday light show. The exhibit is closed on select dates throughout the month. See their website for more details. • Nov. 16-Jan. 5, 6-10 p.m. • $19.95-$27.95, free (kids ages 3 and under) • 1601 E. NASA Parkway, Houston • www.spacecenter.org/galaxy-lights

Holiday Tree Lighting The official League City tree lighting ceremony takes place at League Park and will feature hot chocolate, live music and a free League City commemorative ornament for attendees.

• Dec. 1, 6-7 p.m. • Free (admission) • 512 2nd St., League City • www.leaguecityholidays.com

Breakfast with Santa Attendees can come to Hometown Heroes Park to enjoy photo opportunities with Santa Claus, activities, giveaways and a pancake breakfast at this event. • Dec. 14, 8-10:30 a.m. • $20 (residents), $30 (nonresidents) • 1001 E. League City Parkway, League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov Kwanzaa Celebration This event at Helen Hall Library kicks off the week- long celebration of Kwanzaa, which highlights African American culture, history and values. The event will feature crafts, stories and activities. • Dec. 26, 10:30 a.m.-noon • Free (admission)

• 100 W. Walker St., League City • www.leaguecitytx.gov

Hanukkah Lights This Helen Hall Library event celebrates Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that comes from the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and is also known as the Festival of Lights. The event will feature games, activities and crafts. • Dec. 27, 10:30 a.m.-noon • Free (admission) • 100 W. Walker St., League City • www.leaguecitylibrary.org

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d d

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BAY AREA 1033 Bay Area Blvd (281) 486-9558

KEMAH 243 FM 2094 (281) 538-9095

LEAGUE CITY 196 Gulf Fwy S (281) 316-2140

SEABROOK 3126 Nasa Pkwy (281) 326-5127

Transportation

BY RACHEL LELAND

League City officials approved the city’s master mobility plan to help guide how it develops its existing and future roadways. The plan, approved Oct. 22, outlines steps for improving the city’s transportation systems while also preserving existing street infrastructure. League City updates mobility plan

What else?

Council member Tommy Cones asked city staff if the plan would recommend any development along Main Street, or FM 518. Christopher Sims, executive director of development services for League City, said the plan showed that Main Street would need to be expanded to six lanes in the future. Currently, it’s five total lanes with a left-turn lane in the center. According to the plan, respondents saw the corridor on Main Street between Bay Area Boulevard and Landing Boulevard, near Clear Springs High School, as potentially hazardous to students walking to or from school. “It is not shown in our capital recovery fees as a near-term project,” Sims said. “It’s still a long-range project.”

The city updates its mobility plan every five years, according to city documents. It comes as the city is expected to double in population over the next 10-15 years, according to the plan. The plan includes more than 70 street projects, and recommends corridor studies for major thoroughfares, according to city documents.

LANDING BLVD.

League City road projects for next five years League City will work on dozens of roads over the next several years as part of the city’s master mobility plan, with much of it planned on the city’s west side. This map is approximate and not comprehensive.

NEW ROAD "M"

ERVIN ST.

MULDOON PKWY.

MAGNOLIA BAYOU

Extensions New roads

517

SOURCE: LEAGUE CITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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BAY AREA EDITION

Development

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Texas A&M Space Institute breaks ground outside Johnson Space Center

The details

With several space-related missions planned in the coming years, ocials hope the park can help solve several issues prior to sending humans to space. The park will assist with: • Bolstering the economy • Assisting in building professional pipelines • Experiments and tests related to space explora- tion, including in robotics, aeronautics, simula- tions and habitats Among the lunar and Mars scape, the facility will include garages for tenants to work out of, observation decks for each scape and an audito- rium on the third oor for presentations, according to site plan documents.

The project is the rst of several to come to Johnson Space Center’s new Exploration Park, which will take up more than 200 acres outside the fence of the facility, ocials said. Texas A&M University Chancellor John Sharp at the ceremony called it “a place where robots can run free.” NASA’s Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche emphasized at a program prior to the groundbreaking the importance of the role the park will play in future space projects. She also underscored the private and public partnerships that are anticipated as part of the project. “When we go to the moon this time, our intent is to do it dierently,” Wyche said. “We’re going to be doing it with international partners, commercial partners, as well as with the government and academia.”

Multiple Bay Area and state ocials were on hand Nov. 15 to break ground on the long- anticipated Texas A&M University Space Institute, which will be the centerpiece of the new Exploration Park at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The groundbreaking was the precursor to construction starting in January on the space institute, which, in several ways, will be the rst of its kind in the United States, Community Impact previously reported. Among a litany of private, public and academic partners set to move into the park in the coming years, Texas A&M through the institute will be the rst tenant, ocials said. Texas A&M’s new space institute will be four stories and house the world’s largest climate- controlled lunar scape and Mars scape, Community Impact previously reported.

$200 million cost for space institute 32 acres for space institute 200+ acres for Exploration Park 22 months to build

SOURCES: NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, TEXAS A&MCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Stay tuned

NASA has plans for a slate of space- based missions in the coming years, such as the Artemis missions. Those missions will include putting astronauts in orbit around the moon and landing humans near the lunar South Pole, Wyche said. June 2023 House Bill 3447 passes, providing $350M to space-related developments February 2024 NASA and Texas A&M sign lease for space institute March 2024 Texas Space Commission members announced November 2024 Space institute breaks ground 2025 Artemis II space mission planned 2026 Artemis III space mission planned Late 2026 Space institute opens

The $200 million Texas A&M Space Institute is expected to be built out in late 2026.

PHOTOS & RENDERINGS COURTESY TEXAS A&M

The Mars scape will simulate what it’s like to be on the surface of Mars in a climate-controlled setting.

Space Institute Director Nancy Currie-Gregg plants a Texas A&M ag on Nov. 15 at the construction site.

SOURCES: NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, TEXAS A&M COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Development

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Nature center receives expansion Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pas- adena is getting more than 1,000 acres added onto it after Harris County officials announced a new agreement in a Nov. 1

Undeveloped areas

Grand Parkway

16,000 estimated residents on west side by 2030 5,000 estimated jobs on west side by 2030 3,500 acres of land being considered 2031 expected completion of Grand Parkway

517

WHEELER LN.

CEMETERY RD.

League City

news release. The full story

SOURCE: LEAGUE CITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

League City opens survey for west side master plan

The addition, totaling 1,137 acres, marks one of the largest land conservation deals in Harris County’s recent history. It will enhance the county’s flood mitigation in the area and preserve green space, officials said in the release. Armand Bayou Nature Center is one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the country, according to its website. It features educational resources, field trips, hiking trails and is home to 370 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

coming, including Grand Parkway, which will connect to Hwy. 35, run through the west side of town and end at I-45, documents show. Stay tuned The survey will be open for residents until Dec. 5, according to city documents. Once it closes, the city will begin looking at citizen input and reviewing the plan. The hope is to have the plan approved by April.

A survey for residents to share thoughts on League City’s proposed plan for developing the west side of town opened Nov. 12. What readers need to know To deal with the coming growth and develop- ment, the city is working on a master plan for the area, which remains mostly undeveloped. The goal of the plan is to help create a guide for development and prepare for a number of projects

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BAY AREA EDITION

Funding coastal protection From the cover

The overview

In May, the Army Civil Works Program Fiscal Year 2024 Work Plan allocated $500,000 for preconstruction and design of the first segment of work for the Coastal Texas Project at Bolivar Peninsula and the Galveston Bay. This slate of improvements, also called the Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System, or the “Ike Dike,” will include components that could help defend both the bay and the Gulf in the Galveston area, according to GCPD documents. The system is part of more than a dozen projects that could line the Texas coast from Galveston to South Padre Island, according to documents from the project’s website. All the projects in their totality will cost around $34 billion, with the Galveston-area projects taking up the bulk of funds, Sunstrum said. The $500,000, which will be used to design the ecosystem restoration portions of the project, could open it up to additional funding, said Kelly Burks-Copes, project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “It’s not necessarily the amount of money but … more about where it puts you in the process,” said Sunstrum, who left the GCPD on Nov. 15. Despite this, officials said they’re waiting on the federal government to help with said funding. Once that funding does come through, project documents show it could take more than a decade to build the system, which Sunstrum and others have called the largest infrastructure project in the history of the United States. Texas House Rep. Dennis Paul, R-Clear Lake, said the goal is to build it before another major storm hits. “Sitting around waiting for Washington to act after an event is not what we want,” Paul said.

Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System 1 Bolivar Roads Gate System ($19B) Designed to be open year-round, two 82-foot-tall gates spanning the channel will close during a storm surge to limit the inflow of water. Officials estimate it could reduce the surge by 30%-60%. This is the centerpiece of the project. 2 Galveston Ring Barrier System and seawall improvements ($4.2B) This is a system of floodwalls, gates, pump stations and levee sections that will protect nearly 16 square miles of Galveston. 3 Dickinson and Clear Lake gate system ($3B) This gate system will be built between Seabrook and Kemah between Clear Lake and Trinity Bay. Pumping stations will also accompany this part of the project. Ecosystem restoration ($3.1B) Meant to protect against erosion and harming local habitats, this includes environmental elements, such as beach and island restoration, building up marshes, bringing in native plants and rebuilding oyster habitats. Bolivar and West Galveston Beach and Dune system ($4.4B) This addresses beach erosion further and calls for a pair of beach and dune systems totaling more than 40 miles in length.

BOLIVAR ISLAND

GALVESTON ISLAND

GALVESTON BAY

146

TRINITY BAY

GALVESTON BAY

GALVESTON ISLAND

GALVESTON BAY

GULF OF MEXICO

SOURCE: GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

6640 South Shore Blvd., Suite 100 League City, TX 77573 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org

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