Pearland - Friendswood Edition | May 2023

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PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

VOLUME 9, ISSUE 6 MAY 16JUNE 12, 2023

The Houston Spaceport along Space Center Boulevard will soon expand and attract more aerospace companies. Part of the planned upgrades is the Aerospace Institute, where local college students will be able to learn how to work aerospace industry jobs. LAUNCH READY TO

Ed Thompson Inclusive Park opens in Pearland McHard Road extension now open to drivers

Transportation updates

School choice bill raises debate over school funding

Education

Local cities examine impact fee increases

Government

RENDERING COURTESY HOUSTON SPACEPORT

Houston Spaceport, museum plan expansions as astronauts prep lunar mission

Pull the newest teaser from CC Libraries

BY JAKE MAGEE

Hammock Koch as well as Cana- dian Space Agency astronaut Jer- emy Hansen are those picked to y around the moon during the Arte- mis 2 mission, which will make way for humans’ return to the lunar sur- face and, eventually, Mars. But as the world looks to the stars,

plenty of space-related develop- ments are occurring on Earth in the Bay Area as well. The Houston Spaceport along Space Center Boulevard in Clear Lake is on the verge of expansion as it lls with aerospace companies. The CONTINUED ON 16

Over 50 years since mankind last walked on the lunar surface, the world now knows the names of the four astronauts who are set to visit the moon in late 2024. NASA astronauts Reid Wise- man, Victor Glover and Christina

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2023

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THIS ISSUE

MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Papar Faircloth SENIOR EDITOR Jake Magee REPORTERS Rachel Leland, Daniel Weeks GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jesus Verastegui ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Lindsay Radenz METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Schaer COPY EDITOR Adrian Gandara SENIOR ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Kaitlin Schmidt CONTACT US 16300 Northwest Freeway Jersey Village, TX 77040 • 2814696181 CI CAREERS communityimpact.com/careers PRESS RELEASES plfnews@communityimpact.com ADVERTISING plfads@communityimpact.com Learn more at communityimpact.com/advertising EMAIL NEWSLETTERS communityimpact.com/newsletter SUPPORT US Join your neighbors by giving to the CI Patron program. Funds support our journalistic mission to provide trusted, local news in your community. Learn more at communityimpact.com/cipatron ABOUT US Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today. We have expanded to include hundreds of team members and have created our own software platform and printing facility. CI delivers 35+ localized editions across Texas to more than 2.5 million residential mailboxes.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH

FROM PAPAR: There are a variety of reasons why the Pearland and Friendswood area continues to appeal to families and homeowners, one of those being the highly desirable public schools in Alvin, Friendswood and Pearland ISDs. Your elected ocials have several bills pertaining to education this legislative session that could change public school systems, from funding to security and even teacher retention. Our story on Page 10 focuses on one of the major education bills lawmakers are working on this legislative session. Papar Faircloth, GENERAL MANAGER

FROM JAKE: Space sure is cool, huh? It’s even sweeter now that we know the astronauts who will y on the Artemis 2 mission to the moon next year. But there’s plenty of space- related news happening on Earth, too, such as planned expansions to the Houston Spaceport—a hub designed for local aerospace companies—and planned upgrades to Space Center Houston, a local museum that gives visitors a close-up look at the Johnson Space Center. Check out our front-page story this month to learn more about all the exciting advancements coming to the area. Jake Magee, SENIOR EDITOR

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WORKING FOR PEARLAND TO TAKE PEARLAND WHERE WE NEED TO GO

“I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF PEARLAND FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE

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PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2023

IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

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NOW OPEN 1 A new Johnson Fitness & Wellness opened at 19010 Gulf Freeway, Friend- swood, in early March. The company recently opened 17 new stores in Texas offering a variety of fitness products. Some of the equipment include treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and other personal fitness staples. Johnson Fitness & Wellness is part of Taiwan-based Johnson Health Tech, which manufactures a range of personal training equipment. 281-488-0076. www.johnsonfitness.com 2 Iron 24 , a 24-hour gym franchise, celebrated its grand opening April 15 at 5070 Broadway St., Pearland. The opening marks the second-ever location for the Pearland-headquartered brand following its first location opening in Conroe earlier this year. Staff at Iron 24 said there is a second Pearland location opening in mid-May at 9330 Broadway St., Ste. A-226. Amenities include fitness equipment, free weights, members-on- 6 MANVEL

ly digital access and an infrared sauna. 832-937-3479. www.gyms.iron24.com/ pearland-tx-us 3 Change Barber Studio opened March 17 at 330 Broadway St., Ste. 404, Pearland, offering barber services like beard grooming and haircuts. No matter what type of service a client requests, each visit begins with a consultation to discuss the client’s preferences and lifestyle to ensure a bespoke result. 346-331-1757. www.changebarberstudio.com 4 Stella’s Fresh Brunch , a new brunch concept, made its debut April 14 at 3115 Dixie Farm Road, Ste. 115, Pearland. In ad- dition to a regular menu, the brunch eatery also offers catering services for events. 832-569-2225. www.stellasbrunch.com 5 Sweet & Sassy , the nationwide spa, salon and party place for kids, soft-opened a new franchise March 12 at 2730 Smith Ranch Road, Ste. 117, Pearland. Young visitors can enjoy a full menu of pampering services including haircuts and styling, man-

icures and pedicures, and makeup application. Customers can book services online or call 713-597-7086. Staff said Sweet & Sassy Pearland had a grand opening the first week of May. www.sweetandsassy.com/pearland COMING SOON 6 Kolache Shoppe will open a new location this summer at 11940 Broadway St., Ste. 170, Pearland, according to the company website. The Houston-based franchise offers a variety of kolaches since it first opened in 1970. This site marks the fourth location and first location in the southern Houston area. www.kolacheshoppe.com 7 The new Nishiki Japanese Restau- rant is expected to be built at 3414 Busi- ness Center Drive, Ste. 110, Pearland. Construction for this 3,209-square-foot restaurant will start in mid-May and is expected to be completed Nov. 15. 8 Pearland Storage , a new self-storage facility, will be built at 1301 Main St.,

Pearland. Construction began in April and is expected to be completed March 2024. The facility will be three stories high with eight for-lease suites. The project is privately funded at an estimated cost of $8 million and is being developed by BCE Development LLC. 9 Dave’s Hot Chicken will open at the incoming Eastfield at Baybrook develop- ment near the H-E-B at 18611 Eastfield Drive, Webster. It was originally expect- ed to open early this year, but work on the 30,000-square-foot, multitenant retail center is still underway. Dave’s Hot Chicken, which has locations across the country, serves chicken tenders and sliders at various spice levels. www.daveshotchicken.com 10 Twin Liquors will open at the incoming Eastfield at Baybrook de- velopment near the H-E-B at 18611 East- field Drive, Webster. It was originally expected to open early this year, but work on the 30,000-square-foot, mul- titenant retail center is still underway. Twin Liquors—which sells wine, spirits,

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beer and other alcohol—began in Austin in 1937 and now has locations across Texas, including Pearland and Baytown. www.twinliquors.com 11 Crust Pizza Co. located at 2110 Pearland Parkway, Pearland, will now open for business in late May or early June. Originally scheduled to open in early 2023, the opening was delayed due to construction. The Texas-based pizza chain offers Chicago-style thin- crust pizza, customizable calzones, subs and pastas. www.crustpizzaco.com RENOVATIONS 12 Jetstream RV Resort-Pearland , 2850 S. Sam Houston Parkway E., Pearland, announced the completion of new renovations on the resort’s apartment-style amenities April 11. Only 10 miles from Texas Medical Center and NRG Stadium, the resort offers large concrete RV sites, two clubhouses, a heated swimming pool, an outdoor firepit and a fitness center. Guests can call 713-433-6950 to make reservations. www.jetstreamrvresortpearland.com CLOSINGS 13 Bed Bath & Beyond closed its Pearland location April 24 at 2750 Smith Ranch Road as part of a nationwide closure of 149 stores. In January, Bed Bath & Beyond warned it might need to file for bankruptcy due to its inability to attract shoppers. Staff said the store offered a sale of 60% to 80% off on select merchandise before the closing. www.bedbathandbeyond.com

Brazoria County’s rst “all-inclusive” playground opened as a collaborative eort between Pearland, Forever Parks Foundation and Inclusion Matters by Shane’s Inspiration.

COURTESY CITY OF PEARLAND

FEATURED IMPACT NOW OPEN Children in Pearland and the surrounding areas can now play in the county’s rst “all-inclusive” park designed specically to be accessible for children and adults of all abilities. The 9,200-square-foot Ed Thompson Inclusive Park at 13050 Shadow Creek Parkway, Pearland, celebrated its grand opening April 22. Named after state Rep. Ed Thompson, who secured a $750,000 grant for the project from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Ed Thompson Inclusive Park comes about as a result of a collaboration between the city of Pearland, Forever Parks Foundation and Inclusion Matters by Shane’s Inspiration. Forever Parks Foundation of Pearland is a nonprot organization with a mission to establish premier parks, facilities and programs in Pearland. Forever Parks Foundation kicked o ocial fundraising for the park in May 2020 and raised $1.36 million for the project. When envisioning the design of the park, Forever Parks hosted a steering committee and leaned on local experts such as educators and nurses to ensure the park would meet the needs of children and adults with disabilities,

said Nikki Kamkar, Forever Parks Foundation board member. Located near the accessible sports area Miracle Field, the park features play structures such as the We-Go Swing, which has wheelchair access, and the We-Go Round, a merry-go-round that has level ground access. The park also features a music play element designed specically for children with developmental needs. “A lot of times people will associate playgrounds like this with mobility challenges,” Forever Parks Foundation President Je Webb said. “But the reality is that this is designed for any kind of sensory or developmental need.” The foundation is thinking about making other existing parks in Pearland more accessible, Webb said. www.forever-parks-foundation. constantcontactsites.com

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TRANSPORTATION UPDATES

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ONGOING PROJECT

McHard Road extension now open to drivers

RODEO PALMS BLVD.

CEDAR RAPIDS PKWY.

Drivers in Pearland can now travel from Cullen Parkway to Mykawa Road via an extension of a 3.5-mile stretch of McHard Road. Prior to the road extension project, which began construction in June 2020, McHard Road ended at Stone Road on the western point and did not pick up again until Mykawa Road. While the project requires an inspection before it can be consid- ered officially completed, drivers have been able to drive on it since early April, according to city staff. Senior Project Manager Jennifer Lee said the project would likely be officially completed by early June after the city’s public management and public works departments com- plete all the required inspections. The project is part of the city’s Thoroughfare Plan to alleviate traffic on FM 518 by providing an alternative route between Hwy. 288 and Hwy. 35. The extension will have a signifi- cant impact on mobility for drivers

McHard Road has been extended 3.5 miles from Cullen Parkway to Mykawa Road. EXPANDED ROAD

IOWA COLONY BLVD.

288

DAVENPORT PKWY.

DUBUQUE PKWY.

CR 60

Hwy. 288 projects The Texas Department of

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF APRIL 25. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT PLFNEWS@COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Transportation is working on several projects on Hwy. 288 from Rodeo Palms Boulevard to CR 60 in Brazoria County, including building multiple bridges at Rodeo Palms, Iowa Colony Boulevard, Cedar Rapids Parkway, Davenport Parkway, Dubuque Parkway and CR 60. The project includes adding a southbound frontage road between Rodeo Palms and Hwy. 6. Timeline: completion in late 2025 Cost: $197 million Funding source: TxDOT

in Pearland as the new road will run parallel to and provide an alterna- tive corridor to FM 518, otherwise known as Broadway Street, which is Pearland’s most congested roadway, Lee said. Lee also said that drivers entering the road from Pearland Parkway can take the road through the entire city up to FM 521. The project included building four lanes with a concrete curb and gutter, raised medians, and underground drainage. As part of the construction, the city added storm sewers, outfalls and detention; five traffic signals at secondary thoroughfares and major

collectors; sidewalks; street lighting; and landscaping. Coordinated in tandem with the McHard trunk sewer extension and the McHard Road water line extension, the project added 38,000 fiber-optic cables to run from Coun- try Place Parkway to Hwy. 35. According to Lee, the total budget for construction was $29.7 million. For the project, the city participated in a Transportation Improvement Program with the federal government, in which the federal government covers 80% of the budget while the city pays the remaining 20%, Lee said.

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2023

EDUCATION

School choice bill raises debate over public school funding

FUNDING EDUCATION IN TEXAS With a budget surplus of over $32 billion, public education advocates are calling on state lawmakers to invest more in public schools. Legislators could pass a school choice bill this session to provide families with funds to leave public schools and enroll in private schools.

legislators were looking at a $140 increase. In 2019, House Bill 3 included a $1,020 increase in the basic allotment for an estimated $4.5 billion. “We are begging for any morsel of additional funding for public schools, and where vouchers come in is they do the opposite,” said Laura Yeager, director of Just Fund It TX, a nonpartisan organization advocating for increased funding for public schools. School districts across the state, including Pearland ISD, approved budget deficits in fiscal year 2022-23. Community Impact previously reported PISD is projecting $15 million, $17 million and $20 million budget deficits in the next three school years if state funding levels remain unchanged. PISD Superintendent Larry Berger said he was not concerned about the prospect of any legisla- tion increasing competition between public and private schools. “If parents find our educational services lacking, we do not need to get upset because there are other options. We must understand why they feel this way, adjust and improve our services,” Berger said. Berger said PISD’s main concern is the “unfair nature” of the funding attached to bills like SB 8, questioning why prospective private school vouchers would receive thousands more dollars than the current per-student allotment at pub- lic schools. He also indicated private schools receiving state funding would not have the same mandated services as public schools. “Fund public schools with the same per-student funding formula to ensure equity of services,” Berger said. Debating the bill Statewide public education advocacy nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas was founded 17 years ago primarily to push back against the voucher move- ment happening in the Texas Legislature at the time, Senior Director of Policy Bob Popinski said. Popinski said the program would also nega- tively affect public schools financially, as the state funding they receive is based on students’ average daily attendance. Michael Barba, K-12 education policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative

BY DANICA LLOYD & DANIEL WEEKS

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A proposal to use state money to help parents pay for private schools was approved by the Texas Senate on April 6, setting off a debate about how public schools are funded across the state. Senate Bill 8, filed by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would create an education savings account program, also known as private school vouchers. Parents who pull their children out of public schools could receive $8,000 per student for private school tuition and other education-related expenses. SB 8 is one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s seven emer- gency priorities for the 88th legislative session. “My job is to make sure we get across the finish line a piece of legislation that will return mom and dad to being in charge of their child’s educa- tion,” he said during a visit to Cypress Christian School on March 21. State spending The Legislative Budget Board reported the program would cost the state over $531 million through August 2025. While the program would not use funds allocated for public schools, oppo- nents of the legislation have expressed concerns that more funding is needed in public schools, which could lose more money if their students leave to attend private schools. The basic allotment—the amount school dis- tricts receive from the state per student to provide a basic level of education—has been set at $6,160 per student since 2019-20. Texas ranks No. 42 nationally in per-student spending, according to Education Week’s 2021 School Finance Rankings. The Texas comptroller of public accounts reported a $900 increase would be needed just to keep up with inflation; however, based on the legislation moving through the Texas House as of press time,

Average per-student spending

Pearland ISD $8,920

Alvin ISD $11,337

Friendswood ISD $9,292

How much school districts receive from the state per student to provide a basic level of education Amount families would receive per child for education-related expenses under Senate Bill 8

$8,000

$6,160

HOUSE BILL 100 PROPOSED A $140 INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS OF PRESS TIME.

HOW TEXAS COMPARES After factoring in additional allotments for special educa- tion, bilingual, gifted and talented, and other programs, the state spends $9,369 per student on average.

In per-student spending by state, Texas ranks #42

U.S. average $13,679

Difference per student $4,310

Texas average $9,369

SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, EDUCATION WEEK’S 2021 SCHOOL FINANCE RANKINGS, SENATE BILL 8, PEARLAND ISD, ALVIN ISD, FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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FUNDING FALLS SHORT Between inflation and the state’s per-student spending falling behind the national average, public education advocates are asking for more state funding.

Expenses in Pearland, Alvin and Friendswood ISDs have continued to increase since 2019-20 while the state’s basic allotment has remained stagnant at $6,160 per student. RISING SPENDING INCREASES IN LOCAL DISTRICT EXPENDITURES, 2019 VS. 2022 Inflation has risen by about 17% on average since the start of the 2019-20 school year, according to the Consumer Price Index. Expenditure changes at local districts, 2019-2023:

The basic allotment, or minimum per-student spending at the state level, has not increased since 2019. In that time, the national inflation rate has been about 17%. STATE FUNDING LAGS

in social and public returns results from every $1 invested in public education, including: $56.76

$17.24 in private sector benefits $6.99 in government revenues

$31.38 in additional generated revenue $1.15 in reduced social costs to governments

$0 $2K $4K $6K $8K

2018-19 2022-23

House Bill 3 in 2019 increased the basic allotment from $5,140 to $6,160.

$900 increase is needed to keep up with inflation.

Alvin ISD Friendswood ISD

Pearland ISD

SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, THE PERRYMAN GROUP/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

Revenue ratio

State revenue

Local property tax revenue

53.9% 44.8%

56% 44%

28.1% 71.1%

think tank based in Austin, argues that data from comparable programs across the country shows a minimal impact on public school attendance. He said similar programs nationally show less than 3% of eligible students use the program in the first five years after its inception, which would amount to about 60,000 students transferring in Texas. Barba said he believes school choice programs can lead to improved public school systems, and families choosing alternative options acts as a

signal to districts to design their programs to better suit families’ needs. “When you give families choices, the school districts also improve, and that improves educa- tion for every child in the community,” he said. As of press time, the bill was referred to the House, where it was expected to face heavy oppo- sition. The same day SB 8 passed in the Senate, the House amended the state budget to prohibit the use of public funds for education savings

Pearland ISD

Alvin ISD Friendswood ISD

SOURCES: PEARLAND ISD, ALVIN ISD, FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

NOTE: ANY REMAINDER IS FEDERAL FUNDING

accounts in an 86-52 vote. During previous legisla- tive sessions, voucher programs have died in the House without a committee hearing. Hannah Norton contributed to this article.

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2023

CITY & SCHOOLS

News from Pearland, Pearland ISD & Galveston County

COMPILED BY RACHEL LELAND

Pearland City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. May 22 and June 5 at 3519 Liberty Drive, Pearland. Meetings are streamed at www.youtube.com/ copearland. Pearland ISD board of trustees will meet at 5 p.m. May 16 and 3:30 p.m. June 13 at 1928 N. Main St., Pearland. Meetings are streamed at www.youtube.com/user/ thepearlandisd. MEETINGS WE COVER HIGHLIGHTS PEARLAND On May 8, Pearland officials announced Deputy City Manager Trent Epperson as Pearland’s new city manager, effective immediately. Epperson had been interim city manager since November 2022 after the firing of former City Manager Clay Pearson. In a statement, Mayor Kevin Cole said officials are “thrilled” to have Epperson as city manager, noting he has the right combination of skills to meet expectations. Epperson has 17 years of experience in Pearland, working in various roles including director of engineering and capital projects and director of project management. Epperson also has a background in public works and transportation.

Police department to receive new breaching tools PEARLAND The city’s police department will soon have new breaching equipment to better equip them to effectively respond to active shooter situations, not only at schools, but also at other potential targets. On April 10, Pearland City Coun- cil voted unanimously to award a supply contract to purchase breaching tools for every marked Pearland Police Department patrol vehicle from supply store Dana Safety Supply. The $53,480 con- tract will be used to purchase 120 crowbars and 80 sledgehammers. Following the May 2022 shoot- ing at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, the department con- ducted several self-assessments of their planned response for active shooter attacks. As part of the assessments, a

District supports $3.5M buyout from natatorium agreement with city

Galveston County judge prioritizes property assessment reform, mental health during State of the County GALVESTON COUNTY During an April 19 State of the County address, county Judge Mark Henry laid out the county’s 2023 agenda, which included continuing to press the state for “meaningful property assessment reform” and funding mental health care in the county. “We have been trying to work together to get the state to first take ownership of the system,” Henry said after explaining property assessments are run by Texas, not local government. “They do a very good job of saying it’s a local thing. The tax rate is a local thing; that’s a true statement. The assessment is not a local thing.” Henry also touched on the county’s efforts to build and maintain infrastructure for responding to mental health crises in Galveston County. “I’ll say this: Whether you know it or not, you know somebody who has a mental health problem. It may be somewhere between mild [and] manageable to requiring medication, but you know somebody with a mental health problem,” Henry said. Henry said the county had made strides to build more infrastructure to respond to mental health crises, includ- ing establishing a speciality court to process mentally ill defendants, but he believes more can be done, including

EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWN The Pearland Police Department will buy 200 pieces of breaching equipment for $53,480.

"WE RUN THE WORST MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC IN THE COUNTY. IT'S CALLED THE COUNTY JAIL." MARK HENRY, GALVESTON COUNTY JUDGE

Crowbars: 120 Sledgehammers: 80

200 TOTAL:

PEARLAND ISD On April 11, the district’s board affirmed its support of a $3.5 million buyout from an interlo- cal agreement with the city of Pearland for use of the city’s natatorium at the Recreation Center & Natatorium at 4141 Bailey Road, Pearland. In 2007, the city and PISD entered into a 25-year agreement to construct and use the city’s natatorium, splitting the cost. The agreement required PISD to pay for half of all maintenance costs that exceed $15,000. “The original agreement, in my opinion, is terrible,” PISD board Pres- ident Sean Murphy said. “The intent of the agreement was wonderful, but when you read this from a legal standpoint, it’s very unclear what our side of the fence is responsible for, not just the city side.” The facility scheduled repairs that cost $7 million, which would require the school district to pay half, or $3.5

Crowbars : $27,240 Sledgehammers: $26,240

building an extended observation unit. According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, extended observation units provide up to 48 hours of emergency services to individuals in a mental health crisis who might pose a moderate to high risk of harm to themselves or others. Felicia Jeffrey, CEO of the Gulf Coast Center, a mental health service provider for Galveston and Brazoria counties, said there is a plan to build an extended observation unit for Galveston County that will likely be completed by 2024. “One thing that we have really tried to take lead on is mental health funding, and it’s unfortunate that the state has kind of walked away from that, but we’re going to do the best we can to fill the gap,” Henry said. Henry said the county had asked the state if it would commit to helping the county run an extended observation unit if the county built the infrastructure. “We run the worst mental health clinic in the county,” Henry said. “It’s called the county jail."

$53,480 COST:

SOURCE: CITY OF PEARLAND/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

million, per the agreement. Instead, PISD proposed buying out of the agreement for the same cost. Superintendent Larry Berger said the city supported ending the agreement, and Pearland City Council on May 8 voted to end it. The buyout ending the interlocal agreement has moved PISD to a lease agreement of a $122,000 annual fee for three years. The city requested an automatic renewal with a one-year notification should PISD seek to end the agreement.

six-person committee of current and former SWAT members identified equipment that allows for fast and effective response to an active shooter beyond the stan- dard equipment issued to officers, according to agenda documents. The tools would not only be able to be carried by a single officer but would enable officers to breach most barricades, according to agenda documents.

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GOVERNMENT Pearland raises water fee for new developments by 43%; Friendswood considering impact fee increases

IMPACT FEE COMPARISON

Pearland voted to raise its impact fees by 43%. Here’s how the city’s impact fees compare to surrounding cities.

NO IMPACT FEES Existing and future ratepayers pay for all capital projects.

IMPACT FEES New develop- ment shares the cost.

Who pays for infrastructure to serve growth?

TOTAL IMPACT FEES

Adopted wastewater impact fee

Adopted water impact fee

New businesses planning devel- opments in Pearland will soon be required to pay a raised impact fee. Impact fees allow the city to delegate half the cost of new construction for Pearland’s water and wastewater infrastructure to new developments. The fees lessen the burden from existing businesses and residents who would otherwise pay higher water and sewer rates, ocials said. The city of Pearland is required to update its impact fees every ve years, and on April 9, City Council voted 5-2 to increase its impact fees from $6,477 to the maximum rate of a combined water and sewer fee of $9,265, which is paid upon the issue of a permit. Council Members Alex Kamkar and Layni Cade dissented. Interim City Manager Trent Epper- son said the city will be moving to a meter-based impact fee, which he said is more transparent. “This is just a much cleaner, easier, more transparent way of how we charge [impact fees]; it’s the way the vast majority of cities do it,” Epperson said. Prior to the vote, Kamkar voiced objections to requiring businesses to pay the $9,265 impact fee and put forward a motion to raise the fee only to $8,000. “I just don’t feel this is the BY RENEE FARMER, RACHEL LELAND, & DANIEL WEEKS

appropriate time,” Kamkar said. “It wouldn’t be prudent to raise this fee, especially for folks who want to do business here, or, in the case of some folks who are replatting, they’re already here.” If the city had chosen to pursue a lower impact fee, additional rev- enues to maintain the city’s water and wastewater systems would have to be collected by raising rates for residents, Epperson said. Friendswood impact fees Friendswood will also revisit its water and wastewater utility impact fees with a study conducted over the next few months evaluating if changes are needed. During its April 3 meeting, Friend- swood City Council authorized an agreement with Freese & Nichols to conduct the city’s 2023 Water and Wastewater Utility Impact Fee Project. The city rst adopted water and wastewater impact fees in 1990. Updates are required every ve years with the city’s last update occurring in 2018, according to agenda documents. Following a yearlong study of Friendswood’s water system in 2022, a rm recommended $3 million in improvements, including new water lines and storage tanks. Friendswood also has identied $60 million worth of water and waste- water projects to take on during the

$13,568

$12,354

$11,099

$9,265

$9,548

$9,200

$7,550

$7,668

$7,461

$6,477

$4,227

$3,500

Cities and year of latest adoption

*UPDATING IMPACT FEE IN 2023

SOURCE: CITY OF PEARLANDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

next two decades to maintain its utility services and accommodate development, according to the request for qualications. Impact fees, which are paid when a building permit is issued, fund required capital costs for locally provided infrastructure, including water and wastewater facilities. Freese & Nichols will be

responsible for updates to the land use assumptions, capital improve- ments plan and impact fees. The rm will give a presentation to the Friendswood Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council later this year, according to agenda doc- uments. The rm will also present its ndings at public hearings in the latter half of the year.

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PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD EDITION • MAY 2023

BLASTING OFF DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENT KEY: Future assembly/manufacturing Existing assembly/manufacturing

Future oce/lab

Phase 1 of the Houston Spaceport is nearing capacity, prompting ocials to consider developing Phase 2.

Parking/driveways

Future retail Future educational

Future hotel

Incoming roads

Runway

PHASE 1

HOUSTON SPACEPORT

Infrastructure built in LATE 2019

150 acres $24M cost for infrastructure

FACILITIES

1 Axiom Space 2 Intuitive Machines 3 Collins Aerospace

This planned facility will allow students to train in aerospace fields.

Aerospace training institute

PHASE 2

$80M cost for infrastructure (estimated)

Breaks ground within 12 TO 18 MONTHS

300 acres

N MAP NOT TO SCALE

and our expansion plans, they complement each other so nicely, and they

almost completely lled with aero- space companies, making expanding with Phase 2 necessary, Machuca said. “All of the sudden, we nd ourselves in this sweet problem, I’d say: We are somehow running low in oerings in terms of land,” he said. Phase 2 will be about 300 acres, and its infrastructure is estimated to cost $80 million. Expected to break ground in the next 12 to 18 months, Phase 2 will include parcels for other aerospace companies to locate to the spaceport. Machuca said spaceport ocials are in “serious conversations” with three such undisclosed companies. In addition, Phase 2 will include land for a hotel, restaurants and retail centers to make the spaceport a desti- nation. The spaceport will eventually include a terminal that will allow resi- dents to y on hypersonic jets to reach faraway destinations in a fraction of the time it takes today, Machuca said. Another unique project slated for Phase 2 is the Aerospace Institute. At the EDGE Center within Phase 1 of the spaceport, San Jacinto College and other higher education institu- tions help train students how to work in the aerospace industry. The institute will be a continuation of that idea and

involve more local colleges to make sure the spaceport has capacity to train the next generation of aerospace work- ers, Machuca said. During a presentation Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche gave April 26, she echoed the importance of partnering with colleges to expose stu- dents to the aerospace industry. “Here locally, [at] the spaceport, we have had such an increase in activity we have had the need for additional workforce [development],” she said. Today, Phase 1 includes Collins Aero- space, which opened in September 2022 and is helping develop NASA’s next generation of spacesuits; Axiom Space, which is under construction and will create the rst private space sta- tion and is also helping develop space- suits; and Intuitive Machines, which is also under construction and is respon- sible for building a lunar lander that is scheduled to go to the moon this June ahead of Artemis 2. The companies will bring as many as 1,800 jobs to the area in addition to $4 billion worth of contracted work over the next decade, Machuca said. Spaceport ocials expect to hold rib- bon-cutting ceremonies for Axiom and Intuitive Machines by the end of

SOURCE: HOUSTON SPACEPORT COMMUNITY IMPACT

are just again an indi- cator of how popular and interesting space is to so many,” said Keesha Bullock, Space Center Hous- ton’s chief communications and marketing ocer. Spaceport’s rapid growth Machuca never thought the space- port would grow so fast. Sitting in Ellington Airport, the Houston Spaceport was ocially licensed as the nation’s 10th spaceport in 2015. The idea behind it was to cre- ate a hub for aerospace companies to work together and with NASA to fur- ther the nation’s exploration of space. The spaceport truly got under- way when Phase 1 nished in late 2019. During this phase, at a cost of about $24 million, about 150 acres of spaceport land was lled with the infrastructure necessary to attract aerospace companies. Now, 3 1/2 years later, Phase 1 is

CONTINUED FROM 1

spaceport is a hub for businesses furthering space exploration. “Today, the mission and the vision as a community, it’s being executed in a fantastic manner that I think chal- lenges every spaceport development across the nation,” Houston Spaceport Director Arturo Machuca said. Meanwhile, NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s museum, Space Center Hous- ton, is planning major upgrades that will give visitors a more personal look at astronaut training. The center is designed to show the public what occurs at NASA. “[The spaceport’s] expansion plans

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