Cy-Fair - Jersey Village Edition | September 2025

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Cy-Fair Jersey Village Edition VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1 SEPT. 12OCT. 10, 2025

New Cy-Fair business owners navigate permitting processes Opening obstacles

BY JOVANNA AGUILAR

Long before the “open” sign is hung and customers start lining up, new business owners face a behind-the- scenes gauntlet of paperwork, permits and inspections. Local business owners say the road to opening a business is often paved with unexpected delays in the Cy-Fair area.

CONTINUED ON 18

Son's Bakery

WHITE OAK LANDING BLVD.

HUFFMEISTER RD.

290

Son's Bakery owner Edgar Gomez faced several challenges in opening up his business.

IAIN CRIDLANDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Also in this issue

Impacts: See what 85C Bakery is cooking up in Cypress (Page 6)

Education: See how Cy-Fair ISD scored in the Texas Education Agency’s 202425 AF ratings (Page 9)

Government: Meet the new Emergency Services District 9 Commissioner Cameron Dickey (Page 23)

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249

Cypress

Towne Lake

290

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Doctors that handle your ups and downs. Coordinated care that helps keep you rolling. Welce to the best of both wlds.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

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.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jovanna Aguilar Angela Bonilla Sarah Brager Melissa Enaje Valeria Escobar Wesley Gardner Rachel Leland Emily Lincke Roo Moody Tomer Ronen Nichaela Shaheen Haley Velasco Kevin Vu Julianna Washburn Graphic Designers Richard Galvan Ellen Jackson Matt Mills

Angie Thomas General Manager athomas@ communityimpact.com

Martha Risinger Jesus Verastegui Ronald Winters Senior Managing Editor Matt Stephens Senior Product Manager Kaitlin Schmidt Quality Desk Editor Sarah Hernandez

Jessica Shorten Editor jshorten@ communityimpact.com

Jason Culpepper Houston Market President jculpepper@ communityimpact.com

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CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

Impacts

• 25907 Hwy. 290, Cypress • www.menswearhouse.com

249

4 Mochi Dog Cafe Mochi Dog Cafe is now oering Asian treats in the Cy-Fair area, o cials said. Customers can nd snacks including mochi donuts, Korean corn dogs, bubble tea and coee, according to the website. • Opened late July • 17195 Hwy. 249, Houston • www.totoromochidonut.com 5 Crust Pizza Crust Pizza is known for its Chicago-style thin crust pizza made with fresh dough, its signature sauce and proprietary cheese blend shredded daily with no preservatives added. • Opened Aug. 9 • 20240 Summit Point Crossing, Ste. 100, Cypress • www.crustpizzaco.com 6 85C Bakery Cafe 85C Bakery Cafe oers a variety of breads and pastries as well as sandwiches, coee, milk teas and blended drinks, per the website. • Opened July 24 • 12020 FM 1960 W, Ste. 100, Houston • www.85cbakerycafe.com 7 Fun Box According to the website, Fun Box is a playground lled with play zones, all connected by nonstop bounce areas and designed with a kid-rst and “social media second” vibe. The park is for all ages including adults. • Opened Aug. 22 • 15540 FM 529, Houston • www.funbox.com 8 Prime IV Hydration & Wellness Owned by Steven and Ana Bull, the new location will oer IV therapy, peptide therapy and medically guided weight loss. • Opened: Aug. 29, Grand opening: Sept. 22 • 21211 FM 529, Ste. 105, Cypress • www.primeivhydration.com

P R I N G C Y

L O U E T T

N. BRIDGELAND LAKE PKWY.

99 TOLL

BRETON RIDGE ST.

MIL

BRIDGELAND CREEK PKWY.

1960

CYPRESS N. HOUSTON RD.

290

SUMMIT POINT CR.

10 13

A L

TUCKERTON RD.

W. 34TH ST.

GREENHOUSE RD.

290

529

MAP NOT TO SCALE

location marks the fth Houston location and features a full service gym. The tness center is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day and memberships start at $9.99 a month. • Opened Aug. 14 • 8580, Hwy 6 N., Houston • www.eos¡itness.com 3 Men’s Wearhouse Men’s Wearhouse o cials conrmed via a phone call the store is now oering a selection of men’s suits, dress shoes and tuxedo rentals. The store also oers dresses for weddings, proms and special events as well as custom tailoring and same-day alterations. • Opened Aug. 1

Now open

1 Arabisca Arabisca oers homestyle dishes including grilled chicken dishes, Lebanese-style wings and falafel. For dessert, the eatery oers ice cream dishes and Lazy Cake made with creamy ice cream and rich chocolate drizzle.

• Opened early August • 18039 FM 529, Cypress • Facebook: Arabisca

2 EoS Fitness Per o cials, the 41,103-square-foot Coppereld

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

9 Elite Drive Luxury Rental Oering a variety of exotic and sports cars for rent, Elite Drive Luxury Rental provides vehicles for special occasions in the Houston region. Vehicles oered include Chevrolet Corvettes and Ferrari Portonos. • Opened June 10

Now open

• 13150 Breton Ridge Street, Houston • www.elitedriveluxuryrental.com

Coming soon

10 Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux Following the closure of Sam's Boat at the Towne Lake Center in Cypress, Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux led a $1.5 million renovation plan for the location with TDLR on Aug. 27. The sports bar and restaurant oers a variety of craft beers, cocktails, appetizers and entrees such as cajun quesadillas and blackened chicken alfredo. • Opening summer 2026 • 9955 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. 100, Cypress • www.walk-ons.com

12 Cypress Christian School - Bridgeland Cypress Christian School celebrated the ribbon- cutting of its newest campus in Bridgeland on Aug. 28 following over a year of construction. "This is more than a campus. It's a calling," CCS President Je Potts said. "This is sticks, wood, rocks, concrete,

but it is just building what we are doing every day is much more important, and it is also building lives to represent our country and our faith." • Opened Aug. 28 • 21455 Bridgeland Creek Parkway, Cypress • www.cypresschristian.org

In the news

11 Chick-l-a Locally owned by Sydnea Rutland, the renovated Chick-l-A Coppereld location features several design upgrades. The Coppereld location will be open for dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, third-party delivery and mobile pick up. • Re-opened Aug. 5 • 8440 Hwy. 6 N, Houston • www.chick-¡il-a.com Young Men’s Service League Young Men’s Service League launched a new chapter in Jersey Village according to an Aug. 20 news release and is now accepting new members including mothers and sons in 9th and 10th grade. YMSL is a national nonprot dedicated to developing young men into community leaders through volunteering opportunities. • Opened Aug. 20 • www.ymsl.org

• 3327 Mangum Road, Houston

Closings

15 Panera Bread Several locations of the Houston area franchise of the cafe have closed amid a bankruptcy ling and lawsuit,

13 Sam’s Boat Restaurant management conrmed the Cypress location ceased operations at the beginning of August. The restaurant still maintains three other locations in Richmond, Pearland and Seabrook. • Closed Aug. 1 • 9955 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. 100, Cypress 14 Mi Tierra Mexican Kitchen Local Mexican restaurant Mi Tierra Mexican Kitchen has closed its doors after less than two years of service, according to a June 11 social media post from the owners. • Closed June 11

Community Impact reported. • 26003 Hwy. 290, Cypress • www.panerabread.com

16 The Nest Diner After nearly three years, The Nest Diner in Cypress has closed. The diner rst opened in September 2022 and fea- tured breakfast, lunch, dinner and Tex-Mex cuisine dishes. • 11808 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. K, Cypress • Facebook: The Nest Diner

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CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY SARAH BRAGER

Cy-Fair ISD received a “B” in the Texas Education Agency’s accountability rating system for academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25, showing slight improvement at the campus level. The TEA released scores for all public school districts Aug. 15, following delays from several lawsuits, according to past Community Impact reporting. The announcement of scores comes after a Texas Cy-Fair ISD maintains “B” rating in A F scores

Cy-Fair ISD AF ratings by school level

Elementary school

Middle school

High school

2023-24

2024-25

25 20 15 10 5 0

No CFISD campus received lower than a "C" rating in 2024-25, and all high schools scored a "B" or higher.

SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

While the district’s overall letter grade remained the same between 2023-24 and 2024-25, individual campus scores increased on average, with fewer schools earning a “C” or lower. No CFISD school received a “D” or an “F” rating last year.

judge ruled in July that the TEA can release its ratings for the 2023-24 school year, Community Impact reported. The scores were held for almost one year after more than 30 school districts— including CFISD—sued the TEA last August, citing unfair grading criteria.

Struggling CFISD schools that boosted scores

The breakdown

Final takeaways

School 2021-22* 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Elementary schools receiving a D or F since 2021-22 Bane 82 (B) 69 (D) 59 (F) 82 (B) Duryea 88 (B) 74 (C) 69 (D) 73 (C) Emery 87 (B) 66 (D) 63 (D) 78 (C) Hancock 73 (C) 70 (C) 68 (D) 76 (C) Kirk 83 (B) 55 (F) 68 (D) 83 (B) Lieder 87 (B) 76 (C) 69 (D) 80 (B) Matzke 76 (C) 75 (C) 69 (D) 81 (B) Metcalf 95 (A) 79 (C) 68 (D) 75 (C) Middle schools receiving a D or F since 2021-22 Hopper 79 (C) 74 (C) 69 (D) 78 (C)

The district saw the greatest change in its “closing the gaps” score, which increased seven points since 2023-24. According to the TEA’s rat- ings manual, the measure identies achievement gaps by evaluating the academic performance of dierent student groups, such as racial and ethnic groups, economically disadvantaged students and bilingual students. Approximately 60.1% of CFISD’s population in 2023-24 was considered economically disadvan- taged compared to 58.9% last year, according to the TEA. Across both years, campuses that earned lower accountability ratings served, on average, a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

CFISD Superintendent Doug Killian said in an Aug. 11 newsletter the district started the new school year “with a celebratory tone” following results from the TEA. For CFISD campuses in 2024-25: • Elementary schools averaged an 85

• Middle schools averaged an 84 • High schools averaged an 87

“Kudos to all of our sta and students for the incredible work it took to earn this achievement,” Killian said. “While the district came in as a B, we are committed to returning to an A this school year.” The district last received an overall A rating in 2022.

*CAMPUSES THAT RECEIVED A C OR LOWER IN 202122 WERE NOT RATED AS THEY RECOVERED FROM PANDEMICRELATED LEARNING LOSS. SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY SARAH BRAGER

Cy-Fair ISD parent survey shows attitude shift on academics, school choice According to an Aug. 7 presentation to the board of trustees, parent attitudes toward the district–such as whether they plan to remain in the district–have shifted since 2016. CFISD conducted the study with research rm Baselice & Associates. The study surveyed 2,011 people between April 28-May 4. What's next? Superintendent Doug Killian said Aug. 7 the results reinforced district priorities for the 2025- 26 school year. “We need to [nd] those other niches that we can go into to help attract kids into our school system,” Killian said. “We have a great school system. We just need to be doing a better job in communication and take it to another level.”

CFISD gets new chief of school leadership Irene Ruiz now serves as chief ocer for school leadership at Cy-Fair ISD, per a July 21 news release. She replaces Christina Cole, who was named chief of sta in Klein ISD on July 1, per the release. Ruiz will over- see sta and leadership across the district. Ruiz joined CFISD in 2010 and held various leadership positions including assistant superintendent for elementary school administration.

The district asked parents to identify the biggest and next biggest challenge facing CFISD. Biggest challenge 2016 2025 Next biggest challenge Top challenges for Cy-Fair ISD Growth & overcrowding 43% Growth & overcrowding 27%

Safe & secure environment 23%

Safe & secure environment

26%

Drug & alcohol abuse 8%

Drug & alcohol abuse 10%

Other

10%

23%

Student discipline 29% Quality of instruction 32% Parental involvement 22%

Student discipline 30% Quality of instruction 28% Parental involvement 16%

“I look forward to this new opportunity and the meaningful work that lies ahead in CFISD.” IRENE RUIZ, CFISD CHIEF OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

SOURCE: CY FAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

Education Private School Guide

2025

$23,190 (9-12) annually • 21455 Bridgeland Creek Parkway, Cypress • 281-469-8829 Houston Adventist Academy Type: Religious-based Grades served: Pre-K-12 Religious orientation: Christian Extracurricular activities: Athletics, music ministry, National Honor Society, worship activities Enrollment: 195 Tuition: $7,300 (Pre-K-8); $7,800 (9-12) annually • 11735 Grant Road, Cypress • 832-701-3675

• 15002 Lakewood Forest Drive, Houston • 281-370-8576

Cypress

The Connection School of Houston Type: Religious-based Grades served: K-12 Religious orientation: Christian Extracurricular activities: Various sports, music/ theatre, yearbook, student council, praise band Enrollment: 130 Tuition: $11,500 (K-5); $12,000 (6-8); $12,750 (9-12) annually • 15815 House Hahl Road, Cypress • 832-544-6031 Cypress Christian School Type: Religious-based Grades served: K-12 Religious orientation: Christian Extracurricular activities: Football, softball, baseball, swimming , ne art, music, theatre, yearbook/ photography, various student groups Enrollment: 810 Tuition: $15,570 (K); $18,360 (1-5); $20,445 (6-8);

Houston

Acton Academy Cy-Fair Type: Project-based Grades served: K-12 Extracurricular activities: Sports, theatre, music, STEM and robotics, choir, art, chess and yearbook Enrollment: 100 Tuition: $11,000 annually • 8350 Jones Road, Houston • 713-882-7699 Christ the Redeemer Catholic School Type: Religious-based Grades served: Pre-K-8 Religious orientation: Catholic Extracurricular activities: Athletics, art club, dance, adoration, robotics, garden club, school choir Enrollment: 110

The Woods Private School Type: Traditional

Grades served: 18 months-Pre-K, K-5th grade Extracurricular activities: chess, coding for kids, Tae Kwon-do, sewing, art, archery, ballet, soccer Enrollment: 300 Tuition: $4,500-$9,500 (Pre-K), $14,600 (elementary)

Bob Hope School 2025 TEA Accountability District Rating

89/B “1 point away from an A”

Ratings Across The District:

www.bobhopeschool.org Bob Hope School - Baytown - 94/A Bob Hope Elementary School - 87/B Bob Hope School - Beaumont - 80/B Bob Hope High School - 94/A Bob Hope Middle School - 94/A

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY JOVANNA AGUILAR, SARAH BRAGER & JESSICA SHORTEN

Tuition: $9,975 (Pre-K-K); $9,870 (1-8) annually • 11511 Huffmeister Road, Houston • 281-469-8440 Epiphany Lutheran Church and School Type: Religious-based Grades served: Pre-K-8 Religious orientation: Lutheran Extracurricular activities: Daily bible lessons, soccer, volleyball, band and ne arts Enrollment: 120 Tuition: $8,780 (K-5), $8,880 (6-8) annually • 14423 West Road, Houston • 713-896-1843 The Met Christian Academy Type: Religious-based Grades served: Pre-K-3 Religious orientation: Christian Extracurricular activities: Learning center support, weekly chapel services Enrollment: 157 Tuition: $8,500 annually (elementary school), call for pricing (preschool) • 13000 Jones Road, Houston • 281-890-4879

Cypress

Covenant Academy Type: Religious-based Grades served: Pre-K-12 Religious orientation: Christian Extracurricular activities: Athletics, ne arts, farm/ gardening program

Enrollment: 187 students Tuition: $7,500 (Pre-K); $15,500 (K-6); $16,200 (7-

9); $17,500 (10-12) annually • 11711 Telge Road, Cypress • 281-373-2233

Cy-Fair Educational Foundation

Hyatt Regency Houston West • October 18, 2025

HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress Missing Man Underwriter Howard Hughes 1st Lt. Jeremy Ray Fallen Soldier Sponsor

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Veteran Tickets - $75 • Individual Tickets - $125

Guest Speaker Joe Torrillo - FDNY Lieutenant

On September 11, 2001, Lieutenant Joe Torrillo of the NYC Fire Department responded to the World Trade Center attacks. Joe fullled his vow as a reman, risking his own life to save trapped victims. In the process, Joe himself was buried under tons of concrete and steel. During the four- year recovery from his life-threatening injuries, Joe faced a choice: succumb to self-pity or get back on his feet and face the future with the bravery of a Fireman.

Contact Marie Holmes at 281.370.0144 • eCFEF.org

CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

Buy a new move-in ready home, receive $5,000 *

New homes from the low $300s

*This oer is available only to buyers signing a move-in ready new home sales contract with a Bridgeland® approved builder from September 1, 2025 to October 31, 2025. The oer provides a $5,000 incentive on move-in ready new homes and funds may be used toward the price of the home, design center upgrades or closing costs on eligible move- in ready new homes. To qualify, the home purchase must close by December 31, 2025. Additional restrictions may apply. No substitutions will be permitted. The incentive will be awarded to the buyer at the time of closing. Homes within Bridgeland are constructed and sold by builders not a liated with Howard Hughes Holdings Inc® (“HHH”) or any of its a liated companies or partnerships. Neither HHH nor any of its a liated companies or partnerships guarantees or warrants the obligations of, or construction by, such builders. Prices and specifications subject to change.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Business

BY JOVANNA AGUILAR

Bones 2 Go! oers grand turkey necks.

Pre-packaged pet meals at Bones 2 Go! are sourced from researched vendors.

PHOTOS BY JOVANNA AGUILAR COMMUNITY IMPACT

Bones 2 Go! meets rising demand for raw pet nutrition What started as a homemade solution to feed her pets turned into a business for Tracey Rent- come, founder of Bones 2 Go!, a raw pet food company rooted in passion for pet nutrition. Following the raw food movement in the late 1990s, Rentcome began crafting raw meals for her pets and those of her friends. As the demand grew, she launched Bones 2 Go! in 2003. The details What they oer Through Bones 2 Go!, a business where products are tested by her own pets before they hit the shelf, Rentcome facilitates pet nutrition. With services oered in store and through

Bones 2 Go! was founded by Tracey Rentcome in 2003.

delivery, raw food choices include ground chicken heart, ground beef heart, boneless turkey thighs and bones, patties, and meat bowls. Benets to feeding pets raw food include: • Better overall health and energy level • Improved dental health—raw meaty bones help to clean your pet’s teeth • Shinier coats and healthier skin • Smaller stools and better digestion. A dog or cat who eats raw is better absorbing their nutrients so stool volume is much less. • Leaner body mass and a strong immune system • Increased mental stimulation “You start to see the results when you start adding fresh food, even if you don’t do all fresh food, if you start adding fresh ground meat to the top of your [pets] dry food or oering it separately, you start to see the dierence in your cat’s coat and skin and your dog as well teeth and breath,” Rentcome said.

Through her experience going from commercial pet food to homemade, Rentcome said there was a noticeable change in her pets overall health. The original acronym for the raw pet food diet is the BARF diet, Rentcome said, which stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food, and is a raw feeding approach for pets that emphasizes a diet mimicking what their ancestors would have eaten in the wild. Rentcome said though she only intended to operate her business temporarily as an educational opportunity to teach others the importance of feeding their pets raw food, the demand for her services at Bones 2 Go! demonstrated the need for those continued services. While a large population of people saw the value in pet nutrition, Rentcome realized most people did not have the time to prepare meals themselves.

Felix has been an employee at Bones 2 Go! for over a year.

290

8805 Jones Road, Ste. B101, Houston www.bones2go.com

CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

Nonpro t

Events

BY JOVANNA AGUILAR

Basketball for All brings inclusion to the court Basketball for All is giving athletes with disabil- ities a chance to shine on the court while raising awareness for their community. The nonprot brings together participants ages 14 and up to play scrimmages during halftime at local high school and college basketball games in the Cy-Fair area. The organization was founded by Executive Director Scotty Stevens in 2015 and was estab- lished as a nonprot in 2019. About the program Stevens said that as the father of a son with Down syndrome, he understands the need to provide an outlet for the disabled community to enjoy sports on a higher level. “These individuals bring so much joy to the actual schools that we participate in, whether it’s a high school or college, through the sport of bas- ketball. Sports bring people together like anything

you can possibly think of,” Stevens said. Funded by donations and partnerships with several organizations, including City Gear, Hibbett Sports and Adidas, Basketball for All participants are able to play free of charge. What you need to know Stevens said for the 2025 season, anyone who wants to participate in Basketball for All can register online from Sept. 6 to Oct. 25 for a $125 fee, which also covers uniforms for the games. Once registered, Basketball for All holds practices once a week at Immanuel Lutheran Church in the Houston Heights from 9:30-11 a.m. through November.

Produce tent sale The Cypress Ridge Band is holding its 11th annual produce tent sale with a wide selection of produce to support its band and the Creative Outreach Ministries. • Sept. 20-21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free (admission) • Cypress Ridge High School, 7900 N. Eldridge Parkway, Houston • www.cyridge.cisd.net Farmers market and live music The farmers market at the Boardwalk returns after a break with local vendors and live music. • Sept. 20, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. • Free (admission) • 9955 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress • www.boardwalktl.com St. Mary’s 19th Annual Fall Gift Market The indoor and outdoor gift market features 80 vendors oering unique shopping presented by local craftspeople as well as silent auction, tea room, bake shop and wine wall. • September 26 and 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. • Free (admission) • St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, • 15415 N. Eldridge Parkway, Cypress • www.stmaryscypress.org

September

Career Exploration Learn strategies to discover your ideal career path and academic goals at the Cy-Fair Lone Star College career event open to the community. • Sept. 16, 12:30-1:30 p.m. • Free • 18134 West Road, Cypress • www.lonestar.edu Reo Full Throttle Swanny’s Grill will host Reo Full Throttle, a Houston- based tribute band celebrating rock anthems. • Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m. • $17 (general admission) • 6224 Theall Road, Houston • www.swannysgrill.com Man of La Mancha Enjoy a play inspired by Cervantes’ 17th-century Don Quixote set during the Spanish Inquisition. • Sept. 19-20, Sept. 26-27, Oct. 3-4, Oct. 10-11, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, 3 p.m. • $28-$42 (admission) • Stageworks Theater, 10760 Grant Road, Houston • www.stageworkshouston.org

Fairway For Families Charity Golf Tournament

Participate in the Kingdom Family Ministry’s Fairways for Families Charity Golf Tournament to support local families. The event includes competitive play, prizes and networking opportunities. • Oct. 6, 8 a.m. (registration), • 9 a.m. (shotgun start)-3 p.m. • $140 (per player), $540 (per team) • 17110 Northgate Forest Drive, Houston • www.kingdomfamilyministry.org

Basketball for All participants are 14 years and older.

Basketball for All founder Scotty Stevens established the nonprot in 2019.

www.bballforall.org

PHOTOS COURTESY BASKETBALL FOR ALL

HUFFMEISTER 8945 Hwy 6 N (281) 859-5879 SPRING CYPRESS 22508 Hwy 249 (281) 379-7383

BARKER CYPRESS 17996 FM 529 (281) 656-4200 JONES ROAD 17414 NW Fwy (713) 983-8827

Opening obstacles From the cover

What they’re saying

How it works

What’s happening?

After a year of navigating county require- ments, 21 year-old Edgar Gomez opened Son’s Bakery in June. Gomez said as a rst-time business owner he struggled to nd resources willing to provide benecial information. After leasing the space, Gomez said he soon realized it needed several required enhance- ments to pass inspections, including a grease trap, water heater and kitchen ceiling tiles. “Because of my age, it was a lot more dicult because I didn’t know where to begin,” he said. “What I didn’t know is that you needed to nd a place that already had certain things.” Established business owners expanding with new locations, such as Connie’s Frozen Custard, said they also struggle navigating busi- ness permit requirements. While business oor plans don’t have to be professionally done per county requirements, Connie’s co-owner Keri Jackman said she hired an architect to create the oor plan for a new location. She submitted the required permits to begin the site’s build-out at the new location at Towne Lake in July, and it took four weeks to complete, Jackman said. Connie’s is now awaiting re marshal inspections. “What we’re hearing is that the re marshal inspection is the one that’s hanging most people up,” she said. “So that turnaround time is supposed to be three to four weeks, but we’ve been told it can sometimes now be 12 to 16 weeks.” Meanwhile, Gomez said the re marshal inspection for Son’s Bakery was completed in a week.

Prospective business owners in Texas can follow these steps to get started:

Scott Jeansonne, director of the Environmental Public Health Division for the Harris County Public Health Department, said there were some signicant statewide changes to food safety permitting implemented during this year’s legislative session. As a result, public health ocials are updating local regulations to comply with state statutes for small businesses, dened by the U.S. Small Business Administration as any for-prot company with fewer than 50- 250 employees, depending on industry. Per Senate Bill 1008, the HCPHD and other local health departments can no longer charge higher than the state health department for a permit, Jeansonne said. Another update shared for approval with the Harris County Commissioners Court Aug. 26 includes plans to extend temporary food vendor permits from 14 days to one year. Jeansonne said House Bill 2844 requires all permits and food truck inspections to be performed by the state health department. The bill promotes regulatory consistency across the state to reduce barriers for small mobile food vendors, according to the nonprot Texas Policy Research. The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Oce also made signicant updates Jan. 1 to the Harris County Fire Code to require business owners to get a permit from the Harris County Engineer’s Oce before making substantial changes.

1 Write a business plan: Outline the main purpose and value proposition. 2 Choose the location: The business location will depend on the type of business operated. Consider looking at area zoning ordinances. 3 Finance the business: There are several options to fund a business, including an owner’s own savings, bank or micro loans, federal loans and crowdfunding. 4 Register the business: Sole proprietorships and partnerships need to register and le the business name with the local county clerk’s oce. 5 Analyze tax responsibilities: The potential tax responsibilities include taxes from federal, state and local tax authorities. 6 Research required business licenses and permits: Necessary licenses, permits, certications, registrations or authorizations vary depending on the business. 7 Investigate employer requirements: If planning to employ sta, there are federal and state employer requirements.

Some of the most common business permits in Harris County include:

A sales tax permit ( No fees needed ) Fire code & operational permits from Harris County Engineering Department, including a re marshal inspection ( $300 annually ) Local health department permit required for food establishments ( $420 annually in Harris County ) Water & plumbing inspection ( varies ) Stormwater and drainage quality permits ( $500 annually )

Total small businesses vs. new business applications Total small businesses in Harris County

SOURCE: TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM OFFICE COMMUNITY IMPACT

+7.5%

125,000 100,000 75,000 50,000 25,000

Notable quotes

“Although [delays] can be frustrating for the customer, we do understand they paid a lot of money to this company and have them put in a system that’s going to protect their investment.” TODD MITCHELL, CHIEF OF THE

“We are an enforcement agency. We do cite violations. We do issue citations, but our No. 1 goal is to educate food establishments and food establishment employees to basically prevent further violations in the

New Harris County business applications

125,000 100,000 75,000 50,000 25,000

+71.5%

foodborne health system.” SCOTT JEANSONNE, DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION FOR THE

PREVENTION REGULATORY DIVISION, HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE

HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY JOVANNA AGUILAR

What else?

One more thing

The HCFMO and other entities provide access to several resources to help with the process of opening a new business: www.hcfchub.net Assists inspection requirement guidelines www.liftfund.com Provides credit and services to small businesses and entrepreneurs www.franfund.com Provides loans to small businesses www.twc.texas.gov Supports businesses with fewer than 100 employees, and emphasizes training for new workers; funding for training is for full-time employees https://oce.harriscountytx.gov Includes guides and step-by-step walkthroughs for new development gov.texas.gov Provides comprehensive information on permits required for business enterprises

Chief Todd Mitchell with the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Oce said the department handles commercial inspections. Mitchell said nal inspections can take up to two weeks, but delays arise when a business doesn’t meet safety requirements.

Jeansonne said his division within the public health district inspects temperature checks, structural components and overall cleanliness for: • Restaurants • Grocery stores • Schools serving food A key delay business owners often face is the nal inspection with the HCFMO prior to opening. Mitchell said HCFMO sometimes has delays due to a high number of inspections, but the majority of delays are from bad ¤oor plan designs. Mitchell said the HCFMO’s website lists information on ¤oor plan and construction requirements needed to attain a certicate of occupancy from the HCFMO after the inspection. “The code book is out there. It’s not a secret. So the playbook is there. That’s exactly what our inspectors are inspecting; plus they have their approved set of plans,” Mitchell said.

Harris County Fire Marshal inspections 2019 640

2020 1,285 2021 1,261 2022 1,496 2023 1,689

794* 1,592

2024 2025

SOURCE: GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIPCOMMUNITY IMPACT

*AS OF JULY 31

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE COMMUNITY IMPACT

ELECT CAMARENA, GUILMART AND LANE VOTE FOR THE FUTURE OUR STUDENTS DESERVE. EARLY VOTING OCT 20-31. ELECTION DAY NOV 4.

Tired of chaos on the CFISD Board? We are. Put students first – not politics. The current board governs in committees, behind closed doors. Bans books. Ignores our voices. Pushes their own political agenda. We want leadership that works for all of us: CFISD parents and accomplished educators who will focus on… Student safety and achievement Fiscal responsibility Respect for every student, teacher and family

CLEVELAND LANE, J r.

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CYFAIRVOICES.COM

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CY FAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION

Government

BY MELISSA ENAJE

Harris County approves countywide expansion of nonviolent 911 program

By the numbers

With 11 HART teams operating in northwest Har- ris County, the expansion will add at least 18 sta positions funded within the county’s public health division as a budget-neutral item. The program will cost an estimated $6.6 million in Fiscal Year 2025-26, county o cials said. “The idea that Commissioners Court would fund this program out of the general fund to enable that sustainability, and have the people be county employees, just represents a commitment from Commissioners Court to this method,” Barton said.

Harris County’s nonviolent 911 response program was approved for countywide implementation by Harris County commissioners in a 3-1 vote Aug. 7. Harris County Public Health’s Community Health and Violence Prevention Services Division rst launched the Holistic Assistance Response Team or HART, in 2022 for those experiencing a social welfare crisis. HART works with the Harris County Sheri’s Oce and dispatches unarmed rst responder teams trained in behavioral health and on- scene medical assistance to nonviolent 911 calls, public health ocials said. The approved expansion will reach all district jurisdictions by the end of the year, HCPH Interim Executive Director Leah Barton said.

HART new coverage areas HART’s coverage areas follow Harris County Sheri’s Oce district boundaries.

Current HART coverage areas

Expanded HART coverage areas

District 5

District 1

District 2

1960

290

HART cases initiated in 2025

99 TOLL

22.3%: Housing 15.9%: Behavioral and mental health 11.7%: Transportation 50.1%: Other

Total cases: 1,195

610

District 4

District 3

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTHCOMMUNITY IMPACT

What they’re saying

What residents should know

Cypress resident Marti Peddicord described the HART sta members who helped assist her sister with dementia as “angels who have held her hand.” Peddicord said because her and her sister have had limited communication over the years, she’s thankful HART and the community have consistently checked in with her when her sister would call 911. “This is one program that I will just say is well worth it, and they should keep funding it,” Peddicord said. “I know the constables and the sheri’s department all appreciate somebody coming back and being another layer of help and assistance.” Harris County Public Health’s Community Health and Violence Prevention Services Division launched the pilot program in 2022 in Cypress Station, located in north Harris County, to address root causes of violence for those experiencing social welfare crises, according to the program’s website. By 2023, commissioners voted to expand the HART program further into areas where the county sheri’s o ce covers District IV in Precinct 4. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey told court members at the August meeting that he believes the county’s existing rst responder and

emergency response teams are equipped and su cient. “I think it’s well-intended in terms of what is being asked for,” Ramsey said. “But I think, particularly in this time of budget issues, I believe [the Clinician O ce Remote Evaluation] and [Community Emergency Response Team] are taking care of us.” Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said HART separates county resources when it comes to crisis needs versus crime response. “The bottom line is this is smart public safety,” Briones said. “We connect individuals in times of crisis who might need mental health assistance, addiction assistance, to the services they may need, and then that frees up our law enforcement o cers’ time so they can double down, respond more promptly to urgent calls with regard to violent crimes.” Since the program’s launch in 2023, HART o cials said they have responded to more than 21,100 emergency call responses and provided on-scene care to 2,834 residents and connected them to services. O cials said the work freed more than 2,100 deputy hours for violent crime response.

For individuals in crisis needing to reach HART, public health ocials suggested the following options: • Option 1: Dial or text 911 • Option 2: Dial the HCSO nonemergency number at 713-221-6000 • Option 3: Contact Violence Prevention Services at 713-274-4877

HART sta are trained social service and health professionals who respond to nonviolent 911 calls.

COURTESY HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY SARAH BRAGER

City Council passes $72.6M budget