Government
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & CASSANDRA JENKINS
Sports Authority names Canetti as interim CEO
Bellaire approves plans for 6-story development Bellaire City Council approved the nal plan Oct. 7 for a six-story commercial development and o ce building that will be built at the southwest corner of Bissonnet Street and West Loop 610. What you need to know Developer Bissonnet Street Ventures will develop the project, which will feature a parking garage and a building primarily for medical ser- vices. It will also feature a ground oor lobby with potential for retail or restaurant space, according to the presentation shared with council. Council approval came after architectural rm Project Luong submitted a number of amend- ments based on feedback from both council members and residents. Nine conditions were
Houston keeps same property tax rate Members of the Houston City Council adopted a property tax rate Oct. 16 of $0.51919 per $100 valuation for the 2024-25 scal year, the same tax rate as the previous year. The takeaway Council members were debating the potential adoption of a higher tax rate to help fund roughly $40 million for ongoing disaster recovery e orts related to Hur- ricane Beryl and a May derecho, both of which caused extensive damage in the city. However, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Oct. 9 the distribution of $50 million in funds to communities in Southeast Texas to help with disaster recovery, which prompted council members to keep the tax rate the same.
Dry weather prompts county burn ban Harris County commissioners approved a burn ban at an Oct. 8 Commissioners Court meeting, which includes restrictions on all outdoor burning as well as the sale of certain reworks. What happened The ban was requested by the Harris County Fire Marshal’s O ce, which cited “prolonged dry and hot weather.” The ban makes exceptions for burns within an enclo- sure that contains all ames and sparks. From Oct. 25-Nov. 1, vendors won’t be able to sell “tail and n” reworks, which typi- cally include skyrockets, missiles and bottle rockets, according to the HCFMO. Violations of the ban are considered a Class “C” misdemeanor and could result in a ne of up to $500.
The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has named Chris Canetti as interim CEO. What we know HCHSA board Chairman J. Kent Friedman announced Oct. 14 that Canetti will temporarily ll the spot left by former longtime CEO Janis Burke. Canetti is the former team president of the Hous- ton Dynamo. He stepped down in 2024 to serve as president of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Commit- tee. According to a news release from HCHSA, he will continue to serve in that capacity while acting as interim CEO. Friedman said Canetti has a proven track record of success in Houston. In the meantime, Friedman said HCHSA leadership will organize a special committee that will be tasked with identifying and hiring a permanent CEO. In case you missed it The HCHSA’s board of directors voted
unanimously Oct. 11 to release Burke after 18 years of service. The vote came on the heels of Houston Mayor John Whitmire sharing that he had received several complaints from sports venue owners and stakehold-
ers that HCHSA had become di cult to collaborate with and had “moved away from its core mission.” The HCHSA board is made up of 13 members con rmed by the Houston City Council and Harris County Commissioners Court. In addition to choos- ing the CEO, the board is tasked with maintaining sports venues and promoting sports-related events in the county. Burke shared a post on LinkedIn thanking the Houston community for its love and support over the course of her career. As of Oct. 11, Burke has declined additional requests for comment. Chris Canetti
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• Meeting the number of o -street parking spaces • Complying with the city’s tree ordinances More details Alec Luong from Project Luong promised during the meeting that the rm would see if it could save more trees along the driveway after citizens voiced concerns about the vegetation.
attached to the approval, including: • Having beauti cation elements
BUFFALO SPEEDWAY 9733 Buffalo Speedway (713) 838-7486
HOLCOMBE 2314 W Holcombe Blvd (713) 669-1722
WESLAYAN 3902 Bissonnet (713) 218-8144
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