Pearland - Friendswood Edition | July 2024

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Pearland Friendswood Edition VOLUME 10, ISSUE 8 JULY 19AUG. 13, 2024

2024 Home Edition

RACHEL LELANDCOMMUNITY IMPACT Friendswood, Pearland face impact from Hurricane Beryl CenterPoint Energy workers were stationed at Pearland High School on July 9 prior to rolling out to work on outages in the area. More than 2 million people were left without power.

Hendrickson said. “It’s hot and miserable.” The pair were two of the more than 2 million CenterPoint customers who lost power in the Greater Houston area as a result of Beryl and are among those trying to recover.

Kirby and Hendrickson, who use sleep apnea machines to sleep, said until their power was restored, they planned to rest and charge their devices at the Pearland Recreation Center & Natato- rium, which the city has used as a cooling center. “I’ve been through worse with Hurricane Ike,”

BY RACHEL LELAND & HALEY VELASCO

Sitting at a cooling center in Pearland on July 10, Allison Kirby and Scott Hendrickson were going on their third day of no power following Hurricane Beryl.

CONTINUED ON 19

Also in this issue Impacts: Walmart reopens in Pearland after nishing remodel (Page 6)

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INSIDE

Development: Friendswood approves TIRZ (Page 20)

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

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Impacts

MCHARD RD.

SHADOW CREEK

S. GRAND BLVD.

Pearland

521

W. BROAD WAY S T .

518

WALNUT ST.

Friendswood

HOPE VILLAGE RD.

7 18

M AGNOLIA PKWY.

288

BAILEY A V E .

MCKEEVER RD.

WHISPERING PINES AVE.

2351

MAP NOT TO SCALE

3 MacAbaugh’s Cafe & Catering The restaurant serves burgers, sandwiches, fish, shrimp, salads and an assortment of chicken entrees, among

trampolines, among other attractions. • Opened May 28 • 20810 Gulf Freeway, Webster • www.altitudetrampolinepark.com

Now open

1 The Lone Star Pawz Catfé The cafe offers drinks, snacks, games and the chance to hang out with kittens. The cafe lounge is cat-free, so people who are allergic or don’t like cats can visit. • Opened June 17 • 8209 Broadway St., Ste. 103, Pearland • www.lonestarpawz.com/catfe 2 Thrive Foot and Ankle The clinic specializes in all aspects of foot and ankle care, including surgery, injuries, heel pain and spurs, warts, ingrown hairs, bunions and custom orthotics. • Opened in June • 2950 Cullen Parkway, Ste. 109, Pearland • www.thrivefootandankle.com

other menu items. • Opened May 29

• 12880 Beamer Road, Houston • www.macabaughscafe.com

6 Wellness Elite Fitness The center offers personal and partner training services. • Grand opened June 25 • 104 Whispering Pines Ave., Friendswood • www.wellnesselitefitness.com 7 Kendra Scott The national jewelry store chain sells necklaces, watches and earrings, among other items. • Opened June 22 • 11200 Broadway St., Ste. 780, Pearland • www.kendrascott.com

4 Tex-Mex Smokehouse The business serves smoked beef and chicken fajitas by the pound. • Opened June 7 • 5517 Broadway St., Ste. L, Pearland • www.texmexsmokehouse.com

5 Altitude Trampoline Park The amusement center will feature wall-to-wall

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8 Luce Coffee Roasters The shop serves espresso, americano, cold brew, teas and lattes, among other menu items. • Soft opened June 20 • 11625 Broadway St., Ste. 125, Pearland • www.lucecoffeeroasters.com 9 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

In the news

13 Sofia’s Italiano Previously Gina’s Italian Kitchen, the restaurant changed its name on June 10. The Italian eatery will retain the same management, staff and much of the same menu. • 129 W. Parkwood Ave., Friendswood • www.ginasinfriendswood.com 14 Stella Roberts Recycling Center The business introduced new policies for recycling household hazardous waste, such as paint, pool and lawn chemicals, as well as extended hours of operation. The changes started July 1. • 5800 Magnolia Parkway, Pearland • Facebook: Stella Roberts Recycling Center 15 Hope Village The nonprofit on June 21 revealed updates to its House 5 at its 18-acre campus. Changes included an updated kitchen, and improved bed and bathroom spaces. The organization has been a forever home for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. • 15403 Hope Village Road, Friendswood • www.hope-village.com 16 Havana Heights Restaurant Formerly known as The Cuban Flavor, the business reopened under a new name on May 24. The business features an updated menu and new staff. • 709 W. Parkwood Ave., Ste. G, Friendswood • Facebook: Havana Heights Restaurant and Bar 17 South Park Funeral Home The funeral home celebrated 90 years of business July 1. It offers ceremonies and celebrations for the deceased. They also offer guidance to determine resting places as well as other services. • 1310 N. Main St., Pearland • www.southparkfunerals.com 18 Smallcakes Pearland The bakery is under new ownership and reopened May 11. It serves cupcakes, ice cream and cakes.

other menu items. • Opened June 10 • 211 W. El Dorado Blvd., Friendswood • www.bobablastic.com

19 Walmart The business reopened June 21 after closing for renovations that included a series of remodel upgrades, including tile conversion, a new building, apparel upgrades and new digital benefits. As part of the reopening, there was a $1,000 grant presentation to United Way of Brazoria County, which is a nonprofit that works to improve the

Coming soon

10 Essential Vision Center The center will provide evaluations for glasses and contacts, including specialized contacts for those who struggle with regular contacts. • Opening in August • 19804 Morris Ave., Ste. 120, Manvel 11 Levey Logistics Park The park broke ground in June and will consist of two buildings designed for cross-dock distribution.

quality of life of county residents. • 10505 Broadway St., Pearland • www.walmart.com

• Opening in the second quarter of 2025 • 14649 Almeda School Road, Houston • www.leveygroup.com

• 11200 Broadway St., Ste. 655, Pearland • www.smallcakespearland.com

20 Starbucks The coffee shop will be temporarily closed from June 30-Aug. 4 for renovations. The international coffee chain sells coffees, teas, lemonades, breakfast

Relocations

12 Iguanas Ranas Cantina The business will relocate on South Grand Boulevard in Pearland in early August. It serves taquitos, quesadillas and enchiladas, among other items. • Relocating in August • 2536 S. Grand Blvd., Pearland • www.myiguanasranas.com

sandwiches, egg bites and protein boxes. • 11520 Shadow Creek Parkway, Pearland • www.starbucks.com

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Government

BY RACHEL LELAND

Friendswood leaders consider tax increase The city of Friendswood kicked off discussions for its fiscal year 2024-25 budget, which estimates show could result in a tax increase for residents. The gist City staff on June 3 gave a presentation to Friendswood City Council, which gave a multiyear look at the city’s finances. With several months to go before approval of the new budget, Friendswood officials are expecting the budget to break even, documents show. Part of those discussions include a potential tax rate of $0.5213 per $100 valuation of a home to pay for several rising costs, including personnel and operations, according to the presentation. The tax rate for FY 2023-24 was $0.500728 per $100 valuation, making the potential new rate a 4% increase. How the new rate could affect the average tax bill was not available by press time.

Pearland natatorium closes for repairs The natatorium at the Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium closed for repairs on July 1 and will reopen in September. What you need to know Natatorium repairs will include several system replacements, repairs and installing of gas heaters, among other things, accord- ing to the city’s website. Pearland City Council awarded $1.9 mil- lion for the repairs at an April 24 meeting. What else? To compensate for the closure, those who have an annual membership for either the entire recreation center or a natatorium-only membership will receive a complimentary three-month extension once the natatorium reopens, according to the city’s website.

Friendswood tax rate Friendswood City Council is considering increasing its tax rate by 4%.

$0 $0.1 $0.2 $0.3 $0.4 $0.5 $0.6

2021-22 2022-23

2024-25 2023-24

Fiscal year

SOURCE: CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The city has historically adopted a rate that keeps taxes flat, also known as a no-new-revenue rate, Finance Director Rhonda Bloskas said. What’s next? City staff will deliver a proposed budget to City Council on Aug. 1, and council will adopt the budget at the Sept. 9 meeting, officials said.

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Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

AISD, PISD adopt budgets for FY 2024-25 Despite ongoing financial challenges with Texas school districts, Alvin ISD’s fiscal year 2024-25 is expected to break even and Pearland ISD’s could have a surplus after each were approved June 11. Two-minute impact AISD will have $366.6 million in both revenue

Alvin College to offer bachelor’s degrees Business administration and management students at Alvin Community College will be able to work toward attaining bachelor’s degrees this fall, according to a June 19 press release from the college. What’s happening? The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges changed ACC’s accreditation from Level 1 to Level 2, allowing the college’s first bachelor’s degree program to begin this fall. The accreditation change took more than two years and authorized ACC to offer up to five different bachelor’s degree programs, including business administration and management, according to the release. ACC officials are evaluating other pro- grams for bachelor’s degrees.

and expenses. That total is nearly $7 million more than FY 2023-24’s revenue and expenses, accord- ing to district documents. The additional revenue could nearly all be attributed to a projected 700 new students, officials said. PISD will have an estimated revenue of more than $210 million. This has decreased from FY 2023-24 by more than $2.1 million, according to district documents. However, officials expect to see salary savings of $8 million. PISD will have estimated expenses of more than $216 million. This has increased from FY 2023-24 by more than $4.1 million, documents show.

Fiscal year 2024-25 budgets Alvin ISD

Revenue

Expenses

Pearland ISD

$366.62M

$218.84M

+$2.8M

$366.62M

$215.24

$100M

$200M

$300M

$400M

$50M $100M

$150M

$200M

$250M

SOURCES: ALVIN ISD, PEARLAND ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Friendswood ISD approves pay raise for staff

Friendswood ISD Market average for area

$80K

nonteaching positions, such as counselors, career and college specialists, therapists and diagnos- ticians, will receive the same salary increase, documents show. The 1% increase will go toward administration, auxiliary and support staff, according to district documents. This will cost the district more than $624,600, according to district documents.

Teachers and nonteaching professionals in Friendswood ISD will receive a minimum $2,000 increase, and all other staff will receive a 1% increase for the 2024-25 school year after the board of trustees on June 10 approved the increases. What you need to know The district will provide a $2,000 minimum salary increase to teaching positions as well as

$60K

$40K

$20K

Years of experience

SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

Real estate

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Home Edition

2024

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Home Edition! This guide features news ranging from key real estate trends and new developments unique to your neighborhood to an overview of the housing industry across Texas. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—show them your gratitude by supporting local businesses. In this edition, we explore multifamily developments in the market and how some cities are seeking them out, while others are avoiding them. We also ask a home insurer what residents can do to keep their premiums low. Lastly, you can read about the real estate market for May and how it compared to May 2023.

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What's inside

Q&A about home insurance premiums (Page 14)

Residential development helps Alvin ISD grow (Page 15)

Multifamily vs. single-family housing (Page 16)

Manvel approves 10% homestead exemption to cut taxes level of a homestead exemption, city officials said June 10. Manvel is the lone major city in Brazoria County without one for the wider community. Others in the area include:

Homeowners in Manvel will now have a 10% homestead exemption on their property tax bills after City Council unanimously approved a new ordinance at its June 17 meeting. What you need to know The new exemption is expected to net residents a savings of around $186 on the city portion of their property tax bills, but officials cautioned that those numbers, as well as revenue for the city, are still just estimates at this point. Budget estimates show the exemption will cost the city’s budget around $952,000 in revenue. Prior to the homestead exemption, city officials were looking at a projected nearly $1.9 million surplus for its fiscal year 2024-25 budget, accord- ing to agenda documents. The exemption, in addition to a 3% cost-of-living adjustment totaling around $300,000, will leave a surplus of roughly $600,000. However, officials clarified that these numbers are just estimates and final tax bills will depend on certified home values, as well as what tax rate the city approves later in the year. The background Over 60% of cities in Brazoria County have some

Breaking down the exemption The homestead exemption will mean residents are only taxed on 90% of their property’s total value. Average home value $333,305

• Pearland: 2.5% • Angleton: 3% • Iowa Colony: 10%

- $33,330

10% homestead exemption

$299,975 × 0.56 cents

Home taxable value Manvel tax rate

• Alvin: 20% • Clute: 20% • Freeport: 20%

$1,680 ($186 in savings)

Tax bill

NOTE: SAVINGS BASED ON CITY’S 2024 RESIDENTIAL-ONLY APPRAISAL ROLL

In a survey from last year, more than 70% of res- idents said they didn’t want taxes to go up. Mayor Dan Davis said he has also seen that a majority of residents would rather delay projects if it meant their taxes could go down. Budget discussions will begin in July, with August and September being when the city makes final decisions on the tax rate and budget, Davis said June 18. “This is the first time in a long time Manvel has given its citizens a tax break and I am excited to have worked with a great council and great team at city hall to deliver this for our community,” Davis said June 18.

Prior to the homestead exemption, Manvel was projecting a surplus of a little less than $1.9M for its fiscal year 2024-25 budget. Surplus allocation

Remaining surplus: $646K

Homestead exemption: $952K

Original projected surplus: $1.9M

Salary increases for city staff: $300K

NOTE: THESE TOTALS ARE ESTIMATES AND UNOFFICIAL SOURCE: CITY OF MANVEL/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Real estate

Fewer homes were sold overall in the Pearland- Friendswood area in May 2024 compared to May 2023. Meanwhile, the median number of days it took to sell a home varied between ZIP codes. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

May 2023

May 2024

-28.9%

+34.62%

+13.51%

-35.88%

+16.9%

77546

77578

77581

77583

77584

77581

521

518

77584

77583 77578

Median home sales price

May

2023

2024

77546

288

$481,000 $472,500 $352,000 $315,675 $366,000

489,000 459,250 352,500 319,625 363,000

77546

77578

Homes sold by price point

77581

May 2024

77583

$800,000+

77584

$600,000-$799,999

$400,000-$599,999

Average days on the market

184

+66.7%

+28.21%

-59.09%

-9.84%

-25%

$200,000-$399,999

<$199,999

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY ALINA ROGERS SPARROW REALTY • 281-961-2944 ALINAWROGERS@YAHOO.COM

77546

77578

77581

77583

77584

HIGH TEMPS

LOW RATES

11555 Magnolia Pkwy., Suite 170 Pearland, TX 77584 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

Real estate

BY HALEY VELASCO

BY RACHEL LELAND

With more than 7,000 additional students expected to be added over the next decade, Alvin ISD officials believe much of the district’s anticipated growth can be attributed to incoming residential projects. The number of new houses being built in AISD dating back to 2020 has eclipsed more than 1,400 each year, according to Zonda Demographics. Despite a slowdown in 2022 and 2023, AISD ranked No. 9 in the Greater Houston area for new housing starts, or builds, in the first quarter of 2024. As of the first quarter of 2024, there has been 382 annual starts, which is an increase of 100 compared to the same time in 2023, which had 282 annual starts, according to Zonda. Housing growth boosts Alvin ISD

Q&A: Why insurance premiums are rising; filing claims after a storm This season’s storms are expected to affect much of Houston, including Pearland and Friendswood. Community Impact spoke with Rick Tinker, owner of Rick Tinker Insurance in Pearland, about what resi- dents should do and what questions they should ask their insurance companies to keep their homeowners insurance premiums low amid statewide trends. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Are home insurance premiums rising, particularly in Pearland and Friendswood? And if so, why? The premiums in our area have been, in many cases, going up 50% to pushing 100%. ... This area down here on the coast has become so heavily populated that if a [Category 5 hurricane] came up the Gulf Freeway and the insurance companies had

to buy every roof south of I-10, that’s a lot of roofs. So, the population has been a concern. Obviously, inflation has been going up on goods, services and labor almost faster than they can raise rates. What can homeowners do to keep their premiums down? If they’re buying a house, the newer the roof, the better the rate. The roof is the single most signifi- cant factor. ... [Another factor is] when we insure a house, we insure for its replacement costs. Over the last 20 years, a lot of our houses’ replacement costs have almost tripled. ... While the value to rebuild their house has gone up fast, the value of their contents [inside the house] has not. So lowering the value [of contents] is a good idea. What do homeowners need to know about submitting claims for flood, wind or hail damage? You want your contractor to look at the damage and decide ... is there damage and is it going to exceed their deductible? Because ... a zero-paid claim [from insurance] goes against your claim record. ... You want to be sure that you’ve got a claim before you invite the insurance agency out.

Diving in deeper

AISD’s growth in context AISD is adding more homes and has the fifth most future lots in the Greater Houston area.

Several neighborhoods within AISD are under construction, with each potentially adding thousands of homes, which will result in more students, data shows. In addition to single-family homes, six multifamily projects, which will add more than 1,300 units, are also in the works.

New home builds started

Homes sold

2.5K 2K 1.5K 500 1K 0

1,620

1,358

1,488

1,203

2018

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Development in AISD

Annual housing starts in the Greater Houston area

18,300 future lots

Lamar Consolidated ISD

4,859

Cy-Fair ISD

2,817

5th highest future lot total in Greater Houston Area

Houston ISD

2,603

COURTESY RICK TINKER

Tomball ISD: 1,161 Alvin ISD: 1,583 Dickson ISD: 959

0.53 students per new household

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

Clear Creek ISD: 587

32 future subdivisions within AISD

NOTE: AS OF FIRST QUARTER OF 2024

SOURCES: ALVIN ISD, ZONDA DEMOGRAPHICS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SHADOW CREEK 11023 Shadow Creek Pkwy (281) 977-1027

PEARLAND 10555 Pearland Pkwy (713) 987-9205

ALMEDA 11130 Gulf Fwy (713) 910-3941

FRIENDSWOOD 3126 FM 528 (281) 648-5473

Real estate

Population growth is slowing down in Pearland but is speeding up in Manvel. With the land to accommodate it, Manvel officials said they hope to house those new residents in single-family neighborhoods, Manvel Mayor Dan Davis said. Meanwhile, Pearland and Friendswood are limited on space, and city officials believe multifamily paired with other projects will maximize the remaining undeveloped land. Doing so is essential to maintaining a strong tax base and high standard of living, Pearland Director of Community Development Vance Wyly said. “We want to be a place where you can graduate high school and find your first apartment, or offer transitional living for those who are downsizing,” Wyly said. Density vs. sprawl

Diving in deeper

isn’t new for Pearland, as the city has always been open to such developments. However, the city has what Wyly called a high barrier to entry. Certain features, such as amenities, location, quality of build and its connectivity with the surrounding community are factors the city looks for before moving forward with such a project, Wyly said. “We have a high expectation of the product,” Wyly said. “It’s about the quality and not a specific design.”

From 2016 to 2024, Pearland approved nearly 1,800 new apartment units across eight projects, according to city data. Friendswood has more than 600 units currently planned or under construction and another 200 or so recently built out. Manvel, by comparison, has no existing multi- family developments within its city limits, Davis said. Of the city’s 17,510 acres, less than 10 acres are zoned exclusively for multifamily living, according to the city’s zoning maps. Wyly said accepting multifamily developments

Multifamily developments since 2016

Construction ongoing Permitted or planned Completed

Pearland has 1,800 new units dating back to 2016.

Population growth

154

276

Pearland

210

2000 2010 2020

37,640

300

+142.4%

91,252

+37.9%

125,828

335

247

MCHARD RD.

214

215

Manvel

Friendswood has 800+ units completed, under construction or planned since 2016.

2000 2010 2020

3,046

1,086

Pearland

+70%

276

5,179

300

+92.9%

109

BROADWAY ST.

9,992

108

358

Friendswood

288

126

120

111

2000 2010 2020

22,814

+27.3%

BAILEY AVE.

TBD

29,037

500

+41.9%

41,213

Manvel has 0 apartment units or complexes in city limits.

2351

Friendswood

Manvel

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU/COMMUNITY IMPACT

NOTE: THIS MAP IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE SOURCES: APARTMENT DATA SERVICES; CITIES OF FRIENDSWOOD, MANVEL AND PEARLAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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BY JAMES T. NORMAN CONTRIBUTIONS CASSANDRA JENKINS

The cause

What’s next?

Housing starts

The last few acres of land for a city are typically the hardest to develop, Wyly said, as the easiest land is typically what gets developed first, making land with more challenges the last to see work. Despite this, the last 15% of land for Pearland will be critical to making the city sustainable for years to come. As part of that, Pearland officials are looking to approve the city’s newest comprehensive plan in July, which will help map out the remaining undeveloped land. Friendswood officials gave a similar answer in an email. With roughly 2,000 acres left to develop, the goal is to lessen the tax impact on current residents and pair complementing developments, like commercial and multifamily, together. Meanwhile, Manvel officials are creating the city’s first strategic plan, which is expected to wrap up in early 2025 and will help guide officials how to use the city’s land. “People want to move to Manvel, and as I talk to them ... they love seeing all the green space,” Davis said. “They love not experiencing traffic and congestion.”

As Pearland approaches build-out, the number of houses being built is slowing down at a “signifi- cant” pace, Wyly said. “I think a lot of communities, as they approach build-out, those [housing] numbers are going to kind of settle,” Wyly said. For Manvel, the number of homes under construction has increased in the past decade or so after remaining fairly stagnant for much of the 2000s, data shows. Davis said many of the new residents coming to Manvel are coming from places like Pearland. Fewer homes being built around the area com- bined with a desire to stay in the general vicinity is causing many to come to the burgeoning city. “We don’t want to do something because it’s the way [other cities] do it,” Davis said. “It’s our job as public servants to prioritize [what residents want].”

Pearland

Manvel

Friendswood

2.5K

1.5K

616

0.5K

215 110

2000 2005

2010 2015 2020 2023

SOURCES: CITIES OF FRIENDSWOOD, MANVEL AND PEARLAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Zooming out

developments, he said. Those developments are now wrapping up, which has flooded the market with new units in some areas. In the three submarkets Apartment Data Services tracks that make up the Pearland and Friendswood area, there are more than 3,600 units across a dozen projects either recently built in the past year, under construction or proposed, data shows. “Occupancy went up, rents went up and financ- ing was still low. … That [created] a 50-year high in construction,” McClenny said. “It’s definitely more than we’ve ever seen.”

The increasing number of apartment projects in the Greater Houston area is tied to more than just certain cities’ development goals, Apartment Data Services President Bruce McClenny said. Across the area, apartment projects are being delivered in droves, McClenny said. This in part has to do with the post-COVID-19 economy, which has seen new units being leased “like we’ve never seen before,” McClenny said. That, combined with the market reopening in 2021-22 following the peak of the pandemic, created a surge of pitches for apartment

“An important piece of keeping communities at an affordable place is the taxable assets you have on the ground. This last 15% [of land] we maybe make sure they’re denser to share across the community.” VANCE WYLY, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CITY OF PEARLAND

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From the cover

BY RACHEL LELAND & HALEY VELASCO CONTRIBUTIONS BY JOVANNA AGUILAR, WESLEY GARDNER, VANESSA HOLT, EMILY LINCKE, JESSICA SHORTEN & AUBREY VOGEL

also a faculty member at the College of Engi- neering, said he was surprised so many people lost electricity from the Category 1 hurricane. “I had a hard time believing it when I looked at the numbers on the power outage map,” he said. “What I suspect happened is you have trees falling on distribution lines, and you also have higher wind knocking over some transmission towers and distribution towers as well.” The background Hurricane Beryl initially formed as a tropical depression over the Atlantic Ocean on June 28 before strengthening into the first Atlantic hurricane of 2024 the following day, according to the National Weather Service. The hurricane traveled through the Gulf of Mexico before turning northeast, and by July 8, Beryl made

CONTINUED FROM 1

Beryl by the numbers

Following Hurricane Beryl making landfall on July 8, statewide and regional officials are continuing recovery efforts, including those in Friendswood, Manvel and Pearland. The region endured several inches of water and high winds, with the storm leaving in its wake wind damage, street flooding and millions without power or internet across the Greater Houston area. As part of the recovery, Pearland City Council is sorting out debris pickup and waiving permit fees to help speed up recovery for those whose homes were damaged. In Manvel, Mayor Dan Davis said he and others have been working to clean up debris, and he has been active with updates on social media. “Together each one of us … will work everyday to make

8 people in Texas have died as a result of Hurricane Beryl.

10 power transmission lines were downed during the storm in the Greater Houston area.

47 water rescues were conducted by Harris County and city of Houston agencies.

2.2M CenterPoint customers in the Greater Houston area were left without power on July 8.

$28B-$32B is the preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss from Beryl in the U.S.

Historical peak wind gusts Pearland-Friendswood area

landfall for the third time as a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph winds near Matagorda, Texas. Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, said state agencies will work with local utility companies to strengthen

Hobby Airport

70 mph

Hurricane Beryl (July 8)

“We know we have important work ahead for our customers who depend on us, especially during the hot summer months.”

sure that we recover fully and will thrive in the days to come as a result and after this storm,” Pearland Mayor Kevin Cole said in a July 8 news

84 mph

51 mph

Hurricane Harvey (August 2017)

LYNNAE WILSON, CENTERPOINT ENERGY SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

48 mph

64 mph

Hurricane Ike (September 2008)

conference. The impact Due to Brazoria County being so close to the eyewall of the hurricane, city and elected officials in Friendswood, Manvel and Pearland said wind-related damage to trees and fences as well as downed power lines and flooding were common throughout the county. The effects of the storms are evident for residents and businesses, too. Mike Travis, an employee of Gas Products Unlimited in Pearland, said on July 9, he ran out of propane three hours after opening. Meanwhile, officials with the Pearland Fire Department said they received several calls related to carbon monoxide poisoning. Through- out the Houston metro, Comcast data shows around 420,000 customers were disrupted, and CenterPoint Energy officials said more than 2.2 million customers lost power. As of press time at 4:34 p.m. on July 11, over 1 million customers remained without power. “This storm proved the unpredictability of hurricanes as it delivered a powerful blow across our service territory and impacted a lot of lives,” said Lynnae Wilson, senior vice president for CenterPoint Energy. Tom Overbye, who serves as the director of Texas A&M University’s Smart Grid Center and is

92 mph

infrastructure against future disasters. “I look at every one of these storms as a chance for us to review what we’ve done and try to get better at our preparation, our response,” Gleeson said. Next steps Following the hurricane, efforts quickly turned toward restoration and recovery. He said there will also be an investigation with the PUCT to figure out what went wrong. Overbye said when lines are built, they are meant to be able to withstand 110 mph winds, which Beryl did not bring. On July 8, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for Texas that will provide local and state officials with federal assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, according to a July 9 news release from the Texas Division of Emergency Management. As cleanup efforts begin, debris removal will be key in returning to recovery efforts, TDEM Chief Nim Kidd said during a July 9 news confer- ence. The emergency declaration will grant 75% reimbursement for debris cleanup for affected counties, he said. “The work is not finished yet; we are all in this together,” Davis said. “We have made it this far, and we will make it the rest of the way.”

Historical two-day rainfall averages

Pearland-Friendswood area

Hobby Airport

9.24 in.

Hurricane Beryl (July 8)

5.5 in.

34.43 in.

Hurricane Harvey (August 2017)

37.01 in.

9.3 in.*

Hurricane Ike (September 2008)

8.08 in.

*IKE RAINFALL TOTAL COMES FROM ALVIN STATION

Historical peak power outages in the Greater Houston area Hurricane Beryl (July 8)

2.2M

Derecho (Early May 2024) Hurricane Harvey (August 2017) Hurricane Ike (September 2008)

930,000

Outages during Harvey totaled 1M

270,000

2.2M

SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY, CITY OF HOUSTON, CENTERPOINT ENERGY, ACCUWEATHER, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Transportation

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

FM 518 work in Pearland years away

The context

information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation. As of May, the design phase for the project on the east side is 60% complete, Perez said. Meanwhile, the west side of FM 518 is further along, with the design phase expected to be at 90% by August and done by March next year, Perez said.

Work to widen and reconstruct a roughly 5.5- mile stretch of FM 518 in Pearland is coming, but officials said construction likely won’t begin until 2026. The construction will take place along two different segments of the road in Pearland: a 3-mile stretch on the east side, and a 2.4-mile stretch on the west side, both of which are in the design phase, said Danny Perez, public

Perez said the project has not seen an official delay and described the timeline as “fluid.” When getting set to do projects like this, things such as utility lines and obtaining the right of way can take quite a while, he said. This is compounded by the fact that the companies that own the utility lines in a particular area often move at their own pace in terms of relocating or clearing them, Perez said. The east portion could be bid out toward the beginning of 2027, while the western portion could go out for bid by June 2026, Perez said. The 5.5-mile stretch in total will run $127 million and will be covered by an 80% and 20% split of federal and state funding, respectively, Perez said.

HALBERT DR.

288

West side project

East side project

WALNUT ST.

518

BROADWAY ST.

OLD CHOCOLATE BAYOU RD.

CI Offer Only

EXP 7/31/24.

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

Development

BY RACHEL LELAND

Friendswood officials said they believe a tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ, west of FM 528 is necessary to bring infrastructure to the area to help prepare for upcoming transportation projects. Friendswood City Council on June 3 voted 5-2 to create a TIRZ for 326 acres of land along FM 528—despite opposition from several nearby residents. A TIRZ is a tool cities can use to help fund development in a specified zone. It does this by freezing property values in the area and investing tax dollars from any new value into the site for development, officials said. The goal of the TIRZ, which is Friendswood’s second one, is to bring in infrastructure that has long been lacking at the site and made it difficult to develop. Friendswood OKs TIRZ to spur development

What they’re saying

Why it matters

Residents and council members who supported the TIRZ said they believe it’s needed to develop a part of the city that several developers declined to pursue due to the area’s lack of infrastructure. With upcoming transportation projects, such as the expansion of Grand Parkway in the coming years, those in favor said a TIRZ could help prepare for increased traffic as the area grows. Council members John Ellisor and Brent Erenw- ert voted against the motion, and several residents spoke in opposition of the TIRZ due to safety and traffic concerns.

Several prospective developers and buyers, including Walmart, Kroger and Hines, have considered the property in recent years but ultimately passed on developing it due to a lack of infrastructure, documents show. According to a city staff presentation, other factors cited for the inability to develop the site included: • Absence of an adequate roadway network • Absence of a regional lift station • Insufficient existing force main and water lines, which cause water pressure issues during peak demand By 2040, population increases in the area could make travel time along FM 518 in Friendswood up to 45 minutes, according to the presentation. To ease traffic congestion, Friendswood has planned for the past 35 years to extend Friendswood Parkway as a parallel roadway from FM 528 to Dixie Farm Road, City Manager Morad Kabiri said. Kabiri added that the revenue generated from the TIRZ can only go toward projects within the zone, and the projects have to directly benefit the TIRZ. “Only the properties bound within the TIRZ are going to pay for these regional infrastructures,” Kabiri said. “So it’s not going to be done on the backs of existing Friendswood taxpayers.”

“According to the current cost estimates for civil infrastructure, design and needs of the city, even at a 100% sell out ... [a project at this site] would lose more than $6 million [without a TIRZ].” LOUIS TANNOS, PRESIDENT, TANNOS DEVELOPMENT in the street, people who walk their dogs in the street. So, if you open up Castlewood, people are not going to be able to do that, and it’s going to cause safety issues.” KATHERINE HILL, FRIENDSWOOD RESIDENT “Our children ride their bikes and their three-wheelers and their go-karts in the street. We have joggers in the street, bicycle riders

EDGEWOOD DR.

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New TIRZ

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Nonpro t

BY ASIA ARMOUR

BACODA continues ght against substance abuse For the past 50 years, the Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol, or BACODA, has worked to prevent alcohol and substance abuse in 13 south- east Texas counties through education, referrals to health care providers and other social services. A closer look The primary issue in Galveston County, said Director of Coalitions Melissa Igo, are opioid over- doses. In all counties, Igo said underaged drinking is a focus for BACODA and its collaborators. The nonprot provides its services to the Bay Area community at-large—where many of the group’s sta have generational roots. “There’s some type of personal connection,” said Dannielle Meyer, director of communications for BACODA. “We are making sure our communities and the people who live in them have every oppor- tunity for success.”

BACODA sta has been working for 50 years to stop the usage of drugs and alcohol, and promote mental health.

ASIA ARMOURCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Pearland

2947 E. Broadway St., Ste. 400, Pearland 1-800-510-3111

BACODA has an emphasis on stopping drugs, vaping and alcohol in school.

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