[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6618856,"mediaKeyId","2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f","parentId",2946449,"title","Prospective farmers market seeks more dates; council and staff cite zoning limits and special-event rules","audioSeconds",793,"startMs",2778000,"endMs",3571000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f&start=2778&end=3571","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f/thumbnail_2778000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6618856/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Prospective-farmers-market-seeks-more-dates-council-and-staff-cite-zoning-limits-and-special-event-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618856-c9ccc9b347c218ed967713bc8e41bf7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154702&Signature=TkviaI5jVlA7GI8TFim5ppRWIwTYy5V0wAOkZ5ZsJHjHY7fDQi2y8zIIgpXqSfyISb-z3jLkiKSHSJhBaTVax81EgkFBp-YuuEpfqmyCqBJI~AEQpRiVCO10zdOCQI8Q2c47uAl3rAbJLNnhHvoOFII9VfVL0yK4qHwiyl52dCWyF78gmf9NdOFw5bmK-P1XFVHrcTYismgyCt4hjULNZCjqRZHq8rKzuDK7B9OYvtFmq-uncAG9AleD-lQ3CbWPWQS59-b8rYdeFieHjuMqAU4jTp0sI-RUfmI7ChOVV03OAZyZ0Vf9CgilbSLMxpt5wI71u5QH32cFXoda4Yt75Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Seabrook, Texas","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Owners of a regional farmers-market operator briefed Seabrook City Council on March 18 and requested help to permit more frequent markets on city property than the four special-event permits currently allowed.

Miguel (\"Mike\") and Kayla, owners and managers of Texas Markets and the Pasadena Farmers Market, told council they manage several markets, said vendors have asked for more frequent events, and proposed holding a twice-monthly market in Seabrook at Rex Meder Park or the Seabrook Community House. The presenters said they had about 150–200 interested vendors to rotate through events and that food-service vendors require restrooms and concrete or approved ground coverings for hot food preparation.

City staff response and zoning constraints

City planning staff (Sean) explained why the city treats farmers markets on public property as special events. Under the current zoning code, farmers markets are a conditional use in Old Seabrook when operated on private property. When an event proposes operation on city park property, it triggers the city’s special-event permitting process, which has historically been interpreted to limit special events to four per year. Sean told council staff could work with Planning & Zoning to amend the ordinance if council wanted to broaden permission for farmers markets on public property.

Council reaction and next steps

Councilmembers expressed general support for expanding markets and asked staff to identify suitable park locations and to work through the permitting, restroom, and site-preparation issues. City staff said fees for a typical special-event permit are modest and that the city could support promotion through social media. Council asked staff to return with recommended ordinance changes and location options.

Related discussion: mobile food-vendor rules

Separately, council held a longer discussion about a proposed review of the city’s mobile food-vendor (food truck) ordinance. Staff said the current ordinance runs roughly six pages, was written to preserve true mobility (preventing permanent hookups to utilities), requires a sales/use tax permit, county health permits, proof of insurance and other documentation, restricts operations within 300 feet of brick-and-mortar restaurants without permission, and requires re-permitting every 90 days. Several food-truck operators have asked that the city simplify or relax some restrictions; council directed staff to gather more vendor input and to return with proposed amendments, but tabled immediate action.

Why it matters: expanding farmers markets and revisiting mobile-vendor rules could increase local economic activity, support small businesses, and affect neighborhood parking and public-safety staffing depending on event size.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Seabrook, Texas March 18, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Owners of the proposed Seabrook farmers market asked council to allow more frequent markets on city property; staff said current zoning interprets farmers markets on parks as special events and limits them to four per year without an ordinance change.","taxTitle","Seabrook, Harris County, Texas","taxId",69500,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6618859,"Local nonprofit warns of rising derelict-boat problem on Clear Lake, urges state action and grants",183,1519000,1702000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f&start=1519&end=1702","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f/thumbnail_1519000.jpg","/articles/6618859/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Local-nonprofit-warns-of-rising-derelict-boat-problem-on-Clear-Lake-urges-state-action-and-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618859-dc6bf3d6b64b4b439792bf510895c610/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154702&Signature=mglK2CYmX4qnu-gaKxpJvLWZ~1SCR1HqUwq4vfsnSN-3xm~30Q9TuJyCpwp-NSPK5mMU85BvtyGnMIikQGfxb1R95MhYow5qFwCIm4c0lXdoj6M4WHa6fboEbC98dP-ptYZm~y0HxLJoJrttmLwkeTqHIVm8egifs~RYylX5qt9n4s33wzqLn7XewfH7xdDPfSoZUzYrYENdZuzYyhM5ODYGPuXzCgTJNSyWodk7PpHWjxX5E-3rZvE2AWnPfSPSnRoKU4R1XmQbYR8mv0q~S5~QUXQ09wDhkYE7LYOlFmcs1dh6JI2hN0SI6P2Z3JTj-Hw-BF5Wbib-GgucsL5VFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A local nonprofit told the Seabrook City Council on March 18 that derelict and abandoned boats on Clear Lake have increased sharply in recent years and that removing them requires significant money and interagency coordination.

Tom Taylor, an officer and legal counsel for Citizens Against Derelict Dumping (CAD), said CAD has documented roughly 18 boats currently anchored or moored in the Clear Lake area — up from one permanent vessel three years ago — and that five of those are sunken. \"These boats out there ... represent a safety hazard, they represent a navigational hazard and they represent a probable environmental hazard, if they sink,\" Taylor said.

Taylor told council the group has applied for an $85,000 federal grant, administered through BoatUS, to help pay for removals. He said average removal and disposal costs range from about $15,000 to $20,000 per boat and grow if recovery requires raising a sunken vessel. Taylor described the removal sequence: identification (often by the General Land Office), owner-notice attempts, tagging for disposal, contracting licensed companies (TowBoatUS, etc.) with environmental insurance, ashore stripping of fuels and electronics, and final disposal.

Why it matters: abandoned and improperly lit vessels pose public-safety and navigational risks in a busy recreational waterway and can cause pollution if engines, fuel or batteries are released. CAD and some municipalities have limited budgets and enforcement gaps are split across multiple state and federal agencies.

Enforcement, laws and funding

Taylor noted existing state rules but said enforcement is difficult when ownership records are missing or sellers fail to notify Texas Parks and Wildlife at transfer. He also said several bills and proposals are under discussion that could alter enforcement or funding: Representative Dennis Paul introduced a bill to direct a portion of boat registration fees toward the General Land Office for removals; CAD leadership said they had discussed requiring proof of insurance and tougher penalties on owners.

Questions from council and staff

Council members and staff asked how removals proceed and which agencies can issue citations. Seabrook’s police chief answered that the city presently has two certified marine-safety enforcement officers and two patrol-boat captains (the same two officers) and that training for additional officers is underway; the chief said the goal was to have two or three more marine safety officers by summer and to involve younger officers in training.

CAD representatives and council members said existing laws already prohibit abandoning boats and require registration and safe lighting for anchored vessels, but that fines are low (Class C misdemeanor) and enforcement resources are scarce. CAD asked council to support state-level reforms and to consider local collaborations among nearby cities on enforcement and shared response.

What CAD reported (as stated at the meeting)

- Estimated number of registered boats in the Clear Lake area: about 7,000.
- Reported derelict/abandoned vessels currently observed on Clear Lake: 18 (an increase of 17 from three years ago); previously only one permanent anchored/moored vessel was present three years prior.
- Of the 18: five are sunken; 13 are afloat; of those afloat, six are believed to be liveaboards and five were observed to be improperly lighted at night.
- CAD’s estimated removal cost per boat: $15,000–$20,000 on average; higher for sunken vessels.

CAD asked council and other area municipalities to coordinate regionally and to back state-level steps such as redirecting a portion of registration fees to the GLO and requiring insurance or stronger penalties for owners who abandon vessels.

Speakers and attributions in this article are drawn from the March 18 council meeting transcript.","Citizens Against Derelict Dumping told Seabrook council that the number of derelict boats on Clear Lake has grown from one to about 18 in three years, poses navigational and environmental hazards, and that removal costs run $15,000–$20,000 per boat; the group is seeking federal grant support and state law changes to improve enforcement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6618865,"Seabrook approves grant writers, generators and pier application; tables food-truck rewrite",207,4069000,4276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f&start=4069&end=4276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f/thumbnail_4069000.jpg","/articles/6618865/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Seabrook-approves-grant-writers-generators-and-pier-application-tables-food-truck-rewrite","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618865-9a7cab74dbeb81f479c86714aeab98a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154702&Signature=SKYf7JL1n6XxILqBMhKZk0NhIN1vCZZEYUvR3MHtz3oViJt1UgrLq-xOaqJIB0OreA3~aJmoNthgzFxHX7PHxRejlBzXdKb4QGiNIRCOTFTyAvY-9ffnsVOhohxGI2HOVQRz~S~QCCzQXKFeGS0gdrtnWoCgCjJpiXK1rdvmP2cTuDCGeyTGQV8CaUQhqk6Lh2S~RZop-Etm70DWe7qam2ijLGoZFgE95SD1iq-MUnJerA-VHdhe4b62S94s-L5Erv2xnMs~WC-aA6nFo1se6VRZnGvNJp26pidFrWkrhMmz8Vx9suz7kR1jU4wo0i66NfGTkDn5HEzPhwub7B7YWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Seabrook City Council on March 18 approved a series of routine and grant-related items, including two on-call grant-writing contracts, a federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) purchase of portable generators for the sewer system, and a county partnership grant application for the Pine Gully Pier. The council also voted to keep open a review of mobile food-vendor regulations and temporarily tabled that discussion.

Council approved the consent agenda, which included second reading of an ordinance amending the World Class Freezer Facility planned unit development and approval of the minutes from March 4. The council then moved through staff recommendations and bid awards, approving two firms for grant-writing and management services and authorizing several project-specific contracts and task orders.

Why it matters: the contracts and grant applications advance several capital and resilience priorities the council has discussed over the past year — including pier reconstruction and backup power for sewer pumps — and create a permanent procurement path for outside grant-writing capacity.

Key actions and outcomes

- Grant-writing contracts: The council awarded on-call grant-writing and management services to two firms (Kimley Horn and Whit O'Brien's) to support future grant pursuit and authorized the city manager to execute professional services agreements. (Item 4.1)

- HMGP generators: The city awarded RFP 2024-521 for HMGP 4556 portable generators for the sewer system to Aviate Enterprises, Inc., for an amount not to exceed $296,455.50. The project is funded through a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program with 90% federal reimbursement and a 10% local match (approximately $29,645.55). (Item 4.2)

- Inspection services task order: Council approved Task Order 2025-01 under the city’s master professional services agreement with Project Surveillance, Inc., for professional inspection services on the Seascape Waterline Project in an amount not to exceed $91,821.60. (Item 5.2)

- Pine Gully Pier grant application: Council approved a resolution authorizing submission of a partnership grant application to Harris County Precinct 2 for the Pine Gully Pier, committing to the required local match if awarded. The application is being submitted using figures from the original pier design and would require a 50/50 match. Staff said further design work on alternative, more resilient “jacket” options could run in parallel. (Item 5.3)

- Harris County 2022 grant amendment: Council approved a first amendment to the 2022 Harris County partnership grant so that existing awarded funds may be used toward demolition related to the pier project; the county indicated a willingness to split demolition costs 50/50 where appropriate. (Item 5.4)

- Tabling of mobile-vendor rewrite: After an hour-long discussion about the city’s mobile food-vendor ordinance, council members agreed to table the item to allow more vendor and staff input; staff was directed to return with proposed revisions. (Item 5.1)

Votes: For multiple items the meeting record shows motions made, seconds, and unanimous approval by the council present. Where the roll-call name-by-name tally was not recorded verbally in the minutes, the official outcome recorded in the meeting transcript was \"approved\" or \"unanimous.\" No recorded vote indicated failure.

What’s next: Staff will return with refined designs and cost estimates for the pier alternatives and with draft ordinance language and options for mobile food vendors and for the farmers-market requests discussed later in the meeting.","At its March 18 meeting the Seabrook City Council approved multiple contracts and grant actions — including two on-call grant writers, portable sewer-system generators and a county partnership grant application for Pine Gully Pier — and tabled a review of mobile food-vendor rules.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6618851,"Resident urges Seabrook to codify candidate residency checks after exchange over JP Byers' application",421,700000,1121000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f&start=700&end=1121","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946449-195eef062eb8abf39e932a31ce51bb5f/thumbnail_700000.jpg","/articles/6618851/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Resident-urges-Seabrook-to-codify-candidate-residency-checks-after-exchange-over-JP-Byers-application","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6618851-8a44e3efd7c9db46e9a566c11e9ab65e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154702&Signature=ekbgUZNGm1D5NOPE5I2gkNmzK-g5gCGNpjJaNzxAJySERK38kku8x91aqudlbEAFqVDsOrtMMuIbWX7pN1myGfZvlFw-m7lkFWu0sbCcjG1FkTRsZlIzHg~309Gf34FKLMYx5UH~AmqE0yvedgyL98R3VWKmK1tskEGfXwzNN05MluQvsNHqkBevm-8Wf93579Z85fPDQw9PwV~LULuNBm5ETrhNC6YImQ0AvjWpISATO8te90x8tFHF1fmLViTGMz8~EOAC74fKPLBkBfXy822Z9UMGLaPHVBlB6bnT4rTodVKpoliLdfxfnpkS1v55xCVgZ03ARDEdFMIIJLQUcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Seabrook resident urged the City Council on March 18 to adopt clearer procedures for verifying candidate residency after questioning the documentation provided by a candidate for council.

Jesse Jones, speaking during the public-comment period, said he had raised concerns about an application listing nine months of residency for candidate JP Byers and reminded council that one year is the minimum time to establish residency to qualify for office in Seabrook. \"As we all know, one year is the minimum amount of time required to establish residency in Seabrook,\" Jones said, and he asked the council to codify a staff process to request proof of residency and other supporting documents for future candidates.

Byers responded in public comment, saying he had consulted city staff before filing and that staff told him the city does not adjudicate residency challenges. Byers said additional documents had been provided to the city secretary and that he expects to reach the one-year mark by May 1. \"As of May 1, my residency is here,\" he said. Byers added that city staff told him that election eligibility complaints are administered by the Texas Secretary of State and not by the city.

Why it matters: candidate residency requirements determine ballot eligibility. Jones argued the current process amounts to an honor system that leaves the burden of investigation to citizens. He asked council to adopt codified guidance that would allow staff to request leases, utility bills, or other supporting material to verify claims on candidacy applications.

Council action: At the March 18 meeting council made no immediate change to candidacy verification procedures. Jones asked staff and council to consider an ordinance to clarify what documentation staff may request and to set a clear process for future elections.","During public comment Jesse Jones questioned the residency documentation of candidate JP Byers and urged the city to adopt procedures allowing staff to require proof of residency. Byers responded that city staff told him they do not enforce residency and that election challenges should be filed with the Texas Secretary of State.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Prospective farmers market seeks more dates; council and staff cite zoning limits and special-event rules

Local nonprofit warns of rising derelict-boat problem on Clear Lake, urges state action and grants

Seabrook approves grant writers, generators and pier application; tables food-truck rewrite

Resident urges Seabrook to codify candidate residency checks after exchange over JP Byers' application