[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6080527,"mediaKeyId","2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b","parentId",2946450,"title","Council ratifies $50,000 EDC facade incentive for Seabrook Retail LLC despite objections over landlord record","audioSeconds",3374,"startMs",745000,"endMs",4119000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b&start=745&end=4119","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b/thumbnail_745000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6080527/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Council-ratifies-50000-EDC-facade-incentive-for-Seabrook-Retail-LLC-despite-objections-over-landlord-record","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080527-61fcf48fa7e36db4f656e79cdb805fc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179061&Signature=K43qfOSQ9Oax707Onf-UaQsh60v3k01OS4L1ayCi9i1PxQy2XKvu7GfbmQXgqiiSXxasfKzWKq5fmsCP0OLHlSlMeMD8bc61iceP78IicPGueh2VbwsJCEwUAEpJ2ZCNgWdlSYBM75tryV5k4zhK9H1NpisugFFkwLLkcRmLsk17zpqpZBsLdzTi0DXY0QhCWXhHy3Qi9VDlV8qoCo0dro~PbxTfh96gcTDPRoXFGomasoqpsVdgsrl5jcRhWojKeVpb0Mys8Vhb6JhlYsCpTk7TidOT9wSXIRS-BFM9KZFryNHEwP3xSoimhSrBuFyL1z31vWe1X1OwPgCgyHjvIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Seabrook, Texas","date","2025-03-04T00:00:00Z","article","Seabrook City Council ratified a business development incentive of up to $50,000 for Seabrook Retail LLC on March 4, authorizing a partnership-style, reimbursement-based facade improvement grant to support tenant occupancy in a long-vacant building on State Highway 146.

The incentive item was brought forward by the Seabrook Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Council discussion and public comments reflected mixed views: some members argued the award would help revive a derelict property and encourage tenants, while others urged caution because of existing code violations and the property owner’s record. The motion passed after debate.

Local business owner Jennifer Pitts, who operates Genuine Treasures in Old Seabrook, described loss of customers during long construction and urged more visible signage and support for Old Seabrook businesses; the council later added signage for the historic district to a future agenda. Commenter JP Byers urged skepticism about the landlord’s portfolio and maintenance record and said that granting public funds to an absentee owner deserved closer scrutiny.

Council members and staff clarified the program structure: the EDC contribution is a reimbursement tied to completed, permitted work and requires the property to come into code compliance before payment. Code enforcement staff reported there are existing code violations at the property that are being addressed; city staff noted the incentive is structured as a reimbursement and that funds are not released until construction is complete and certificates of occupancy are verified for tenants.

Backers of the incentive said the EDC and property owner will each contribute and that the program is a 50/50 partnership intended to get the building back into productive use. After discussion, the council voted to ratify the incentive and directed staff to ensure permitting and inspections precede any reimbursement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Seabrook, Texas March 4, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Seabrook City Council ratified a Seabrook Economic Development Corporation incentive of up to $50,000 for facade improvements at the Floppy Pets building on March 4, despite objections about the owner’s maintenance record and existing code issues.","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},6080531,"Council approves amended plan for World Class Freezer facility after safety, layout changes",628,2585000,3213000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b&start=2585&end=3213","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b/thumbnail_2585000.jpg","/articles/6080531/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Council-approves-amended-plan-for-World-Class-Freezer-facility-after-safety-layout-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080531-12224448a632f286c7596e240090d0b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179061&Signature=LXe5UkvchpGp6fcKJI3S-1B9TePMrsFeSCSIcoLFUGIz6ZvUsuASxCeLt~2trhn1iP49gu-HC7cRd8qzqviHnNuqTbsyPFdPQcBwdjS~RDMSdGA0-tf1ulBI6Kr5F2kQ9BLL~LC78925mK-VXjC6ZP5M2Y8FbjkLAqGsjEzzlPRVijBG-qPBvZeZBVfq9OR4YDkkSybfyDuc1RPgWWq4U8q-aCHkOmJMXtSpL7aW4OkmRcW-ZcKQ6cU19C2-nr80C-qhoF-YGAl~N9qOcZpnyEsl-zxmaP9bzvhJJl1TmuI-HOdW0iudgl7ptkTl1g5EoYhIs3PHSIEDo61fx9tugw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Seabrook City Council on March 4 approved amendments to the World Class Freezer Facility planned unit development, a change that reduces the warehouse footprint, shifts the building toward the northern property boundary and retains a required 8-foot masonry/concrete buffer wall.

The project’s representative told the council the revised building would shrink from roughly 134,632 square feet to about 72,000 square feet and be designed to serve multiple tenants. Ken Jackson, who identified himself as owner of Camfield Partners, said the redesign breaks the refrigeration system into multiple, standalone refrigeration units sized well below state and federal program thresholds.

Jackson said each rooftop refrigeration box will serve two tenant spaces and that each system is designed for only a few hundred pounds of ammonia — well under threshold amounts that would trigger a mandatory Process Safety Management (PSM) requirement at the federal and state level. “The combination is 2,500 pounds of ammonia,” Jackson said, and added that the planned design remains below OSHA and Texas thresholds for PSM reporting. He told council the facility will maintain a PSM voluntarily and contract with an experienced refrigeration service contractor for maintenance.

Mary Chambers, a consultant with Marsh Darcy Partners presenting the staff summary, told council the site is zoned C-2 and identified as light-industrial in the city’s comprehensive plan; she said the planning commission had unanimously recommended approval at its January meeting. The revised site plan adds an on-site detention pond and creates ingress and egress off a frontage road so large trucks need not use State Highway 146 for all movements.

During the public hearing residents asked about safety and the nature of tenant businesses. Project representatives said the building is primarily cold storage (no food processing) and predicted an average tenant would employ about six workers and several drivers; the developer estimated roughly 90 jobs across the building’s tenants. “It will likely have some frozen seafood, fresh flowers, certain fruits and vegetables,” Jackson said, adding the design is convertible and could operate as a cooler rather than a freezer for some tenants.

The council then moved to adopt an ordinance amending the PUD; the mayor called the vote and declared it unanimous.

Staff noted that final permits and tenant-by-tenant certificates of occupancy would be enforced under code; the developer and staff confirmed that tenant occupancy and required COs must be in place as part of building permit review and business licensing procedures.

The ordinance approved at the meeting revises the site plan, plan regulations and conditions of the August 6, 2024 PUD approval; it also includes a standard penalty clause for violations of city ordinances.","Council voted to amend the planned unit development (PUD) for a proposed cold-storage warehouse, reducing the building size, shifting the layout and agreeing to safety controls for ammonia refrigeration systems.",{"_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},6080536,"Seabrook council approves amended industrial-district deal with Port of Houston after heated public comments",5800,1010000,6810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b&start=1010&end=6810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b/thumbnail_1010000.jpg","/articles/6080536/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Seabrook-council-approves-amended-industrial-district-deal-with-Port-of-Houston-after-heated-public-comments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080536-0eea1c3b4e2f67546233f6e452d9e91b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179061&Signature=RRHEoTaoIWr9q70MoPIZsnYG~~5DdUjhTvoOQMtJgkJBlP-SAiA-hijNtGyzOKVhPv22UfpHH-bSzH~vfAktu7jAo7Rqwz4O3I8V2~aZAceVtwVq8iNKD772ryJbtOYYWA17xmLc27Ucs-UqXkqRGtfuNVr1DKrlqm1i0C6jn2AgpUISqlH9qbw2sugqwwi~8zlmJBUkiQya0DBZppCh6sJWQQjX5HfwMeufi9mZdUp5ZC-pUFguB0102fpWVoaMTFYVgmxHC~Ces1ZMmTU6kcf14aQtkTy7TbjHfolydRC8L0BH8-0VIVmoga5~SW9pQklkj1LG8eX3iJdj1TglFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Seabrook City Council approved Amendment No. 3 to a settlement agreement and an amended and restated Industrial District Agreement (IDA) with the Port of Houston Authority on March 4, accepting payments and mitigation commitments the city said will accompany disannexation of port-owned parcels.

The vote came after public comment and an extended council discussion about the structure and timing of the deal, local impacts and outstanding legal questions about land ownership. Residents and speakers urged more public outreach before final action; the council voted to approve the amendment and the IDA after debate.

The agreement the council approved covers multiple elements described by city staff: a one-time package of payments and phased pilot payments to the city, an allocation identified as $503,125 tied to an outstanding Pine Gully issue, a park contribution in the documents and a series of mitigation and screening commitments that include trail and buffer work near Toddville. Staff described the proposal as a 15-year IDA renewal that would add certain port-owned parcels for IDA treatment and provide payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) rather than full ad valorem tax revenue on those parcels.

Resident Marissa Levitt told the council the deal raised “major financial red flags” and asked the body to delay a vote until outstanding questions were answered, including who legally owns the parcels identified for disannexation and whether the port covers unpaid back taxes if the seller is insolvent. “Who currently owns the land? HCAD records still show UTSI as the owner,” Levitt said during public comment, asking whether the city could legally enter the agreement if ownership is unresolved.

Jordan Frisbee, who identified himself as representing the Port of Houston Authority, spoke to the council during the discussion and described the port’s offer as “generous” and the product of extended negotiation. “We work really hard to accommodate the wishes and concerns of the City of Seabrook,” Frisbee said, and added that the port had gone “way above and beyond” typical screening and landscaping commitments on comparable properties.

City staff summarized the settlement and IDA exhibits for council and the public, saying the package includes a mix of upfront and tiered payments, funding for park and trail elements, drainage and pond work, and a requirement that port properties in the IDA pay PILOTs rather than being entirely tax-exempt. Staff also noted the 15-year maximum length for an IDA under state law.

Several council members and residents urged a public town-hall before the vote; others warned that delaying action could risk losing the offer and that the port owns the land and could proceed without city cooperation. After council discussion, a motion to approve the amendment passed; the council then approved the amended and restated IDA document that incorporates that amendment.

Council action will be followed by administrative steps required under the settlement and IDA, including related ordinances and any necessary follow-up to clarify implementation details. The council did not produce a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript; the mayor declared both measures passed following a motion and second.

The item sparked requests from residents for greater public briefings and for staff to provide legal clarifications the commenters had sought about ownership and tax liability. City staff and city legal counsel told the council they could answer additional legal questions as requested and noted that elements of the agreement replicate protections included in the city’s earlier 2007 settlement with the port.","The City Council voted to approve Amendment No. 3 to a settlement agreement and an amended and restated Industrial District Agreement (IDA) with the Port of Houston Authority, accepting a package of payments and mitigation commitments after public concern about legal and fiscal details.",{"_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},6080518,"Seabrook police report fewer crashes, rising call volume and steps toward accreditation in 2024",477,1539000,2016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b&start=1539&end=2016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b/thumbnail_1539000.jpg","/articles/6080518/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/Seabrook-police-report-fewer-crashes-rising-call-volume-and-steps-toward-accreditation-in-2024","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080518-d0311025bdb04733569d283aefff1969/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179061&Signature=iIOvNvLBOgpBDKDMcy6kYesvPh7N-GCYO72O7hFsY-0h8fcmiN6bhTzXh2nZ1HJErcAM6EVTHFBownmvwpA8GAuonMo~eTsEmIfGrcUqjvBI1XYsWwmuXZPkAjbZzYYeJdVtp3V2RWr-LGhBZbsuyqm5QLlfkA4fdeQ3djPULq5oYhchzUcmNseszJqWn8vojg~HCYtO8tY3rYlzG9Ra6CASNZ9kgnak4GBPcqvhQBVEyivtH5HOTOnJXCKF48lnLlezE6Y85akQjUNn91xRhU1LO8X6pbRP5yGjTdQ4Hj2tSetv6t~Mw3d8CGTF8TJy77-ZMOmUzaY~64beV3qwjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Seabrook’s police chief presented the department’s 2024 annual report at the March 4 council meeting, reporting higher call volume, a decade-low total for traffic crashes, enhanced training and equipment upgrades, and pursuit of Texas best-practices accreditation.

City police reported an increase of roughly 2,000 calls across public safety responses and a decline in animal-control calls by about 300 compared with the prior year. The department said crash totals fell to the lowest level in the last decade; the chief credited part of the long-term decline to changes linked to the opening of State Highway 146 and to subsequent signal-timing adjustments with TxDOT at two key intersections.

The department reported a 72 percent clearance rate in criminal investigations and recent upgrades including new handheld radios, in-car hardware and body cameras intended to speed evidence access and case processing. Grants awarded in 2024 totaled about $141,000 and covered officer protective gear and an accreditation grant, the chief said. Staffing had fluctuated: the department began the year with one vacancy, finished with five vacancies, and expected to fill additional positions in the coming weeks.

The chief said the department began the Texas best-practices accreditation process in December 2024 and anticipated full accreditation by mid-2026, noting the program evaluates roughly 170 standards. The department also asked for and received public-safety program funds for drones to assist searches and structure fire operations.

Council members asked about the commercial-vehicle enforcement and truck scale capabilities; the chief said the commercial division is rebuilding after staff promotions and training and that one trained officer is actively conducting inspections on regional truck traffic.","Police leaders presented the department’s 2024 annual report, citing roughly 2,000 additional calls across public safety divisions, the lowest crash total in a decade, increased training and grant-funded equipment, and a projected accreditation completion in 2026.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6080522,"TxDOT design complete for new Seabrook boat ramp; construction not expected until 2026–2027",405,2159000,2564000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b&start=2159&end=2564","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2946450-52bc66421b1477ffc255b49efbb9879b/thumbnail_2159000.jpg","/articles/6080522/Seabrook/Harris-County/Texas/TxDOT-design-complete-for-new-Seabrook-boat-ramp-construction-not-expected-until-20262027","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6080522-203871933242ef13e7860d51fe37b78b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179061&Signature=YKP5760s4Ur0HIM2LMl8o1b0FNbfSE5Age535FpkAWT2GS9sGZTRIdw5omWxJrOEUOgWs5d00A72h7DiPhL8itkEheLKA1ELl8gVL7jtUcbB43JbNFaZrgupMdqcyglbkajO87VuiNJmPy7YX1iz63qzYCiw7Tbw56KVLduDD7hiCiwlYiohnOFJ-A6ndfpxASE5QSqM72jKuPzaHziMQof-LawOVMF253er5XVx9n2KCbaV1eWXk6813xl~jnqTIyCkEFyA5KO0760o4pgx3MOA3UOUuCromuJxcsfL5RLsHnHiP~6Rigcw58SFXN-5Ht4NrSfLRUJfiQoOQcG43Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) design consultant told Seabrook City Council on March 4 that plans for a new two-lane boat ramp under the new Clear Creek bridge are complete and under review, but construction is not expected to begin for more than a year.

Nico Kellos of LJ Engineering, the TxDOT design consultant, said the ramp will sit on the Clear Creek Channel just west of the new bridge with a small parking area under the bridge, two piers to the sides and a new access road built on the old railroad berm. He said the design includes a sidewalk on the east side for future trail connectivity and an access plan intended to reduce truck and trailer conflicts on State Highway 146.

Kellos said the plan includes parking sufficient for an estimated 11 truck-and-trailer launch stalls and roughly a dozen vehicle parking spaces. He said the project provides far less space than the preexisting ramp because the new bridge footprint constrains available area. “We tried to give you all as much parking as I possibly could,” Kellos said, noting the new bridge piers limited the layout.

City staff and consultants said TxDOT and the city of Kemah are treating the work as a combined contract; staff told council the project is expected to be let in September 2026 with a typical 90-day notice to start construction, placing Seabrook’s work into 2026–2027. The city reported a Seabrook-side budget figure near $4 million for the ramp work. Kellos said the design was submitted to TxDOT and was being revised in response to a few review comments.

Council members pressed TxDOT and the design team about why the project timeline stretched from earlier expectations; the consultant and TxDOT representatives attributed delay to the permitting process (including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits) and to earlier decisions about whether to restore ramps. Kellos said the Corps treats the relocated ramp as a new facility with a roughly two-year permitting timetable once designs are at about 60 percent.

The consultant said the ramp’s parking and access were designed to allow two lanes for launching and that the Seabrook ramp will be constructed to a higher extent than the Kemah-side work (Kemah’s ramp is a rehab while Seabrook’s is a new facility). Staff advised the public that detailed plans and large-format role plots were available for review following the presentation.

The council asked staff to continue tracking permitting and letting dates and to press TxDOT for timing and parking-lot layout clarification as the design advances to final review and bid readiness.","TxDOT’s design consultant told council the new two-lane Seabrook boat ramp on Clear Creek Channel is fully designed and in review; combined letting with neighboring Kemah means construction is not likely to start until late 2026 or 2027, and the City’s portion is budgeted about $4 million.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council ratifies $50,000 EDC facade incentive for Seabrook Retail LLC despite objections over landlord record

Council approves amended plan for World Class Freezer facility after safety, layout changes

Seabrook council approves amended industrial-district deal with Port of Houston after heated public comments

Seabrook police report fewer crashes, rising call volume and steps toward accreditation in 2024

TxDOT design complete for new Seabrook boat ramp; construction not expected until 2026–2027