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La Marque council approves zoning changes, fee increases and multiple infrastructure contracts
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Summary
On Oct. 13 the La Marque City Council approved a package of ordinances, fee changes and construction contracts including zoning changes to support port-related industrial development, a residential solid-waste fee increase tied to a multi-year contract, and funding for sewer and water line projects.
The La Marque City Council approved a series of ordinances, contract awards and hiring exceptions at its Oct. 13 meeting, taking actions the city described as steps toward fiscal stabilization and infrastructure repairs.
Council approved multiple zoning and land-use ordinances, adopted a municipal fee increase for residential solid-waste collection that reflects a 5% contractual adjustment, and authorized several construction contracts for water and sewer improvements. Council also approved updates to the city's water and wastewater impact fees and authorized sale of a city property to the La Marque Economic Development Corporation (EDC) intended to help bridge near-term cash needs.
Why it matters: The package combines near-term operational decisions (fee increases required by existing contracts) with longer-term economic development steps (rezoning large parcels to a heavy-industrial designation to support port and rail-related logistics). Council members and staff framed many of the actions as necessary to preserve essential services, complete required capital projects and generate taxable value that could relieve property tax pressure over time.
Key votes and outcomes (at-a-glance) - Ordinance O-2025-0026: Approved (second/final reading) to change zoning from R-1 to C-1 for a parcel on Ross Street — passed by voice vote. - Ordinance O-2025-0021 (CUP): Conditional-use permit for a concrete processing plant (Texas Coastal Materials LLC) — approved (second/final reading). - Ordinance O-2025-0022: Amendment to fire prevention and emergency service fees — approved (second/final reading). - Ordinance O-2025-0023: Amendments for coin-operated amusement machines (code enforcement) — approved (second/final reading). - Ordinance O-2025-0024: Residential solid-waste collection fee increase (contractual 5% pass-through) — approved (second/final reading); staff advised council that a negative vote would require the city to find funds elsewhere or risk service interruption. - Ordinance O-2025-0025: Rezoning to I-3 (heavy industrial) for large Port/rail-adjacent tracts (second/final reading) — approved following public outreach and a town hall; council emphasized ordinance language that restricts particularly disruptive industrial uses. - Ordinance (first reading) O-2025-0027: Update to water and sewer impact fees in line with the 2023 study; council approved updated impact-fee rates after discussion and an amendment to modestly reduce the sewer component as a marketing concession to developers. - Award of contract to JSS Construction LLC ($1,102,114) for Newman Road / Moss Street / Rosewood Drive sanitary sewer improvements — approved; funding to come initially from impact fees and then from loan or tax revenues as needed. - Award of contract to Faith Utilities LLC ($1,398,471) for a 12-inch water distribution line from Newman Road to Stonewall Street — approved; staff said the project is necessary to serve a new high school and nearby development. - Sale of approximately 16 acres of city property to the La Marque EDC — approved; city staff described the property as drainage-constrained and not usable for city operations. - Contract extension with Axon Enterprises (body-worn camera warranties) — approved; terms mirror the police department's contract that includes warranty replacements. - Acceptance of a no-match grant from Marathon Petroleum (value $5,000) to provide an enclosed cargo trailer for fire department needs — approved. - Personnel exceptions approved to refill several existing, budgeted positions (development services director, traffic-control technician) and to hire a building inspector to reduce reliance on outside plan-review/inspection contracts.
What council did not finalize tonight: some items under discussion (for example, the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association MOU and separate personnel follow-ups) were discussed in depth and administratively directed for follow-up rather than being concluded by ordinance vote.
Next steps: Staff will post the expanded financial and contract documentation referenced in tonight's discussion to the city's transparency pages; project pre-construction meetings and outreach are scheduled for the awarded infrastructure work; and council directed the administration to return with staffing and financing details as those projects move into construction.
