Katy City Council approves multiple construction and service contracts, adopts budget amendment; denies rezoning on Airline Drive

KATY, Texas — The Katy City Council on June 9 approved a package of construction and service contracts totaling several million dollars, confirmed Councilmember Chris Harris as mayor pro tem and adopted a budget amendment that accounts for use of general fund reserves and ARPA interest. The council also denied a request to rezone roughly 0.66 acres on Airline Drive from C-1 to C-2.

The council approved emergency repairs and replacement of the chiller at Katy City Hall with CFI Mechanical Inc. for $237,528.58 using Choice Partners cooperative contract 22-049MF05; the funds will come from general fund reserves. Councilmembers also awarded a $461,282 construction contract to Top Water Construction Services LLC for a fleet shop expansion (total project cost $534,836) funded by a mix of 2021B building improvement bonds ($100,000), CIP fund 4 ($67,100) and general fund reserves ($324,836).

Other contract awards included: a two-year water treatment chemical supply agreement with PVS DX Inc. (bid amount $858,662; total project cost listed as $859,662) for the term 10/1/2025–9/30/2027; a wet digester solids haul and disposal contract with MagnaFlow Environmental Inc. ($582,400); sludge cake haul and landfill disposal with Wastewater Transport Services LLC ($565,500); air piping improvements at Treatment Unit 3 with W W Payton Corporation ($198,000; total project cost $231,670); an East Fifth Street asphalt overlay with Environmental Allies LLC ($519,996.50; total project cost $685,656.15); and a motor line replacement project with Persis and Construction Utilities LLC ($324,770; total project cost $427,197). The council authorized the Katy Development Authority to use Metro funds up to $77,500 for a change order to provide a temporary traffic signal at Morton Road and Katy-Hockley Road; staff said the temporary signal could be operational by mid-July using used equipment and would remain for about two years.

Community Development Director Ian Cloud summarized a separate land-use item: a special use permit amendment to the City of Katy zoning ordinance (No. 621) granting a special use for a single-family residence at 1503 Avenue C. The council opened and closed the public hearing and then voted to adopt the ordinance; the motion was made by Councilmember Dan Smith and seconded by Councilmember Janet Court, and the motion carried.

On a closely watched zoning matter, the council considered a rezoning request for approximately 0.66 acres described as Unrestricted Reserve 2, Block 1 of the Tron Properties Group Building subdivision (identified in staff materials as 1001 Airline/1 Airline Drive). Ian Cloud told the council the city’s comprehensive plan lists the site as “downtown mixed use,” and staff and the City Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended denial because rezoning to C-2 would extend heavier commercial uses northward. Marion Tucker, a nearby property owner, told the council the applicant proposed a building consistent with adjacent C-2 properties and asked the council to allow the rezoning so the property could match neighboring uses. Several councilmembers expressed concern about long-term implications for the comprehensive plan and for remaining residences in the area. The motion to rezone (motion by Councilmember Gina Hicks, seconded by Councilmember Roy Robertson) failed on a voice vote.

The council approved a resolution authorizing consulting services with True North Consulting Group for a virtual chief information security officer (vCISO) using ARPA earned interest funds ($9,500) and adopted amendment No. 9 to the city budget to reflect the use of reserves referenced in several agenda items. Several procurement items involved single-bid situations; when asked about the water chemicals contract, staff said the apparent increase from prior years reflected higher quantities and market conditions and that the listed vendor was presently the only regional supplier for some chemicals.

Votes at a glance (selected): - Nomination and confirmation of Mayor Pro Tem: Chris Harris — Motion by Councilmember Roy Robertson, seconded by Councilmember Gina Hicks; motion carried (voice vote). - Ordinance: Special use permit for single-family residence, 1503 Avenue C — Motion by Councilmember Dan Smith, seconded by Councilmember Janet Court; adopted (voice vote). - Ordinance: Rezoning request for ~0.66 acres at 1001/1 Airline Drive from C-1 to C-2 — Motion by Councilmember Gina Hicks, seconded by Councilmember Roy Robertson; motion failed (voice vote). - Resolution: Ratify emergency chiller repairs, CFI Mechanical Inc., $237,528.58 — adopted (voice vote). - Resolution: Fleet shop expansion, Top Water Construction Services LLC, $461,282 (total $534,836) — adopted (voice vote). - Resolution: Water treatment chemicals, PVS DX Inc., bid $858,662 (total $859,662) — adopted (voice vote); council discussion noted a single bid and significant increase over prior contract amounts. - Multiple additional vendor contracts for wastewater handling, treatment plant work, street overlay, and motor line replacement — all approved (voice votes). - Budget amendment No. 9 to account for reserve uses and ARPA interest — adopted (voice vote).

Why this matters: The contracts fund routine and urgent maintenance (chiller, treatment chemicals, sludge disposal), capital repairs (fleet shop, Treatment Unit 3 piping) and pavement preservation (East Fifth Street overlay). The denied rezoning preserves the city’s stated comprehensive-plan land-use intent for that parcel and keeps options open for future planning of the historic/downtown area.

Councilmembers did not provide detailed roll-call tallies for most voice votes; motions and seconders were recorded in the meeting minutes for the items above. Several items were noted as previously discussed by the City Planning and Zoning Commission or tabled at earlier meetings; staff indicated some projects will be implemented this summer and into fiscal 2026.