Council defers right-of-way abandonment after CenterPoint easement questions leave fragment of ROW inaccessible

Landowners seeking to abandon a stretch of right-of-way south of Redeemer Church asked the Manvel City Council to approve a narrowed request after CenterPoint Energy identified transmission-line easement concerns. Planning staff and multiple council members said the revised request would leave a small, disconnected pocket of public right-of-way that the city could not practically access or maintain, and the council declined to act until the applicant completes the CenterPoint easement process.

Planning manager Joe explained that the original, larger abandonment request (filed in 2024) had been revised after CenterPoint asked for an easement in order to protect existing transmission infrastructure. Instead of securing that easement and a single letter of no objection from CenterPoint for the full stretch, the applicant removed the constrained portion from its request; CenterPoint then issued a partial letter of no objection covering only the remaining segment.

"This leaves a little portion which for us to access is difficult," Joe told the council. Staff said abandoning only the portion requested now would leave an isolated right-of-way parcel with no public access and no easements to reach it—contrary to best practice.

Council response and direction: Several councilmembers voiced concern about creating a right-of-way "island" the city cannot reach. The mayor said he would be uncomfortable approving the partial abandonment and that the applicant (identified in packet materials) should work the required process with CenterPoint and return with the full set of easements and approvals. The council took no action and instructed staff to tell applicants to resolve CenterPoint's easement requirement before the council will consider abandonment.

Context: Staff said the abandonment is sought to help resolve drainage and access issues and to allow coordinated development at the Iowa Lane and Highway 6 intersection; Redeemer Church and adjacent property owners have proposed changes that would be facilitated if the whole right-of-way is relinquished. CenterPoint's process requires a fee and a property easement before it will issue a full no-objection letter for the segment that crosses its transmission corridor.

Next steps: Council asked the applicant (and the developer or property owners) to pursue the CenterPoint easement and return with documentation; staff recommended against partial abandonment that isolates right-of-way.