Timnwendy

Here is the site info from Hunington's website. It was buried pretty good and listed under Houston, not Pearland.

Wow, I hope that diagram is accurate cuz we desperately need another car wash west of 288! Thanks for sharing the link.

8) I saw a front loader digging there yesterday. They also have the shoulder blocked off with drums starting at the turn from 518.

Cool...it's about time they started!

3) New retail center (i.e. strip mall) at the NE corner of FM518 and Kinglsey Dr.

I asked about that construction and the sign seems to be misleading. The city told me they are grading to begin building an apartment complex there. This site was grandfathered in for apartments many years ago.

8) Ingress/Egress into/out of the retail shops at the NE corner of 288N service road and FM518

What signs are you seeing that this has started? I see nothing but stakes in the ground.

My friend in city planning told me this is going to be a multi-tenant office building, but 1/2 of it is already leased to a dentist.

The Dairy Queen on Broadway is now open.

The new Carl's Jr at the towncenter opened yesterday. Info here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2011/07/19/carls-jr-launches-in-pearland-with.html

So now, suddenly, the zoning change was unanimously approved, and HEB is coming. Does this surprise anyone? Not me. Details here:

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/pearland/news/article_1506a9c5-54ce-5682-b149-1589f4ca51d0.html

It will be interesting to see what happens. Sherrouse replacing Saboe on the council will be the key. Will she flip on her previous position and vote to allow the PD change for the HEB? It seems unlikely, but who knows what is being discussed behind closed doors.

I'm lost as to why you keep on refering to Sherrouse. Either way, you are missing the point. I know everyone wants HEB there. I like HEB too. It's about making them adhere to a higher quality development.

I do see the point. But enforcing a PD just because that's the way it was zoned years ago for a different developer (who pulled out) simply doesn't make sense. It also doesn't make sense based on what is already built around that intersection.

A PD can be changed, but for some reason the folks on the commission and on city council are refusing to do it. They can't give any reason other than 'it should be adhered to'. Perhaps they are playing a game of bluff with HEB, but that is pretty arrogant and stupid. At least council members Sherman and Thompson get it..

All decisions like this do is enforce the perception that Pearland is a difficult place in which to create businesses. We don't need that. The businesses will simply go elsewhere, and we say goodbye to jobs and tax revenue.

Pearland has a good problem to have. As the 2nd fastest growing city in the state according last census, Pearland has undergone dynamic growth. As smaller towns experience phenominal growth there is always a steep learning curve. Mistakes are often made & lessons are learned along the way. As is the case with Pearland. Alot of the garbage up & down 518 was there before the population explosion. The city began a process to identify various corridors through out the city that would be suitable for high density development & place controls on them. The owners of "HEB Tract" obviously saw this more stringent regulation as a plus & requested the exsisting PD. The Lowe's on the other corner is an excellent neighbor & you should be glad to have a development of that quality. If it were not for PD in place on "HEB Tract" you might see a .99 cent store, dollar store.... What would you like to see there? There is not going to be any ultra premium development in Pearland - demographics won't suppport it. Yes, HEB on the west side has been good & they are fine corporate citizens as it has been pointed out by the media at least a dozen times. Again, no one is doubting that.... the argument is why should they be allowed to not follow exsisting development requirements that are in place to ensure quality developments. Tim you should be glad such requirements are in place. They have kept your values up throughout a treacherous economy.

Think about it like this. If the average person where to drive through your neighborhood on trash pickup day & see all the trashbags out on the street they would come away with a less than desireable image. It looks bad. Other communities with more stringent HOA's would not stand for this. It is mandated that all trash be placed at appropriate place & in a regaulation trash can. The community with uniform trash receptacle looks better than the one with out. It is cleaner, more sanitary, eye appealing & values will be higher. All of which will come at a higher cost for you through your HOA. Think of the PD as your neighborhood that has the trashcans on the street versus the (GB) neighborhood with trash bags on the street.

You are giving me the stock political reasoning. I feel like I'm talking to Ms. Sherrouse herself. Fine. So you are calling that Lowe's a high-end development? Sorry, but I just don't see it. I do like Lowe's,but I don't see it being any different than a .99c store. They are both commerical pad sites.

There is commerical development on all other corners of that intersection, so putting an HEB in there is not going to hurt one bit.

Your analogy about the trash bins makes me wonder if you actually live in Pearland, because any Pearlander will tell you we are not allowed to use trash bins. Waste Management prohibits there use, per contract with the city.

Yes, I know the P&Z Commission serves a purpose but in my opinion they are woefully out of touch with the residents' wishes (you know polls show most Pearlanders want the HEB there, right?)

TimnWendy - Not just repeating Ms. Sherrouse's rhetoric here. Drive up & down 518 and look at the smattering of mismatched, ugly, & empty strip centers. HEB is no dummy, they are trying to strong arm the city to reduce the quality of development they have to build plain & simple. That corner is a prime piece of real estate & that's why they want it. If HEB does not build there someone else will. The PD in place does not call for gold plated fixtures & 60% green space. It calls for any future development at that corner to above the usual development standards for GB. For example, go look at Woodlands, Cinco, Sugaraland, Katy... Do you think all the developments in that area just happen to be a cut above. No, they were forced to do so through the various governing entities. Having strict guidelines creates quality developments. Like having a quality HOA that maintains your neighborhood versus not having one thus allowing for cars parked in yard, couches on porch, trash on street for days ahead of pick up....

Your answer brings up a couple of points:

1. I agree that 518 has a smattering of mismatched, ugly, and empty strip centers. Where was Ms. Sherrouse and the Planning & Zoning Commission when all that was put before them? Asleep at the wheel? Sayiing they are inconsistent is putting it mildly.

2. If that corner was pristeen with no other commerical businesses near it, i could see your point. But the Lowe's right across the street sorta destroys the ambiance of putting something higher class in there. Think about it.

3. HEB has been good for the west end of town, and it could be for that corner too. They also seem to care about the community, based on the recent article in the Pearland Journal.

Yes I have followed it. Close enough to see you are just repeating Ms. Sherrouse's rhetoric. Read Marksmu's reply. He is spot on. Pearland has a bad rep with developers, and this fiasco with HEB is a case in point. It's costing us tax revenue and jobs, and until citizens wake up and vote out the old-guard that still controls the city, things won't change.

Has anyone been following the goings on @ Pearland City Council regarding proposed HEB @ Pearland Pkwy & 518? HEB goes before council tonight for the umpteenth time. Why does HEB need to scrap the PD in place and get a general business zoning designation? The exsisting PD allows for a grocery store at that site. Plan and simple, if HEB wants to build a store at that site today they could go forward immediately with permitting process. It seems that HEB wants to circumvent the rules the city has in place so they can do things "their" way. Pearland Planning and Zoning sent this project to City Council with a unamious vote of 5-0 to turn down this zone change stating that - PNZ has spent time and $ creating the PD so developers & retailers who come to this location adhere to certain guidelines, architecture controls, green space, setbacks.... We are not voting against HEB - we simply want them to play by the rules that are currently in place to ensure this last major undeveloped corner in the City of Pearland is developed in a manner that will serve the city for generations rather than a grocer on the hard corner in the short term.-

So what happens if HEB buys the +/- 23 acres on the hard corner and does not build a store at that location. Or, if they buy the land and build a store in say 2, 5, 10 years down the road? The whole tract & the future increased ad valorem tax generation is at the mercy of HEB and their internal timeline - This is not in the best interest of the City of Pearland.

This issue seems to be lost on those who have not delved more than skin deep on this issue. No one is saying we do not want HEB. To the contrary most all interaction @ City Council starts with the disclaimer "This is not a vote against HEB.... and then an ensuing argument of why the PD is in place and why it should remain in place" In fact that is correct. No one is voting "against" HEB. They are voting for City Council to enforce the current regulations that are in place to protect the best interest of the citizens of Pearland.

I guess we will read about it tomorrow.

Hasn't something already closed in the Town Center already?

Yes, the Arby's closed down. Also, I think one or two of the wine-bars imbedded in the Towncenter itself have closed down. I agree the competition is fierce. I'm actually surprised we haven't seen more casualties.

A Dairy Queen is being built between Popeye's and Burger King on Broadway just in front of the Pearland Towncenter. Ground has broken and I'd guesstimate it may open by late summer/early fall 2011.

The grand opening event was last weekend. It was interesting and well-attended. More info at this article:

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/pearland/news/article_d2bfaa14-aa79-52c9-9f49-c3e701fc3dd8.html

Quick question Tim,

I live in SCR any my backyard faces The Enclave at Southern Trails although I'm looking at a brick wall lol. I see that there are tractors and dirt operations going on right in front of the Enclave. I was wondering if this is for clearing of homes or is it something else since the dirt seems to be elevated so high?

Also, is there any word of what the land on the other side of my brick wall will be utilized for?

Taylor-Morrison came into Southern Trails late last year, and they are teaming with Newmark Homes Houston to develop the last sections of the Enclave. That's what you are seeing. New road extensions and utilities are going in now. Lots of home construction will be occuring there this year (and the next few).

I don't know where the land behind your brick wall is located. But if your wall borders Broadway, it probably will remain greenway.

This is great news! I am a Shadow Creek resident that currently teaches high school in FBISD.

I agree it's good, but lets not get hasty. Another referendum will need to be passed by the voters so AISD actually has the funds to begin building the high school. Or so I have been told.

really...will have to contact my insurance agent. I live right next to it. Thanks

It may take awhile for you to get a reduction in your premium, but it's good to get the ball rolling with your agent now.

I am attaching a photo of the finished fire station. If you live near it, you should contact your insurance agent and notify them of this station. Your homeowners premiums should go down.

Fire station 5 opened yesterday! Hurray!

Construction seems to be coming along well. It looks like this facility is on schedule for opening in Feb, 2011. Visit the link below to see a current picture, and project update info.

http://gisweb2.ci.pearland.tx.us/web/capitalimprovements/detail.cfm?p=77

What where the numbers?

The vote was 52% no, to 48% yes. That actual difference was only 78 votes. You can read more at this link below:

http://www.hcnonline.com/pearland/news/article_5abb264d-9bc6-5e85-b244-af0a6843b2ba.html

In case anyone missed it, the voters did NOT approve the sports park. So the project is currently dead. It may be revived at a later date.

“We reviewed the financials and concluded that we can issue $7.5 million in bonds for this project without a tax rate increase,” Fain said.

So they say. But if I lived in one of those MUD districts, I'd expect to see my tax rate creep up in the years ahead, if this passes the voters.

I went by the construction site yesterday and took the attached photos. With the steel framework up, you can get a good idea of it's shape and proximity to Kirby. Frankly, I thought it would be a little closer to Kirby. Perhaps they are anticipating a future project to widen this stretch of Kirby.