Timnwendy

Yesterday the last stretch of Broadway was opened up all the way to FM 521/Almeda Rd. Here is the full article of the road opening:

http://www.ultimatepearland.com/2010/02/broadwayfm-521-intersection-open

Attached is a project progress report posted by the city as of Feb 1st, 2010. All of a sudden, they are applying for a federal grant. I suspect that will delay the completion of this project.

Last week the Brazoria Co. commissioners court voted to approve funds for the construction of an overpass at State Highway 288 and County Road 101. The county will provide an estimated $396,559 toward the grade separation project. The total project is estimated at $2.246 million. Marlin Atlantis, the developer of Sedona Lakes, had agreed to provide $1.85 million toward the cost of the project.

It's obvious this project is intended to give better access to 288 for all the folks who will move in to Sedona Lakes in the years ahead. *crosses fingers*

Pulled from this link:

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000023828

Group wants landfill operator to yield more

January 28, 2010 2:11 pmZen T.C. Zheng wrote:Here is an update on a grassroots group’s fight against the proposed expansion of the Blue Ridge Landfill on the east side of Fort Bend County.

Last week, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved a revised application for a permit to pursue the project by BFI, which is now Republic Services after a corporate merger.

The revision reflects the terms and conditions in an agreement reached between the company and the city of Pearland last year, which includes what municipal officials regarded as “substantial compromise” by the trash disposer.

Previously, three television stations opposed to the project had all struck undisclosed deals with the company, leaving the Coalition Against Blue Ridge Landfill Expansion the lone party still in the fight.

Attorney wants to further negotiate

The coalition’s lawyer, Richard Morrison, who now is the county commissioner for Precinct 1, plans to contact the company’s attorney soon to continue their negotiation in search of a solution to avoid a contested-case hearing, which is similar to a civil trial.

The revised permit application will now serve as a new basis for the negation, Morrison said.

“The city of Pearland got a pretty good deal, but I will be asking for further compromises by the company,” Morrison said, without commenting on the details.

Although a contested-case hearing was granted by the state, Pearland officials were not positive of winning the legal battle before the judges of the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

The coalition and the company broke off talks last year, but resumed negotiations after the television stations and the city dropped their opposition.

What the company wants to do

The company wants to add 1,345 acres to the 599-acre landfill, which would also raise its height from 58 feet to 170 feet over 40 years.

In a deal with the city of Pearland, the company has agreed to limit the height to a maximum of 60 feet for 12 years, and then a maximum of 130 feet for an additional eight years. Additionally, Blue Ridge has agreed to place grade breaks and landscape screening along the eastern slope of the landfill to minimize the visual impact.

The contested-case hearing, which was granted a year ago amid strong neighborhood opposition to the project, would be conducted by judges of the State Office of Administrative Hearings if no pact is reached between the company and the group.

TCEQ, which had initially issued a preliminary permit for the expansion, has the right to not follow any recommendation by the state office.

any update on this? Is this Project(Lowes/Officmax etc) dead?

I checked the news releases at the Lowe's corporate site, and there is nothing about this project.

One of my neighbors emailed the developer, David Goswick, to ask about the delay. Here is the reply he got.

We have been delayed due to the economy. However, we will make several exciting announcements in February.

In the meantime, we are leeting our good neighbors (the church) use our signs until next week.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for the interest.

David Goswick<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

Looks like intersection of Broadway and Almeda Rd. may finally be opened up this month. See article.

http://www.ultimatepearland.com/2010/01/broadwayfm-521-connection-coming-soon

Here is a project report that was submitted on Dec. 4th, 2009.

2. Attended monthly progress meeting.
3. The Fire Department has applied for a Federal Grant that can only be awarded to construction projects that have not solicited bids; therefore until either the city is awarded the grant or are notified that it will not receive the grant, the project will not advertise.

2. Get updated information concerning the Federal Grant application.

Project Schedule and Significant Milestones:

2. Construction to begin 1st Quarter of 2010.

2. Design complete 3rd quarter 2009.
3. Construction to begin 1st quarter 2010
4. Project completion 1st quarter 2011

Thanks for the info. I would hate to own one of those houses backing to this area. Do you know if Broadway is completed now and goes all the way to 521?

Yes, some of my neighbors in The Enclave at Southern Trails are not happy about this commerical construction in their back yard. If they had only done some more investigation before they bought on those lots....but, I digress.

I checked last weekend and Broadway is not open to Almeda Rd. yet. I believe the opening is still being delayed by the issue with the railroad (which seems nonsensical to me).

On another note, I read in the city council notes a few weeks ago that someone had applied to build another gas station on the corner of Kirby Drive and Co. Rd. 59. This will be in the northeast lot of that intersection, next to the Southgate subdivision. That location will also be helpful, but not as convenient for ST/SCR residents as the one on Broadway and Kingsley.

I heard from a fairly reliable source that a new gas station (reputed to be Shell) is going to be built in the southwest corner of the intersection of Broadway and Kingsley Dr. (Co. Rd 48) on Pearland's far west side. No ETA on when it will be finished; the area is still in the land-clearing stage. Supposedly, this gas station is only part of the infrastructure that is planned for that location; other stuff will be located there too.

If this station does appear, I hope it has a car wash out back! I'm tired of the overcrowded wash down at the HEB.

They have a much scaled down website now. They also mention a partnership with Spectrum Special Management District. http://www.waterlightsdistrict.com/

Also, wasn't the nano world headquarters part of this project, or no? Anyway...the website is gone http://www.nanoworldheadquarters.org/ ( i think thats the same one)

Thanks for the update. I know someone who recently became a member of the PEDC. I asked him about the status of this project, and he said it is still coming, but it has been slowed by the recession. Hardly a revelation, I know.

A new restaurant named Mongo has just opened up at the Pearland Town Center. Has anyone tried it yet?

Yes, it is very small. While I'm happy we now have one on the west side of Pearland, I'm also wincing from the traffic problems it is causing on Business Center Drive - which already had issues before McD's opened.

All these new schools are sorely needed, as the schools on the west side are already overcrowded. Please help by voting yes on the bond issue for Alvin ISD.

I haven't heard anything more about LifeTime, but I appreciate your info on the other two.

Some comments made at this website http://www.voteyesalvinisdbond.com/index.htm allude to the land being used for a high school. We'll see.

This isn't in Pearland, per se, but it happened just on the city's west edge on County Rd. 48 (Kingsley Drive). The site of the raid was the land just south of the Enclave at Southern Trails, which is where the Pearland city limit ends. Last Wednesday evenign when the police helicopter and all the cop cars showed up, the neighborhood watch communications we have set up in Southern Trails went into high gear. We eventually found out the following story, which was released Thursday afternoon:

Officers find 1,200 Marijuana Plants in Raid Published October 9, 2009, in the Brazoria Co. FACTS, by John Lowman.

ANGLETON — The pungent aroma of newly cut marijuana plants filled the dank air inside a Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office evidence garage as mosquitos buzzed around two officers.

“It’s not as impressive here as it was growing,” said Sgt. J. Brawner with the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit. “That’s a lot of marijuana.”

About 7 p.m. Wednesday, authorities raided a 40- by 80-foot Quonset hut, a home and store in the 2300 block of CR 48 North in Rosharon, just south of FM 518 in Pearland, Brawner said. Responding to a telephone tip, officers found about 1,200 growing marijuana plants, drying buds and leaves, and plastic and glass containers in which pot was placed.

There also were glass containers of hashish oil, which comes from marijuana plants and is compressed into a variety of forms, including balls, cakes or cookies.

Inside the cavernous evidence bay, the jars of liquid and piles of plants didn’t seem like much, spread over a 40- by 30-foot area. But the drugs have a street value of $1.94 million, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Police suspect two men, ages 23 and 53, who own or live on the property, were growing the crop, but no arrests have been made or charges filed.

“We’re still investigating,” Brawner said.

The frame home, Quonset hut and retail shop are on two adjacent lots set back from FM 518, which is Broadway Avenue in Pearland. Items sold from the business included what police called “paraphernalia.” Authorities found about a half pound of pot inside the home but none in the business.

Plants were growing in the Quonset hut, which had been converted into what Brawner called “an operation” to process the pot.

The building was divided into smaller rooms in which plants in various stages of growth were kept, Brawner said.

Most plants were grown in pots but some were brought up by hydroponics, or the use of mineral nutrient solutions in water without soil.

“It was a very elaborate setup,” Brawner said. “Someone had invested quite a bit of money into it.”

Police seized “several” shotguns and rifles, a refrigerator used to store contraband and $10,000 cash, according to the release. They also found about 35 cultivation lamps and a large evaporator, according to the release.

Had all the plants reached maturity, they could have produced up to 2,500 pounds of marijuana. It appeared marijuana from the buildings already was being sold, Brawner said. Police were on the scene until about 2 a.m. Thursday.

By 5 p.m. Thursday, the pot plants were spread across the concrete floor at the Sheriff’s Office to dry. From there, the drugs will be bagged as evidence and locked up until use at a trial. Afterward, they will be destroyed, police said.

Felony charges of possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance are pending, Brawner said.

We are working with our HOA to get distinctive car decals for ST residents, similar to what our Big Neighbor SCR has done. We hope the decals can be deployed to our residents before this summer ends.

Yesterday we were began receiving letters containing the vehicle identification decals.

This is another successful project spearheaded by our Neighborhood Watch program.

Yes, that seems to be the McDonalds...... Wonder what they will do with La Madeleine plot which foundation has been sitting still for more than 2 years now.

You are correct, as there is now a little sign on the side of the roof that says McDonalds. This seems to be one of the "new design" McDonalds, too.

There was an update in the Pearland Journal about this land. Apparently, the overcrowding of AISD schools on Pearland's west side is prompting a bond referendum to fund a startup for a school (type-yet-to-be-announced) on this land. Here is a link to the article:

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/09/14/pearland_journal/news/9-10_pj_alvin_isd_bonds.txt

Some exciting news......

http://thecoopwaterlights.com/

I appreciate the update.

Yep, saw this.

Now we are on pins and needles until they announce WHERE the park & ride will be built.

What is that construction on the pad site just across the street from the HEB car wash? Is it the McDonald's that the site plan shows for that location? Can anyone confirm?

The city of Pearland is considering the annexation of land south of Southern Trails, and the parcel could include these McMansions. If that happens, it could spur some events for them.

What browser are you using? I don't have the same problem.

I.E. 6.0