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Thursday
March 18, 2010 Since 1922 |
Beach City examines roads, landfill
By Keri Mitchell
Baytown Sun Published July 29, 2004 BEACH CITY — Instead of abandoning an unimproved portion of Seneca Drive at RWJ Airport, City Council decided Tuesday night to further examine Beach City’s claims on the property.
Mayor Guido Persiani told Council that the two property owners along the road want to buy the portion if there were no development plans. Neither the city nor Chambers County has claimed responsibility for the road or its maintenance.
Alderman Tommy Clayton cautioned against abandoning the property. The city has legal claim to the rights-of-way, he said, and he reminded Council of a valuable property that formerly belonged to the county schools.
“If we have a claim to that property, why would we want to give it away?” Clayton said. “Somebody ought to pay for it.”
After some discussion, Council decided to wait for Chambers County commissioners to look at a revised plat.
In other business, Sharon Pantin updated Council on the TSP landfill permit application. Pantin is treasurer of Informed Citizens United, the organization fighting Kingwood-based TSP’s effort to build a non-hazardous industrial waste landfill in Chambers County.
When Glenn Shankle officially becomes the executive director Sunday of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Pantin said, State Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, will ask Shankle to reject TSP’s permit. Pantin said his understanding was that TSP’s intentions would not meet ordinance requirements with a new permit.
Still, Pantin warned, Informed Citizens United has heard rumors that TSP plans to file for bankruptcy once again and that investors in Colorado still want to assist TSP. She said she expected to hear by mid-September.
“All we hear is appeal, appeal, appeal, but hopefully it won’t go any further,” Pantin said. “We’re all hoping that thing is dead and gone, but you never know.”
Clayton and Beach City resident Ken Pantin brought Council up-to-date on issues about Grand Parkway, Highway 99, which eventually will run through Chambers County, connecting Business Highway 146 in Baytown to Interstate 10.
The two attended a recent Chambers County commissioners meeting where they learned that the Grand Parkway Association could not turn an existing free road into a toll road. Because of this, Clayton said, the portion west of Fisher Road, formerly Spur 55, will be toll-free and the section that runs north to I-10 will require tolls.
“That won’t be an issue in Beach City because we have FM 2354,” Ken Pantin said. FM 2354 runs from Beach City north to I-10. Ken Pantin added that making the east-west section a toll road would hurt Beach City because so many people travel to and from plants in the Baytown area.
At the end of the meeting, Alderwoman Rita Standridge invited Council to a National Night Out party Tuesday in Bay Place, her neighborhood. This is the National Association of Town Watches’ 21st year to organize the event for the purpose of crime and drug prevention.
“It’s just for everybody to get together,” Standridge said. “Knowing your neighbors is the best crime prevention there is.”
Persiani said that though a few neighborhoods in Beach City host National Night Out events, the city does not formally promote it or organize any events. He said he would add that to the city’s list of issues.
Baytown Sun Published July 29, 2004 BEACH CITY — Instead of abandoning an unimproved portion of Seneca Drive at RWJ Airport, City Council decided Tuesday night to further examine Beach City’s claims on the property.
Mayor Guido Persiani told Council that the two property owners along the road want to buy the portion if there were no development plans. Neither the city nor Chambers County has claimed responsibility for the road or its maintenance.
Alderman Tommy Clayton cautioned against abandoning the property. The city has legal claim to the rights-of-way, he said, and he reminded Council of a valuable property that formerly belonged to the county schools.
“If we have a claim to that property, why would we want to give it away?” Clayton said. “Somebody ought to pay for it.”
After some discussion, Council decided to wait for Chambers County commissioners to look at a revised plat.
In other business, Sharon Pantin updated Council on the TSP landfill permit application. Pantin is treasurer of Informed Citizens United, the organization fighting Kingwood-based TSP’s effort to build a non-hazardous industrial waste landfill in Chambers County.
When Glenn Shankle officially becomes the executive director Sunday of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Pantin said, State Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, will ask Shankle to reject TSP’s permit. Pantin said his understanding was that TSP’s intentions would not meet ordinance requirements with a new permit.
Still, Pantin warned, Informed Citizens United has heard rumors that TSP plans to file for bankruptcy once again and that investors in Colorado still want to assist TSP. She said she expected to hear by mid-September.
“All we hear is appeal, appeal, appeal, but hopefully it won’t go any further,” Pantin said. “We’re all hoping that thing is dead and gone, but you never know.”
Clayton and Beach City resident Ken Pantin brought Council up-to-date on issues about Grand Parkway, Highway 99, which eventually will run through Chambers County, connecting Business Highway 146 in Baytown to Interstate 10.
The two attended a recent Chambers County commissioners meeting where they learned that the Grand Parkway Association could not turn an existing free road into a toll road. Because of this, Clayton said, the portion west of Fisher Road, formerly Spur 55, will be toll-free and the section that runs north to I-10 will require tolls.
“That won’t be an issue in Beach City because we have FM 2354,” Ken Pantin said. FM 2354 runs from Beach City north to I-10. Ken Pantin added that making the east-west section a toll road would hurt Beach City because so many people travel to and from plants in the Baytown area.
At the end of the meeting, Alderwoman Rita Standridge invited Council to a National Night Out party Tuesday in Bay Place, her neighborhood. This is the National Association of Town Watches’ 21st year to organize the event for the purpose of crime and drug prevention.
“It’s just for everybody to get together,” Standridge said. “Knowing your neighbors is the best crime prevention there is.”
Persiani said that though a few neighborhoods in Beach City host National Night Out events, the city does not formally promote it or organize any events. He said he would add that to the city’s list of issues.