Attention: Fort Bend Sun Covers Airport Expansion Issue!

This recent FB Sun front-page article covers more on the airport expansion project being backed by area developers, city and county officials after being kept quiet for many months:


"Arcola's McKeever Road plan draws residents' ire

By:SESHADRI KUMAR, Editor 12/12/2005

The city of Arcola, Fort Bend County and the owner of Houston Southwest Airport have revived a dormant plan to realign McKeever Road to connect with the extended South Post Oak Road across Highway 6.
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This proposal has also renewed the debate over the future of the privately-owned Arcola airport, as the county had abandoned the idea of acquiring the airport two years ago.
Aggrieved residents of Newpoint Estate, adjacent to the airport, came to commissioners court last week to lodge their protest against the proposed realignment of Mc Keever Road, which could result in the condemnation of some of the properties in their subdivision.

Tom Hilton, an area resident, who has campaigned actively against the county's acquisition of the airport and its expansion, is back in the forefront again.
He told commissioners court during public comments last week that the agenda item "Land acquisition for McKeever Road" in the closed session of commissioners court is in fact "Land acquisition to benefit fellow EDC member and his airport".
"McKeever Road is a perfectly usable county road, and before you perform any actions resulting in the ultimate closure of McKeever Road, you need to present to the taxpayers of this county the justification and explain to the citizens of Arcola why the major artery serving downtown Arcola, has to be removed as diverting traffic via South Post Oak to Hwy. 6 will cause people to use the bypass over downtown," Hilton said.

"Explain to small business owners such as Houston Grass and Backyard Showcase how they are expected to make a living when you are cutting off the traffic from their customer base in Sienna? You haven't even bothered to tell any of the affected landowners of your plans today," he said.

"You are just following a script handed to you by fellow Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Member Jamie Griffith (owner of Houston SW Airport). This script has been several years in the making as illustrated by the numerous documents from Griffith to county and EDC officials," Hilton said.

"What we have here is a pattern of "ethically-challenged" decision-making by Fort Bend County officials at the urging of the airport owner and the EDC over a several year time span," he said.

Hilton quoted Commiss-ioner Tom Stavinoha, as saying in a May 2005 letter that "Fort Bend County has no intention of acquiring this Right of Way through condemnation. The present owner has agreed in writing to donate the ROW and donate $500,000 for construction, if the old McKeever Road ROW is deeded to him. This would allow him to select the route of the new South Post Oak Extension and allow for improvements to his airport".

In other words, Mr. Griffith's $500,000 has bought him the right to use the county's power to condemn other people's private property for his own developmental purposes, Hilton said.

Commissioners voted down back in 2003 the airport feasibility study. There was overwhelming public sentiment against the expansion of this airport back then and that sentiment has not changed, Hilton said.

The layout that is proposed now by Mr. Griffith is almost exactly the same layout as proposed in the airport feasibility study.
Griffith owns 211 acres north of McKeever, and there is ample room to build South Post Oak to connect with McKeever without having to go into Newpoint Estates, Hilton said.

"The only reason to acquire/ condemn land in Newpoint Estates is to allow for the expansion of this airport. Period."
There are letters addressed to the previous county judge that date back over 5 years that are explicit in the need to relocate McKeever Road in order to expand the airport.

Here's an excerpt from a letter by Jamie Griffith to then-Judge Adolphus:
"An integral part of the future development of Houston SW Airport is the expansion of the airport north across McKeever Road.. .in order for this to happen, McKeever Road needs to be diverted up to Highway 6 where it will tie into South Post Oak."
In another letter from August 2004 from Mike Nicely, Man-ager, Texas Airports Develop-ment Office of the FAA address-ed to County Judge Bob Hebert:
"One of the impediments that prevent Houston SW from meeting FAA design standards is the present location of McKeever Road near the west end of the runway... We have encouraged Mr. Griffith to work with local officials to close or relocate McKeever Road consistent with the alignment shown in the airport Master Plan..."
That's what the county is doing here, Hilton said.

Hilton also quoted Arcola City Ordinance of Feb. 8, which prohibits any alterations or closures of McKeever Road.
One of Arcola City Council-woman Rosie Rojas also joined Hilton in opposing the McKeever Road realignment, before annexing the adjacent land.

But, Arcola City Council has changed in the last May election. The new mayor, Alvin Gipson, and a majority of city council have reversed their opposition to McKeever Road realignment. Gipson favored the proposed alignment of McKeever Road with South Post Oak because it "is progress" and "will benefit the city economically."
"It is a lie to say that the road is being realigned for the benefit of the airport owner," Gipson said.
"We have made no decision on closing down the McKeever Road at this time and have made no commitment on giving it to anyone," he said.

County Judge Bob Hebert said that the road project is under consideration because the city of Arcola wants the county to implement the project. The county's interest lies providing safety and improve mobility for people from Sienna to access Highway 6 and the South Post oak Extension enables that.

The McKeever Road expansion would not allow the air port "expansion", namely expanding the runway length from 5,500 feet to 8,000 feet, Hebert said. However, the realignment would help airport acquire Instrument Landing System and enhances the runway a little bit, he says.

The county would not act on the project unless there is an inter-local agreement between the city and the county. It is for the city of Arcola to ensure that the airport owner agrees for the annexation of his land in to Arcola city limits.
Propertyowners in Newpoint Estate appear to have no backers and have to fend for themselves."


--Stay tuned as we will attempt to keep you all informed on this and other development issues that impact your home values!--CRD