What happened
On July 2, Seabrook City Council voted 6-1 in favor of a request from Camfield Partners to build a freezer warehouse.
Council Member Jackie Rasco voted against approving the request.
The freezer will have a maximum capacity of 60 feet, 84 vehicle parking spaces and 19 tractor-trailer loading spaces, according to agenda documents.
The development request comes as several similar warehouses, including a Port of Houston warehouse, have been proposed along Old Highway 146, according to agenda documents.
Seabrook’s Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approving the request if it were modified to require a solid concrete 8-foot buffer fence along the southern property line, separating the neighboring Comfort Suites Kemah-Seabrook from the warehouse project, Deputy City Manager Sean Landis said.
In their own words
Some on City Council discussed the second-degree effects the development and subsequent increased traffic could have on attracting state funding for local transportation improvements.
“I do recognize and acknowledge the concern over traffic,” Council Member Buddy Hammann said. “I think that is an issue and it's going to be resolved ... the traffic [from the warehouse] will bring additional pressure to the county, to the [Texas Department of Transportation].
Others on City Council felt the city should better leverage the project to secure an access road.
“I don’t know what would be better there,” Rasco said. “I just know the residents are very vocal about [giving away] this last chunk of property that we have, pretty much to facilitate the port. I would love to see them do some sort of access road on the north side past this so they could cut over from [Hwy.] 146.”
Looking ahead
The development’s design phase is expected to take four to six months, followed by a 14 to 18-month construction phase, according to agenda documents.
