It’s an election year in Bellaire, and in addition to the usual races for Mayor and Council voters will also be asked to authorize the sale of property outside the City previously dedicated as park land. We’ve been looking to sell it for many years and at last the time is right. While we don’t yet have a deal, it makes sense to go ahead and put it on the ballot now because it won’t cost us anything extra to conduct a special election in conjunction with the general election we’re already paying for.
Ruffino Hills is located along Keegan’s Bayou, out near 59 and the Beltway in Southwest Houston. Originally the site of a municipal landfill for the cities of Bellaire and West University Place, after the landfill was closed in the 1980s the property was developed as a golf course that operated through the 90s and early 2000s. The two cities continued to own it in roughly equal portions, until last December when West U. sold its half for $10.5 million to the City of Houston to be used for regional storm water detention in the Keegan’s watershed.
Bellaire is in talks with Houston to do the same, and is also considering interest from private developers. Unlike West U.’s side of the property, however, Bellaire’s was dedicated as park land when the golf course was going in. As such, under state law our voters must first approve a sale:
Ruffino Hills is located along Keegan’s Bayou, out near 59 and the Beltway in Southwest Houston. Originally the site of a municipal landfill for the cities of Bellaire and West University Place, after the landfill was closed in the 1980s the property was developed as a golf course that operated through the 90s and early 2000s. The two cities continued to own it in roughly equal portions, until last December when West U. sold its half for $10.5 million to the City of Houston to be used for regional storm water detention in the Keegan’s watershed.
Bellaire is in talks with Houston to do the same, and is also considering interest from private developers. Unlike West U.’s side of the property, however, Bellaire’s was dedicated as park land when the golf course was going in. As such, under state law our voters must first approve a sale:
PROPOSITION A
SHALL THE CITY COUNCIL BE AUTHORIZED TO SELL OR OTHERWISE CONVEY APPROXIMATELY 72.5 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT 9720 RUFFINO ROAD, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77031, THE SITE OF A CLOSED MUNICIPAL LANDFILL COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE RUFFINO HILLS PROPERTY, PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED AS PARK LAND.
__________ FOR
__________ AGAINST
We hope all who are eligible will take the time to carefully study this issue—and, of course, the candidates for Mayor and Council—and exercise your right to vote! Be sure to register by October 10 if you haven’t already. Early voting will run from October 23 through November 3, and Election Day is November 7.
