SUBJECT: MOTION ACCEPTING REPORT OF CITY SECRETARY FINDING LOCAL OPTION PETITION SUBMITTED BY HOUSTON HEIGHTS BEVERAGE COALITION ON THE ISSUE OF LEGALIZING THE SALE OF BEER AND WINE FOR OFF-PREMISE CONSUMPTION ONLY IN THE AREA FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEIGHTS AS IT EXISTED ON FEBRUARY 19, 1918 CONTAINING SUFFICIENT SIGNATURES TO REQUIRE THE ORDERING OF A LOCAL OPTION ELECTION.
RECOMMENDATION: (Summary)
That the City Council accept the report of the City Secretary finding that the local option petition for the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only in the area formerly known as the City of Houston Heights as it existed on February 19, 1918 contains a sufficient number of signatures to require the ordering of a local option election.
SPECIFIC EXPLANATION:
On May 1, 2016, the Houston Heights Beverage Coalition ("HHBC") submitted an application for a local option election petition to the City Secretary's Office on the issue of legalizing the sale of beer and wine for off-premises consumption only in the area formerly known as the City of Houston Heights as it existed on February 19, 1918. On May 16, 2016, the HHBC picked up the petition pages containing the City seal as required by Texas Election Code Section 501.026.
Texas Election Code Section 501.032 requires signatures on a local petition of at least 35 percent of the registered voters in the political subdivision who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election. On July 1, 2016, Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart certified that 35 percent of the registered voters who voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election in the area formerly known as the City of Houston Heights as it existed on February 19, 1918, equals 1,511.
On July 6, 2016, the City Secretary received a signed petition from HHBC. The City Secretary reviewed the petition from a list of qualified voters residing in the area formerly known as the City of Houston Heights as it existed on February 19, 1918 provided by the Harris County Tax Office. The City Secretary certified the findings as follows:
| Number of signatures required |
1,511 |
| Number of signatures of qualified voters |
1,759 |
The City Secretary certified that the petition as submitted is sufficient to cause the City of Houston, Texas to order a local option liquor election for the purpose of submitting to the legally qualified voters in the area formally known as the City of Houston Heights as it existed on February 19, 1918 to determine whether or not the area should permit the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only.