RECOMMENDATION from Director Department of Public Works & Engineering, reviewed and approved by the Joint Referral Committee, on request from Gerald W. Grissom, Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc., on behalf of Kirby Court Corporation (W. T. Dickey, President), Walaby Realty Partners, Ltd. (W. T. Dickey, President), and Austin Trust Company (Dell Boykin, CEO), for abandonment and sale of a 10-foot-wide utility easement and a 10-foot-wide sanitary sewer easement, within Lots 19 and 19A, Block 29, in exchange for conveyance of a 20-foot-wide sanitary sewer easement within Blocks 29 and 30, all located in the Woodland Heights Annex, out of the John Austin 2 League Grant Survey, Parcels SY15-017A, SY15-017B, SY15-030, SY15-031 and DY15-003 - DISTRICT C - COHEN

Gerald W. Grissom, Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc, 10777 Westheimer, suite 400, Houston, Texas, 77042,on behalf of Kirby Court Corporation (W. T. Dickey, President), Walaby Realty Partners, Ltd. (W. T. Dickey, President), and Austin Trust Company (Dell Boykin, CEO), requested the abandonment and sale of a 10-foot-wide utility easement and a 10-foot-wide sanitary sewer easement, within Lots 19 and 19A, block 29, in exchange for conveyance of a 20-foot-wide sanitary sewer easement within Blocks 29 and 30, all located in the Woodland Heights Annex, out of the John Austin 2 League Grant Survey.  The applicants plan to construct a multi-family residential development on the subject property.

This is Part One of a two-step process in which the the applicant will first receive a City Council authorized motion acknowledging the concept of the subject request.  Upon the applicant satisfactorily completing all transaction requirements including these enumerated below, the Department of Public Works and Engineering will forward a subsequent recommendation to City Council requesting passage of an ordinance effecting the sale.  The Joint Referral Committee reviewed and approved this request.  Therefore, it is recommended:

1. The City abandon and sell a 10-foot-wide utility easement and a 10-foot-wide sanitary sewer easement, within Lots 19 and 19A, Block 29, in exchange for conveyance of a 20-foot-wide sanitary sewer easement within Blocks 29 and 30, all located in the Woodland Heights Annex, out of the John Austin 2 League Grant Survey;
2. The applicant be required to furnish the Department of Public Works and Engineering with a durable, reproducible (Mylar) survey plat and field notes of the affected property; 
3. The applicants be required to: (a) cut, plug, and abandon the existing 8-inch sanitary sewer line located within the subject sanitary sewer easement, (b) cut, plug, and abandon the existing 8-inch sanitary sewer line located within the subject utility easement, (c) construct a new 8-inch sanitary sewer line and manholes within the subject utility easement to the sanitary sewer line in Steel Street, (d) relocate any existing service connections to the 12-inch sanitary sewer line i Kipling Street, (e) pay the depreciated value of the sanitary sewer lines and manholes to be abandoned, and (f) complete all of the foregoing items at no cost to the City and under the proper permits obtained through the Office of the City Engineer and separate from any other project permits;
4. The applicant be required to prepare drawings that show all public utilities (sanitary sewer) that are to be abandoned, relocated, and/or constructed as part of this abandonment request and submit the drawings to be Office of the City Engineer for plan review and approval.  A copy of the Motion shall be attached to the plan set when it is submitted for plan review;
5. The applicants be required to provide letters of no objection from each of the privately owned utility companies for the street being abandoned;
6. The Legal Department be authorized to prepare the necessary transaction documents; and 
7. Inasmuch as the value of the City's property interests are not expected to exceed $1,000,000.00, that the value be established by an independent appraiser appointed by the Director of Public Works and Engineering.

Key Map: 492U

Nancy P. Collins

Senior Assistant Director-Real Estate

Phone: (832) 395-3130