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October 21, 2008

PA council says no to Port Acres mobile home park

By David Ball

PORT ARTHUR — A Houston developer’s plans to build a mobile home park, and later an RV park in Port Acres were nixed at Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Port Arthur City Council.

Esther Bass asked to build the lot and obtain authorization for a license from the council to build on eight acres of land at 2724 West 66th St. on the site of the old Driftwood Motel.

Councilman Martin Flood said he could not support an RV park in the middle of the community while Councilman John Beard believes the mobile home park doesn’t fit in there.

“We don’t want to turn the city into an RV or trailer park city,” Beard said. “We want all affordable housing occupants working and contribute to raise the standard for them and maintain the integrity of the neighborhood.”

Bass said her property met specifications and the mobile homes would first house refinery workers and be a long-term asset the city could be proud of.

“I’m not going to build a low-income slum trailer park. If I created a slum, I would not make any money. This will draw a better class of clientele,” she said.

Mayor Deloris “Bobbie” Prince told Bass if she built the park there and she were a resident, she would think about moving.

“I would fight you on it because you would be boxed in by houses,” Prince said.

Port Acres resident Paula LeBlanc suggested the city administer abatements for affordable housing properties with land that is not being used currently in the city for development.

“Government programs do not help everyone. We need programs like job training and education. You need to stop depreciating our homes and use common sense or we need a new council who can,” LeBlanc said.

Councilman Thomas Henderson told LeBlanc threatening the council would not avail anything for her because they were there to serve the public. She then apologized.

Councilman Robert “Bob” Williamson suggested to Bass to build along FM 365 near Port Acres where 400 RV units will soon be built.

The council amended and passed an agenda item to de-obligate $100,000 in a revolving loan to establish an emergency relief loan program administered through the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation. The PAEDC originally wanted a maximum ceiling of $7,500 per business. Councilman Morris Albright III thought the $7,500 limit was too low and suggested a ceiling of $25,000 to help business owners from going out of business.

The council voted on a maximum of $10,000 so those businesses that do not have the highest credit ratings could obtain the loan and pay back the money.

The council passed a payment of $12,000 to Premier Election Solutions for damaged voting equipment. Acting City Secretary Terri Hanks reported the equipment was damaged for election day May 10 when they were transported on a flat bed truck during a rainstorm.

And passed was a resolution in support of concluding the study from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deepen and widen the Sabine-Neches Waterway.

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