PORT NECHES — Port Neches city leaders will consider selling a 1.25 acre piece of riverfront property to its economic development corporation, which in turn will help a busy eatery with parking problems.

Port Neches City Council will consider an ordinance approving a purchase and sale agreement and other required documents between the city and the Port Neches Economic Development Corporation for 1.25 acres of property for the price of $1 during a meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday at city hall.

Owners of Neches River Wheelhouse, 720 Lee St., are hoping to take advantage of the option to purchase the land that will be used to construct a concrete parking area to accommodate 90 spaces. Council discussed the issue back in November.

“A request was made by the ownership of the Wheelhouse for the city to consider providing an additional 1.25 acres which would be used for construction of additional parking area for the restaurant,” Port Neches City Manager Andrè Wimer said. “As with the initial transaction for the restaurant itself, the property will be conveyed from the city to the EDC which would then, subsequently, convey the 1.25 acres to Wheelhouse Property LLC.”

Council will also discuss agreements with LJA Engineering Inc. for separate projects regarding the riverfront.

Last year, the city learned they were recipients of a coastal management Program grant in the amount of $150,000 from the Texas General Land for the removal of dilapidated structures and debris from the Neches River. Under the agreement, LJA will provide necessary engineering services associated with the project at the coast of $24,000.

The city’s portion of the grant that they are responsible for comes in at $65,000.

“Once the engineering is complete, the removal will be put for bids,” he said.

The city also received a Coastal Management Program grant in the amount of $75,000 form the Texas GLO for planning/design associated with the riverfront property. The cost of this work provided by LJA is $71,500.

“This involves planning and design for the shoreline of the riverfront property with consideration given to various options and costs associated with shoreline protection and construction of aesthetic features along the shoreline,” he said.

City leaders will also consider an agreement with LJA for services associated with the design and project management of riverfront erosion control.

Three options were given during previous council discussion and they opted for a rock breakwater along an approximate 750-foot section of the riverfront property. In authorizing the agenda item council would also be authorizing the engineering and construction of the breakwater with funding to come from a 2016 debt issue.

This potion of the project will take about a year to allow for necessary permits from the Corps of Engineers and the State of Texas.

Other agenda items include:

• Discuss and take action regarding the approval of the 2015 Racial Profiling Report for the police department.
• Discuss and take action regarding declaring certain city items and equipment as surplus and authorizing disposal.
• Discuss and take action regarding the approval of an agreement with Rene Bates Auctioneers Inc., to conduct an auction to dispose of city surplus.
• Discuss and take action regarding the renewal of an agreement with IPS Advisors Inc., for consulting services associated with employee and retiree insurance benefits.

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