A controversial city land deal received the green light Monday by the majority of the city council.
A quit claim deed was approved by the council on a 5-1 vote without any discussion, with Alderman Chalky Wells voting no. City Administrator Tona Bowen said Tuesday that paperwork was approved to move forward on the sale of 4.25-acre tract to Scott Lauderdale, a developer. The tract — known as the Forbes property — is bounded by Hawthorn, King and Chestnut streets.
Any development would likely need approval by the Houston Planning and Zoning Commission and a building permit issued by Bowen.
At previous meetings, the rumor of the sale brought questions from neighbors who worried about the specific use of the property — which hadn’t been formally announced — and drainage issues on the property. Later in September, some property owners again questioned the sale of the tract. They said they had heard the use would be anything from assisted living housing to multi-family housing. The city bought the property for $80,000 in 2013 and spent another $25,000 to demolish two homes.
Bowen said the purchase price is $60,000 and she understands it will be subdivided and some sort of duplexes are planned. She said a date hasn’t been set for the formal closing.