Houston Daily

Brays Oaks Management District Infrastructure Committee met Aug. 7.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

The Brays Oaks Management District Infrastructure Committee held a meeting via Zoom video conference on August 07, 2025, at 3:30 PM.

District Board and Committee members present: Etan Mirwis, Ralph Rieger, Cindy Chapman, Sylvia Rivas, Jodi Hamilton

Staff members present: Josh Hawes, Dave Hawes, Cosme Garcia

Public present: Stephen Polnaszek – NTT, Brenda Jackson, Taylor Risien – Gauge Engineering, Naomi Ostfeld, Stephen Polnaszek, Rodrigo Martins – At-Large 1, Leah Wolfthal – At-Large 1, Michael Mauer – M2L, Karen Rogers – M2L, Ria Butarbutar

Committee Chair Etan Mirwis called the meeting to order at 3:30 PM, and the committee meeting adjourned at 5:09 PM.

THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING:

1. Call to order

2. Public Comment

a. No public comment.

3. Minutes of 06/05/2025 Infrastructure Committee Meeting

a. Committee meeting minutes submitted for reference.

4. Updates & Recommendations

a. Fondren Rd. Project

i. Mr. Michael Mauer advised that a public meeting was held the previous week, but was at a high level. CoH is in the process of doing a traffic study that will measure traffic while school is in session. M2L has reengaged the city to discuss the CDA which will allow the district to enter into an agreement with CoH to

provide enhancements to the project.

ii. Cmte. Chair Mirwis advised the Engage Houston meeting didn’t answer any specific questions.

iii. Ms. Rogers advised the project is still at 30% and the contact that she was working with regarding the CDA has retired.

iv. Cmte. Chair Mirwis added the district needs to have the opportunity to have input on median cuts and safer pedestrian enhancements.

v. Ms. Ostfeld mentioned that her questions were ignored during the session. She emailed additional information to Anna Clifton after the meeting. In her response to Ms. Ostfed, Ms. Clifton advised that the information sent would be forwarded to the appropriate people.

vi. Director Chapman suggested a community group should address council during comments.

vii. Ms. Wolfthal advised that Councilman Ramirez’s office is willing to help get some feedback from HPW.

viii. Chairman Rieger mentioned that projects have been hindered due to the city’s indecisiveness.

b. Spellman Detention Project

i. Executive Director Hawes reviewed the M2L task order for landscape development at the Spellman Detention Basin project.

ii. Cmte. Chair Mirwis inquired if this project should move over to the Beautification and Urban Design cmte.

iii. Director Chapman agreed to take the project onto her cmte.

iv. Without objection the committee recommended the task order be forwarded to the board for consideration.

c. West Bellfort Traffic Study

i. Mr. Risien advised that on behalf of the Cmte. Chair, Gauge reached out to HPW to discuss options moving forward.

1. HPW approved the developer’s original traffic study and analysis – with no requirement to add a traffic signal to Pembridge and W. Bellfort.

2. Gauge Engineering was engaged by the district to conduct a traffic signal warrant analysis. According to Gauge’s study – the analysis determined a traffic signal was warranted at the intersection. HPW concurred with the findings.

3. Mr. Risien advised three options are available to move forward with the construction of a signal:

a. Quickest path, the district funds the design and construction.

b. Hybrid option, the district pays for the design, project is entered into the city’s traffic safety and signal program. Design must be approved by HPW. For projects accepted into the program it’s currently taking 2 years for projects to begin construction. 50 projects are currently in the queue.

c. The district does not pay for design or construction. Project is submitted to city for consideration under a different program that is currently not accepting any new projects. Queue may open up in 2 years. From design to construction completion may take up to 5 years.

ii. Cmte. Chair Mirwis advised that he would like a presentation to the board as to why the project should be moved forward. Not for the upcoming board meeting but for the following. Cmte. Chair Mirwis inquired if the city would accept an outside study and design. Mr. Risien advised HPW would accept an outside design because they would be actively involved in approving milestones and the project is permitted by the city.

d. Northfield / Southmeadow Trail

i. Cmte. Chair Mirwis mentioned that he would like to have a dialogue with HPB to discuss the design and cost for only the portion that connects both sides of Villa Lea Ln. Executive Director Hawes advised the estimate is 200k and staff will setup a meeting with HPB to discuss further.

ii. Mr. Polnaszek and Director Rivas advised they would like to know when the meeting will occur.

e. Ruffino Detention Project

i. Executive Director Hawes advised that CoH is moving forward with the purchase and land swap with City of Bellaire. Waiting to hear back from District J office on new udpates.

5. Monitored Projects / No New Developments

a. Spring Village Apartments Detention Project (11810 Chimney Rock)

i. No update.

b. Boardwalk Apartments Detention Project (9100 Fondren Rd.)

i. No update.

c. TIRZ 20 Update

i. Mr. David Hawes advised that a safe sidewalks study is underway. Schools in the district are part of the study. A new assessment for additional projects is underway.

d. Harris County Flood Control

i. No update.

e. Barrier Free HCTRA – Safe Access Improvement Program

i. No update.

f. Former Shell Site Detention Project on Gasmer

i. Mr. David Hawes gave an update on the Gasmer project. The TIRZ added $5.4 million for FY26 – FY27 to support the project. The admin building has a private investor that has agreed to rehabilitate the admin building.

ii. Cmte. Chair Mirwis inquired what the role of the district is regarding the Gasmer site.

iii. Director Chapman advised that the district was tasked with approving a contractor to program the Gasmer site. Additionally, the board agreed to restructure the redevelopment authority to take over the maintenance and operation of the site.

iv. Mr. David Hawes advised that HPW purchased the property using detention funds which has caused issues. The TIRZ was supposed to take over the property, but state law prohibited the city from selling the property at cost. The project is a TIRZ project.

v. Cmte. Chair Mirwis agreed to remove the project from the agenda since it’s a TIRZ project.

6. Adjourn

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS:

• The committee recommended to forward the M2L task order for landscape development of the Spellman Detention Basin to the board for consideration.

https://www.braysoaksmd.org/meeting-schedule/