By Holly Westbrook

The Orange Leader

 

PINEHURST —Pinehurst City Administrator Robbie Hood, Tuesday evening, was authorized by the City Council to act as the City’s representative in Public Hearing comments on the proposed TxDOT Interstate 10 Project with the widening of the Adams Bayou Bridge. According to the Council, this relates to Pinehurst’s economic growth and is needed.

This project will take away and move half a mile jurisdiction of Interstate 10 up to Adams Bayou further East… and will take away from the city’s economic development. The City of Orange would have properties in landlocked, too, due to this Interstate 10 project, according to Hood.

“(We need to) keep turnarounds in place so people can be used (for) economic growth through these lands,” Hood said.

The City Council, approved for the City Administrator to develop a letter of support for Chevron Phillips Chemical application to the State of Texas Enterprise Fund.

“This is a $5.6 billion investment in Orange County (that would bring in) 3,500 construction jobs, (cover) 1,700 acres of land close to (the Chevron Phillips) current location,” Hood said. “The average wage for these workers would be $85,000.”

The potential tax abatement project has multiple sites in mind, including an out-of-state site.

Hood went on to say these workers and their families would be shopping in Orange County stores, eating in the area, enjoying local entertainment and possibly buying housing here as well. This would bring in revenue to all cities in Orange County.

Mayor Pete Runnels said he strongly supports the tax abatement project, and “that we should show Chevron Phillips…Orange County is the place to be.”

Within the meeting, the council supported Orange County’s request of the Texas Legislature to amend Texas Tax Code Chapter 352 to allow the county to use Hotel Tax revenue for the pavilion at the boat ramp.

“This will bring help bring in entertainment for tourism for Orange County…and substantial economic development,” Hood said.

The city will host a City-Wide Clean up from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 6 at the future HEB home.

Shred-it and forget-it will be held at Sabine Federal Credit Union Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to noon. Pinehurst residence and credit union members may participate by bringing documents needing to be destroyed to 1939 Strickland.

 

Edited to clarify the number of construction jobs and the number of acreage involved in the project.