A petition to sell and abandon a half-width alley easement abutting 5115 Locust Street (Lot 8, Block 37) was presented in a public hearing at the Bellaire City Council meeting on Oct. 20, 2025.

Travis Tanner, Bellaire’s director of development services, told the council the city received the petition in May and that an appraisal put the easement value at $106,007.50. The petitioners offered to pay half the appraised value — $53,375 — which matches prior practice in similar cases where the city accepted half of an appraised amount, Tanner said.

Petitioner Vianney Casares told the council she and her co-owner recently bought the house at 5115 Locust and want the additional 12.5 feet to widen the lot from about 50 feet to 62.5 feet. Casares said the extra width would allow a first-floor bedroom to be added for elderly parents who sometimes need ground-floor accommodations.

Council members asked staff several follow-up questions. Tanner said the alley is a north–south alley that originally was 25 feet wide; the east adjoining owner previously purchased 12.5 feet after a 2001 abandonment. Tanner said the city has checked with CenterPoint and that neither city nor CenterPoint utilities run through the segment now proposed for abandonment. He also said staff found no known encroachments that would complicate the sale.

City staff noted the code requires a public hearing and appraisal and that council consideration is scheduled for the Nov. 3, 2025 meeting, when a proposed ordinance and staff recommendation will be returned. Written comments are being accepted through noon on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, if residents wish to supplement tonight’s oral testimony.

The hearing produced no oral public comment and no written comments were reported. The mayor closed the hearing after council questions and noted final deliberation will be held Nov. 3.

Background: Tanner said the city approved abandonment of the other half of this same easement in 2001 to the owner of 5113 Locust. The current petitioners said the previous owner was offered the easement in 2001 for $18,000 but did not pursue it.