At the January 12 meeting of the City of Katy’s city council, officials moved forward with a plan to provide pickleball courts as part of the upgrades to Katy City Park at 5720 Franz Road in Katy. Rather than replacing some of the park’s existing tennis courts with new pickleball courts – a move opposed by numerous public speakers at a prior council meeting – the action authorized by council in a unanimous vote will overlay pickleball lines onto tennis courts five and six. A cost estimate for the project and a timeline were not disclosed.

Council also held public hearings on proposed amendments to a zoning ordinance which would grant a special use permit to a religious institution to operate in either a C1 or C2 commercial district. By unanimous vote, council authorized the special use permits for the Redeemed Christian Church of God/The Kings Palace at 5371 East Fifth Street in Katy and Konnect Church Global at 5819 Tenth Street in Katy.

Although the matter was not on the agenda, a representative from another Katy church spoke during public comments about his difficulties in getting a special use permit for his church, saying that his building had been “red tagged” and that the congregation would no longer be able to meet at the existing building. Pastor Hernan Castano of the Rivers of Oil Church at 541 Pin Oak said that he had met with the planning department earlier in the day and that they did not provide the information he had requested, in addition to giving him a long list of requirements for a minority church that he said the church could not afford.

Katy businessman Sean Dolan also addressed council during public comments, challenging City Administrator Byron Hebert on Dolan’s request for a meeting, and asking for a public response, which Hebert declined to give. The city’s legal counsel said that Hebert could not respond, citing the Texas Open Meetings act.

Council also approved an ordinance calling for the regular officers’ election on Saturday, May 2, where the positions of Councilmember At Large, Councilmember for Ward A and Councilmember for Ward B will be held. Current Councilmember at Large Chris Harris, who also serves as the Mayor Pro Tem; Ward A Councilmember Janet Corte and Ward B Councilmember Rory Robertson are all term-limited and unable to run for re-election.

The next meeting of city council will be held on January 26 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 901 Avenue C in Katy.