Addressing an audience of 270 during his annual “State of the City” report, Owen said: “This is great news for us; the company is the nation’s oldest distributor of stainless steel and nickel alloy, pipe, tube fittings and flanges.”

Additional business news noted by Mayor Owen during his speech on “Smart Growth—A Balancing Act” at Sugar Creek Country Club:

*In the past five years, the commercial tax base in Missouri City “has grown from 15 percent to 23 percent.” The growth is promising and complements Council’s vision to ensure strong business gains not only to diversify the tax base but to increase jobs for residents.
*Plans for the reconstruction of US90A and expansion of the Fort Bend Toll Road across the City’s eastern boundary through Sienna Plantation will drive additional commercial and industrial development.
*In the past three years, more than 800 jobs, 500 of them non-retail, have been added to the City’s workforce and commercial square footage has increased by 2 million. The growth can be primarily attributed to a number of well-known companies such as Ben E. Keith, Lufkin Automation and Charming Charlie’s setting up shop in Lakeview Business Park and the Beltway Crossing complex on the North side of the City.
*Highway 6 continues to draw businesses, with Star Cinema Grill, an upscale movie theater, and La Quinta Inn & Suites, the City’s first hotel, set to open this year.

Other key topics Owen discussed with guests at the event hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, were mobility, fiscal management and infrastructure investments.

Road improvements to corridors citywide will improve safety and traffic flow for residents. Projects in motion include:

*The revitalization of two gateways: Gessner Road and Texas Parkway. South Gessner from Beltway 8 to Cravens Road was fully replaced, mosaic tile City monuments were strategically placed along the roadway and sidewalks were added. Upgrades to Texas Parkway feature a prominent City monument at the intersection of US90A, drainage improvements and the addition of sidewalks. Phase Two of work on the thoroughfare will add landscape and signage.
*Construction of an interim Park and Ride on property adjacent to the Kroger Parking lot at Highway 6 and the Fort Bend Toll Road. “The site should operational by the end of summer,” Owen said. “Non-stop bus service will be provided from Missouri City to the Medical Center and the lot will include parking for 200 vehicles.” Location of a permanent site is currently ongoing.
*Raised medians being built along Highway 6 from just south of Settlers Way in Sugar Land continuing through Missouri City to just south of the Fort Bend Toll Road will improve traffic patterns. To allow motorists convenient access to businesses, pathways will exist between some of the medians. Depending on the width of the raised medians, they will have a concrete surface, a brick looking surface or grass.
*Dynamic Message Signs will soon be posted along Highway 6, Murphy Road, Cartwright Road and Texas Parkway to alert motorists to important traffic information, emergency messages and special events.
*Following guidelines from the Council-approved Traffic Management Plan, the City is “preparing to implement our Intelligent Transportation System and traffic management center, through which staff will be able to monitor traffic and synchronize traffic signals at different times of the day and on different days of the week.” Black poles installed along major travel routes are an integral part of the ITS; closed-circuit monitors will be placed on the poles to help staff remotely monitor traffic movement and to improve emergency response times.
*The City continues to partner with METRO and Congressman Al Green on the future plan to provide a direct light rail link for commuters to the Texas Medical Center and Downtown Houston jobs and recreation venues.

On the financial front, Owen said the City is “exercising expenditure controls and conservative budgeting to meet citizens’ needs.” He highlighted Council’s recent approval of the $32.1 million Fiscal Year 2012 General Fund Budget, which takes effect July 1. The budget is based on the tax rate remaining at 52.84 cents. Later this summer the city will receive the final tax rolls and will review and approve the property tax rate at that time. The property tax, sales tax and franchise fee income is estimated to remain virtually flat at $14.74 million, $6 million, and $3.27 million, respectively.

Infrastructure improvements were also cited in the speech. Mayor Owen explained that bids have been received for the new Community Center and Golf Pro Shop as well as the Recreation and Tennis Center on Cypress Point, with construction expected to begin on both projects later this summer.

The Quail Valley Golf Course hosted almost 54,000 rounds this past year and is expected to “slightly exceed the break even point for operations in the 2011 fiscal year,” Owen said. The courses hosted 86 outside tournaments in the past year—more than one per week and a 20 percent increase from the previous year.

Mayor Owen also mentioned the Surface Water Treatment Plant construction, a unique partnership among government and private sectors, involving 30 well users, including 19 Municipal Utility Districts and property owners in the City and in areas outside the City limits. “The plant is 60 percent complete and on target for delivering 10 million gallons of water per day in the first quarter of 2012. The cost will be paid by water users and not with direct taxpayer dollars,” Owen said, adding that he looks forward to this MUD-Missouri City partnership leading to future joint initiatives.

In closing remarks, Owen commended “the talented and dedicated City employees who make all of the Council policy decisions a reality for our citizens.” And, he noted another milestone in the City’s history: the departure of City Manager Frank Simpson, who will soon join College Station as Assistant City Manager. “We greatly appreciate his exemplary service over the past 7 1/2 years,” Owen said.

The “State of the City” speech is available for residents to view on the City’s website: missouricitytx.gov and on Missouri City Television (Ch. 16 on Comcast and Ch. 99 on AT&T U-verse).

“In 2010, we focused on capital improvements and economic development,” said City Manager Frank Simpson. “By leveraging funding from others, less than 25 percent of all capital improvement projects are being paid for with City property taxes.”

The cost of all current infrastructure improvements is more than $82 million; the City’s share being paid for from property taxes is $18 million. The remaining $64 million comes from, state and federal funds, Fort Bend and Harris Counties, utility user and capital recovery fees and Special Districts. Here are some of the major projects under way:

*Texas Parkway Revitalization: Phase I of the transformation is taking place and features sidewalks and drainage improvements; completion is expected to take nine months. Phase II will involve landscaping and signage.

*Community Center & Golf Pro Shop and Tennis & Recreation Center: With City Council approval of a $7.375 million settlement for the Quail Valley Golf property, community meetings followed seeking citizen input on development of the two projects. The design process is under way for both facilities and construction for the structures is targeted to begin in summer 2011.

*Surface Water Treatment Plant: The state-of-the art plant is currently being constructed and will have the capacity to produce 10 million gallons of water per day. Completion is scheduled for next winter, ahead of the deadline to meet the mandated groundwater reduction requirements.

*Gessner Road Revitalization: A full reconstruction of South Gessner Road from Beltway 8 to Cravens Road is ongoing; completion is scheduled for summer 2011.

*Intelligent Transportation System: Along Murphy Road and State Highway 6, major intersections underwent turn lane and traffic signal improvements, with median installation on State Highway 6 continuing into 2011. These are the first steps of the synchronization of city traffic signals so that they can communicate with each other and adapt to different traffic patterns. Overall, this project will improve mobility and safety and shorten travel times.

*Emergency Communications: City Council approved the installation of a new low-power AM radio station—1690 AM. Staff will follow FCC guidelines for station usage and transmit emergency information, weather bulletins and traffic and road construction updates, featuring directions to City landmarks and events.

Facing Challenges with Proactive Policies

Last June, City Council approved the fiscal year 2011 operating budget of $31.2 million, a 6 percent reduction from the previous year, with no tax increase for residents.  “We have had a very busy and productive year in our City, however, we are not without our challenges,” Mayor Allen Owen said. “Like other cities across the country, our revenues from sales tax and property taxes have been reduced. We are faced with doing what everyone else has to do, and that is to look for ways to do more with less. Our employees rolled up their sleeves, tightened their belts, and made a commitment not to let this affect the service levels to our citizens.”

New Services Benefit Residents

Based on two voter referendum items on the May election ballot, City Council passed two ordinances—one bans smoking in public places and the second implemented a city-wide municipal trash program.

The solid waste collection service will be provided by Republic Services for the next five years. Service for subdivisions was chosen by homeowner associations and municipal utility districts and will result in savings for about 75 percent of residents.

In other City Council action, members took a step further with the state ban on most cell phone use in school zones and passed an ordinance that bans motorists from texting throughout the city.

Economic Growth on the Upswing

The “Show Me City” was also prosperous on the business front the past 12 months and announced numerous developments city-wide.

In the northern part of Missouri City, the newly developed 168-acre Lakeview Business Park is home to three new tenants. Lufkin Automation, an oil and gas services company, settled into its headquarters building situated on six acres; Kusha Foods, a rice distributor, and Flair Flexible Packaging, a plastic bags manufacturer, will occupy 38,000- and 50,000-square feet, respectively.

On Gessner Road in the Beltway Crossing complex, Professional Packaging has leased 96,000 square feet of space; Mission Foods has let another 23,000 square feet and Charming Charlie, Inc. occupies 166,000 square feet of the facility with its main warehouse and distribution center for the entire Southeast Texas area. Across the street, Fort Bend Corps is open for business at its location in the Greystone Buildings.

Additionally, Star Precision Fabrication, a machining and sheet metal fabrication company, has purchased 10.6 acres of land on South Gessner. The company plans to build in two phases; the first, a 30,000-square foot building that is expected to be operating in the summer; and the second will add an additional 80,000- to 100,000-square feet.

New to the Gessner corridor next year will be food purveyor Ben E. Keith. The company has submitted engineering plans to the City and expects to begin construction on its $86 million facility in the first quarter of 2011.

Retail growth continues throughout the community. Along Highway 6, a new AT&T outlet at the Lowe’s site recently donated $2,275 to the Dew House restoration project, and in the same center, a Kolache Factory franchise has celebrated its grand opening. Texas Parkway also boasts new businesses, including J&L Photography and Video, Medlin Pharmacy, and American Eyes Optical.

The new enterprises in Lakeview and others along Gessner Road have created and will be adding between 800 and 1,000 new jobs. “These numbers represent great gains for the City,” Mayor Owen said.  “All those projects along this important corridor will also help us to promote retail and housing and is a big boost for this area.”

Also on the horizon for 2011 is the grand opening of a La Quinta Inn & Suites, the City’s first hotel, and the opening of Star Cinema Grill, an upscale movie theater.

TXU Employees show their support for the Edible Arbor Trail.

Clean & Green

Maintaining and preserving green spaces in Missouri City continues to be a priority. On tap for staff this year were myriad initiatives such as the Community Roots Project in which volunteers help to beautify community parks; recycling programs, including drop-off boxes for old or broken cell phones at City Hall, the Community Center or Municipal Court; tree plantings on the region’s first Edible Arbor Trail and the Memorial Tree Program in which families can purchase a tree to be planted in City parks in memory of loved ones. A feature of the program is a living memorial webpage on the City’s website with photos of family members and their trees and a custom written remembrance.

Coming up for conservation in 2011 are upgrades for the City’s Recycling Center that will enable residents to access bins more easily and improve the look and function of the facility; and a household hazardous waste collection event on March 26.

“Show Me” Success

Respected organizations and publications recognized the City’s 2010 achievements.  CNN and MONEY magazine rated Missouri City #21 on its annual list of 100 Best Places to Live in America. And, the police department’s community outreach with citizens to combat and curtail crime is paying off with Congressional Quarterly naming Missouri City the 5th safest city in Texas, and the 36th nationally. Quality community recognitions followed from Scenic Texas, which rewarded Missouri City’s commitment to high-quality development requirements for public spaces with one of its 14 inaugural certificates; and “Avid Golfer”, in reviewing public courses, named the El Dorado greens at Quail Valley Golf Course No. 1 in the category for the “Best Overall Value Under $40” and No. 2 in the “Top 10 Value Priced Courses”.

Additional honors included the Houston Business Journal’s 2010 Landmark Award for “Best Community Impact”, emphasizing the Quail Valley Parks Project’s social, environmental and economic importance to the City and to the Houston area; and two awards from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada, noting staff’s exceptional fiscal management for the budget and the annual financial report. Also, Missouri City was recognized as a good place to work by the U.S. Department of Defense for staff’s support and cooperation with City employees who are serving in the armed forces; and by a State of Texas Department for staff’s accommodation for an employee returning to work after a serious illness.

“Show Me” the Future

“As the economy begins to improve, our City will follow suit,” Mayor Owen said. “A healthy turn around in 2011 will allow us to stay on track with our capital improvement projects and to build and maintain staffing levels. In collaboration with our citizens and staff, City Council is committed to keeping us one of the Top 100 American Cities.”

To view the City’s 2010 Year-In-Review video, please click on www.missouricitytx.gov.

Missouri City built strong partnerships with businesses during 2010. In photo at left, the City received $2,275 from a new AT&T outlet to use for the preservation of the historic Dew House. From left to right, Ivan Butterfield, Museum Board Member, Diane Ware, DeWalt Heritage Society, Mayor Allen Owen, Lisa Glenn, Dew House Volunteer Coordinator, Alice Aanstoos, AT&T Regional V.P. External Affairs, and Anthony Morado, AT&T Southwest Houston Sales Manager were at the ceremony. In photo at right, City officials join the owners and staff of a Kolache Factory store for their grand opening. Councilman Robin Elackatt (holding ribbon in brown and yellow shirts), Mayor Pro Tem Brett Kolaja (in green shirt), Councilman Bobby Marshall (behind Kolaja), Economic Development Coordinator Bob Graf (on back row in purple shirt) and Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald (on back row in yellow shirt) attended the event. Also on hand to celebrate were Houston Texans Cheerleaders.

Joining forces to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking for a half-million-square-foot Ben E. Keith Distribution Facility in Missouri City on March 22, are from left: Robbie Fish, General Manager, Ben E. Keith Foods-Houston Division, City Manager Frank Simpson, Councilman Danny Nguyen, Councilman Bobby Marshall, Mayor Allen Owen, Councilman Don Smith, Councilman Robin Elackatt, Councilman Brett Kolaja and Mike Roach, President Ben E. Keith Foods.

The turning of dirt at the groundbreaking for a half-million-square-foot Ben E. Keith Distribution Facility in Missouri City on March 22 brings with it hundreds of new jobs, other economic development projects and a prestigious company that chose the “Show Me” City for its 82-acre site with the future opportunity to expand to more than 1 million square feet.

Mayor Allen Owen likened the groundbreaking ceremony, held inside a large white tent set up at the site of the future distribution headquarters on Cravens Road near South Gessner Road, to a wedding.

“First you have the dating period, then the engagement period, then you set the date for the wedding and finally today is the wedding. It’s a huge day for the City. We waited four long years and it was well worth the wait because we did it right. I cannot express in words how important this is for Missouri City—to the tax base, to an employment base and to what it means to the community. And my next promise is to bring commuter rail to this location in the future.”

Ben E. Keith Foods is now the eighth largest broad-line distributor in the nation, with six distribution centers serving South Central USA –Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kansas, Tennessee, and Missouri.

The company’s warehouse and other buildings will serve southeast Texas and Louisiana and create about 300 jobs. It expects to start operations in Fall of 2012 or Winter of 2013.

The warehouse includes:

*Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems
*LEEDS Gold Status in harvesting rainwater for use as non-potable water for the facility; reduced paving to reduce rainwater runoff, and plans to recycle 95 percent of construction waste generated.

The additional buildings at the facility will include a 91,455-square-foot freezer, 48,992-square-foot cooler and a 33,648-square-foot Truck Maintenance Garage, among others.

“We believe Missouri City has the high-quality work force we need,” said Mike Roach, President, Ben E. Keith Foods. “Our demographic studies showed it validated our decision to locate here. The culture of Missouri City in talking with City officials, business owners in the area and others, a sense of transparency was evident and that people here were willing to collaborate and understand the relationship between the City and business. It was also a proper fit logistically with access to Beltway 8.” Roach added that “through discussions with the City, the County, the Fort Bend Economic Development Council and statistics from the Houston Restaurant Association, we found this is the epicenter of the ‘dining away from home industry’ in the area we service including Texas and Louisiana.”

Robbie Fish, General Manager of the new distribution center, noted the groundbreaking was the culmination of hard work by the City, Fort Bend County, Water Control Improvement District #2, the Fort Bend Economic Development Council, and Ben E. Keith staff. “We’ll be the largest employer with well-paying jobs for the residents of Missouri City, and have a big impact as a good corporate citizen,” Fish said. “This facility will be the first food service distribution center in the country that will have a double deep automated storage and retrieval system. It will be a great selling tool and a growth engine for Ben E. Keith for the next 20 years. This is a model of what good government looks like.”

The location also allows for the elimination of 50 trucks a night traveling between this area and Fort Worth and San Antonio; thereby saving the company 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel a day, or half-a-million gallons a year.

Jeff Wiley, President of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council spoke to guests about the tremendous growth of Fort Bend County, which is the second-fastest growing County in the state with three of the top 10 master planned communities in the United States, including Sienna Plantation. “Fort Bend County has had very high-quality growth and the type of growth has made the County very fertile for a company like Ben E. Keith to locate here.”

Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen does the honors at a board cutting that kicked off the July 2 grand opening of the Lowe’s store in Missouri City. Store Manager Phillip Lewis (LEFT) and Sales Manager James Uvalle (RIGHT) helped the mayor as a large group of residents looked on. The 117,000-square-foot store is located at Murphy Road (FM 1092) and State Highway 6. Lewis told the crowd on hand that the new store has 170 employees and represents an $18.5 million dollar investment in Missouri City.

In July, the Show Me City was ranked No. 56 on Money magazine’s list of the “100 Best Places to Live in America.” The magazine cited a 43 percent job growth between 2000 and 2007, rapid commercial development and acclaimed schools as factors in the rating. In November, Congressional Quarterly named Missouri City the 22nd safest in the nation in the 75,000 to 100,000 population range.

This summer brought another honor to Missouri City: The Government Finance Officers Association presented the City with its 20th consecutive distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the annual budget.  Only two percent of U.S. cities receive this recognition for exemplary financial management practices. The award salutes Missouri City’s achievement in saving taxpayer dollars and utilizing the latest technology to save staff time and operating costs.

And this winter, new population signs declaring the City to be the “Home of Miss USA 2008” were posted at gateway entrances to the Show Me City. Crystle Stewart, who hails from Missouri City and graduated from Elkins High School, won the national pageant title in April.

“We’ve had a banner year, in great part because of partnerships with our citizens,” Mayor Allen Owen said. “We’re continuing to build on our reputation as a safe community with beautiful neighborhoods. Our families love living here. We’ve made great progress in continuing to expand commercial and retail options for our residents and visitors.”

The City’s “show me” spirit was in full force during Hurricane Ike. The new, high-tech Municipal Court/Emergency Operations Center on Cartwright Road served as the City’s headquarters during the storm. Residents and 275 City employees worked together to keep Missouri City citizens safe and informed as Hurricane Ike hit the region, with residents even helping deliver information flyers around neighborhoods to keep citizens updated on City news during the post-storm power outages.

The year started with a report from the Citizens’ Quail Valley Feasibility Committee, a group of more than 100 residents from throughout Missouri City. The committee recommended the purchase of the 400-acre Quail Valley golf property for future uses for golf and other recreation and to serve as a central community gathering place in the City. The City Council approved the recommendation to establish the featured destination for all residents, and the eminent domain process continues with the property’s former owners.

On Nov. 4, 72 percent of voters approved a $17.5 million bond referendum for the Quail Valley parks project. The City envisions creating a new community center, green space improvements and other fitness opportunities on the property, in addition to upgrading the two18-hole golf courses on the land.

In 2008, citizens also offered the City their ideas for a master plan to redevelop Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road. The plan proposes to transform the two roads into signature boulevards in Missouri City by enhancing businesses and adding new ones along the corridor. The planning process will continue into 2009.

Missouri City is one of the few municipalities that had the good timing to sell bonds in the financial markets this fall, prior to the economic downturn. The city’s strong credit rating with three rating agencies enabled the $35.5 million in bonds to be issued at competitive interest rates.

To keep residents safe, the Show Me City approved new building codes this fall. The codes, which make the City’s regulations consistent with the latest ones from the International Code Council, were adopted to ensure homes and commercial buildings are being crafted to the safest, most up-to-date standards. With these regulations, citizens can be confident they are entering secure facilities in Missouri City.

National and international companies are building facilities in Missouri City. Global Geophysical continues construction of its 110,000-square-foot building, and Ben E. Keith will break ground on its 400,000-square-foot facility during Phase I of its construction in 2009.  Trammell Crow is developing its largest business project in Texas at Lakeview Business Park. Progress continues on the Beltway Crossing Business Park, and major retail centers are under development at key intersections with strong anchor tenants, from Lowe’s to a Signature Kroger and an H-E-B, which is planned to be larger than an H-E-B Plus.

“We’ll be building on this year’s momentum as we continue economic development initiatives, renovation and expansion of infrastructure and strengthen our recreational opportunities not only for the growing City population, but for the region and beyond,” Mayor Owen said.

More than 125 citizens attended a public presentation on the proposal to transform Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road into signature boulevards in Missouri City. The plan focuses on enhancing existing businesses and bringing in new ones along the corridor; improving streets; and developing a cohesive pedestrian network in the area.

Under the master plan, Texas Parkway – where City Hall is located – would become the gateway corridor to Missouri City.

“This is where we do our business,” Mayor Allen Owen said to the crowd at the Community Center in the City Hall complex. “And we want to make sure that where we do our business is the center of life for the City.”

“The challenge that comes to us as a city,” the mayor continued, “is to implement the plan and find good, quality businesses and projects that we can bring into this.”

In January, the City Council authorized George Johnson Development, Inc.. and Civic Design Associates to create the master plan. This spring, the two agencies hosted public charrettes to gather residents’ ideas for improving the roadway, then interviewed every shopping center owner, every land owner and more than 90 percent of the businesses on the corridor to get their input. On Tuesday night, developer George Johnson and urban planner James Hill rolled out the resulting plan.

Johnson said based on feedback from the charrettes, residents were pleased with the location and accessibility of Missouri City, as well as its small town atmosphere, quality neighborhoods and available land.  But residents also said the City needed to upgrade the tenants and uses on Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road, improve sidewalks and the visual appearance of streets and lighting and provide more youth activities and neighborhood services along the corridor.

Hill presented preliminary designs for multiple centers of development along the two roads. The 42 acres just south of the City Hall complex were proposed as the site for a Town Center, which could include three-story retail, office and residential space, walkways and fountains. A service center, which could include health care facilities, was proposed at the intersection of Cartwright Road and Texas Parkway, while an entertainment center was suggested near the existing tennis complex on Cartwright. An employment center was envisioned near U.S. 90A and Texas Parkway.

During the presentation, Johnson observed Missouri City has the demographic profile to support the revitalization project. The developer said the area’s average household income is $70,000 and 85 percent of households are families. The population in the corridor area will increase by 30 percent and the City’s population may double within 25 years, according to the development group’s research. About 26,000 cars travel down Texas Parkway daily, while 22,000 zip down Cartwright Road each day.

Those statistics say the area undoubtedly has the traffic and population to support this redevelopment project in the upcoming years, the plan’s architects said. Major retailers have every reason to want to build businesses along this busy, populated corridor, Hill told residents during the public meeting.

Johnson stressed the time is ripe for investing in the Texas Parkway-Cartwright Road region. “This is a plan that is going to take several years, but we have to start somewhere,” he said.

“This is a very important portion of the City of Missouri City,” Johnson said. “We really want this to be an ideal street, a model street.”

If the City Council adopts the master plan, the City will move forward with recruiting new businesses, tenants and development projects for the corridor and create policies, financial incentives and public infrastructure to support the growth.

25 ACRE COLONIAL LAKES VILLAGE IN MISSOURI CITY BEGINS
Senior Living & Retail Phase Now, Condo Offices in Design Phase

Colonial Lakes Village has begun to take shape in Missouri City on 25 acres. Its 222-unit, active senior living community along with retail space, reportedly already committed for bank and restaurant use, is less than two years from operating. Opus West Corporation and partners RED Group, LLC and Leisure Care, LLC are all part of the $75 million investment, of which $58 million represents the senior living component.

A groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, April 4, 2008, officially signaled the start of the extensive project located on the 2900 block of Colonial Lakes Drive, at the corner of State Highway 6 and Colonial Lakes Drive. The independent senior living facility will sit on a little over 8 acres. To be known as the Reserve at Colonial Lakes, this residential community with bedroom units ranging from 775 sf to 1,356 sf will be available for active seniors 62 years of age and older. On the retail side, five acres with five pad sites will accommodate the restaurants and banks in 20,000 sf of space.

At the groundbreaking of Colonial Lakes Village, Mayor Allen Owen said, “This is the start of what will lend momentum to the construction and development of a first class undertaking that will transform this area and add affluence to Missouri City. Show me affluence, prosperity, and here it is…well underway with Colonial Lakes Village. We are delighted to have so many businesses develop from this partnership’s significant investment to our growing community.”

Aside from the senior facility and the retail development, which is the first phase of Colonial Lakes Village, there will be office condominiums with an estimated 50,000 sf of space. The 3,500 sf condo offices to be available for lease are currently in the design phase. The first phase of development for both the senior living community and for retail is projected to be completed in 16 to 18 months, said Scott Laten of the RED Group, LLC.
Officials with the RED Group have said that the project is a perfect match for Missouri City and greater Fort Bend County. With the amenity-rich development, residents will be able to avail themselves to restaurant-style dining, state-of-the-art fitness and wellness programs, and easy access to shopping in Missouri City and Sugar Land, they report.
Colonial Lakes Village is Opus’ fourth project with Scottsdale, Arizona-based RED Group and Leisure Care. The partnership’s decision for the project in Missouri City, southwest of Houston, is based on location and market demand.

At the City Council meeting of August 21, 2006, Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen presents 13 Clean Restaurant Awards to the food establishments operating in Missouri City earning scores over 95. Mayor Owen (far right) joins restaurant representatives receiving the awards that evening. "We should all be proud of these establishments for their efforts and continue to encourage people to come visit and support them," he said. (l-r) Keely T. Aust, Inspector I of the Code Enforcement Division, Planning Department; Tim Chow, Quizno's; Mike Sheraze, Popeye’s; Tom Nguyen, Ken Shin Sushi; Ki Joo Ban, Southern Maid; Reggie King, Burger King; Milton Kubala, Chick-Fil-A; Winsome Jones, Grace's Café; Mayor Owen.

13 Standouts with Scores Over 95
Five of 13 local restaurants in Missouri City receiving Clean Restaurant awards this health inspection go round achieved an excellent rating and obtained the highest score possible, a 100. These food establishments include Quiznos, Starbucks on the 5700 bock of Highway 6, Fruhstucks, Popeye’s, and Johnny Carino’s Restaurant.
Representatives of these food eateries scoring 95 or better with no critical violations were presented with certificates at the August 21, 2006 City Council meeting.
Those consistently demonstrating excellence with multi-awards include 7-time recipients Quiznos and Ken Shin Sushi, Chick-Fil-A with the highest number of award certificates totaling 10, and 9-time recipient, Domino’s on Texas Parkway. Other multi-award recipients include Southern Maid, Burger King on the 6800 block of Highway 6, and Grace’s along with Panera Bread and McDonald’s on the 1600 block of Cartwright.
Below is the complete list of the 13 clean restaurant award recipients along with their respective scores.

Name	Address	Award Times	Scores
Quiznos	5830 Highway 6	7	100
Starbucks	5740 Highway 6	4	100
Fruhstucks	5425 Highway 6	3	100
Popeye’s	4850 Highway 6	1	100
Johnny Carino’s	5750 Highway 6	2	100
Ken Shun Sushi	4751 Highway 6	7	99
Southern Maid	6311 Highway 6	2	98
Burger King	6855 Highway 6	6	98
Chick-Fil-A	6124 Highway 6	10	98
Grace’s	1909 Texas Parkway	3	98
Domino’s	2435 Texas Parkway	9	97
Panera	5672 Highway 6	4	97
McDonald’s	1605 Cartwright	4	96

As of May of this year, all restaurant establishments in Missouri City, where food is handled or prepared, are required to post health score resulting from onsite inspections by the City’s Health Inspector. Since then, City Council ordinances in effect require the posting of a letter grade—A, B, C or D along with a number grade for any establishment that fails a health inspection.
“Restaurants have been very cooperative about this process since their operators fully understand that our health inspections are part of keeping food establishments up to standards on food safety and restaurant cleanliness impacting public health,” explains Mike Fogarty Code Enforcement Division Supervisor. I believe the restaurants that won the Clean Restaurant Award are very proud of their establishments for that higher level of food service delivery and operation for what is intended for public consumption,” adds Keely T. Aust, Inspector I of the Code Enforcement Division of Missouri City’s Planning Department. “Owners and managers also have a particular pride about receiving the award and they want to make sure they maintain a safe and sanitary environment for that award every six months to let the public know that they are meeting high standards,” explains Aust.

Both Aust and Frank Luu, Health Inspector, conduct the food establishment site visits to check for compliance with health and safety regulations in accordance with the Texas Food Establishment Rules.
In Missouri City, all food establishments are inspected twice a year for compliance with health codes.
For more information about the restaurant awards and health inspections, interested persons are asked to call 281/403-8500.

At the City Council meeting of August 21, 2006, Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen presents 13 Clean Restaurant Awards to the food establishments operating in Missouri City earning scores over 95. Mayor Owen (far right) joins restaurant representatives receiving the awards that evening. “We should all be proud of these establishments for their efforts and continue to encourage people to come visit and support them,” he said. (l-r) Keely T. Aust, Inspector I of the Code Enforcement Division, Planning Department; Tim Chow, Quizno’s; Mike Sheraze, Popeye’s; Tom Nguyen, Ken Shin Sushi; Ki Joo Ban, Southern Maid; Reggie King, Burger King; Milton Kubala, Chick-Fil-A; Winsome Jones, Grace’s Café; Mayor Owen.