City council authorizes MOU with Elam Indian Colony for proposed travel center in Clear Lake

The City of Clear Lake on Dec. 7 unanimously authorized a memorandum of understanding with the Elam Indian Colony that formalizes city–tribal collaboration on a proposed travel center near Gulf and Lakeshore Drive.

City Manager Alan Flora summarized the MOU before the vote, saying the tribe purchased the property in 2019, sought federal trust status and has since cooperated with city staff. Flora told the council the tribe “agreed to establish a public benefit fund with initial grant amount of $100,000 to assist with community projects.” The MOU does not approve the project’s development outright but sets terms for information sharing, voluntary payments and a joint advisory committee.

Chairman Augustine Garcia, representing the Elam Indian Colony, said the tribe sought a productive, local partnership. “We’re gonna be around for a while,” he said, stressing the tribe’s intention to invest in the city and work with staff on neighborhood compatibility and design.

Consultants from Bluestone Consulting described the site plan to the council: presenters said the project would occupy about 1.1 acres at the corner of Gulf and Lakeshore Drive and include a roughly 4,650-square-foot convenience store, approximately 10 dispensing stations (multiple pump positions), four diesel pumps, 4–6 EV charging stalls and solar canopy panels. Consultants told the council they have contractors and engineers lined up and estimated a construction completion target of January–February, subject to permitting, trust status and other approvals.

Council members and staff questioned circulation and site layout details, including whether the site could accommodate boats and trailers that use the nearby boat ramp; Bluestone and tribal representatives agreed to provide overhead and site-layout drawings for follow-up review. Public commenters who spoke in favor cited local economic benefit and tribal collaboration.

Council member Kramer moved and Council member Overton seconded a motion authorizing the city manager to sign the memorandum and to provide letters of support as requested; the motion passed by voice vote with no opposing votes.

Next steps: staff will finalize the signed MOU, provide additional plan views to the council and continue coordination between city engineering staff and the tribe as the tribe advances approvals with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its consultants.