Kemah's 6th Street reopens after judge grants temporary injunction
KEMAH, Texas (KTRK) -- A street home to Kemah's Lighthouse District is back open after the city shut it down later in the summer to the drivers.
It's all because of legal action taken by business owners in the area who say the closure was hurting them financially.
A Galveston County judge granted what's called a temporary injunction ordering the city to reopen sixth street because state law wasn't followed.
"Pure relief. It was an amazing thing," Bakkhus Taverna general manager Lance Cumpian said.
"This is a huge win for our team. Of course, I was super excited," Jordan Paultz, GM of operations for Voodoo Hut, said.
There's excitement because the street has plenty of parked cars, and that means more customers for restaurant and bar managers.
SEE ALSO: Kemah businesses file lawsuit claiming 6th Street closure caused financial losses
"It's a huge relief off my shoulders. I know my owner is happy about it as well," Cumpian said.
About a month ago, the lighthouse district on 6th Street was blocked off to drivers. Bollards were put up, and Cumpian says business went down.
"We lost about 50 percent of general sales, even one Tuesday. I did maybe $700. For us to operate, it's twice, three times that," Cumpian said.
The closure was part of a plan to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. After seeing the financial losses, several of the businesses filed a lawsuit against the city, and now a temporary injunction has been granted to reopen the street.
"During the day, bartenders and servers rely on that local crowd, and having them park here during lunch time is critical to our success," Paultz said.
In the temporary injunction, the court found that Kemah closed 6th Street between Bradford Avenue and Kipp Avenue without a petition "signed by all owners of the real property abutting the street or alley."
"The plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable injury, loss, and damage" if the street doesn't reopen.
While things are back to normal for now, these managers hope this legal battle between them and the city can come to an end.
"We're open to working with the city, and I think Kemah is a beautiful place to experience southern hospitality, and working with the local residents and the city, we can create something beautiful together," Paultz said.
The attorney representing the businesses says the city has filed an appeal. ABC13 did reach out to the city for confirmation and has not received a response.
