Hearing begins over road closure in Kemah that businesses say is hurting sales

KEMAH, Texas (KTRK) -- A hearing begins on Monday over a stretch of 6th Street in Kemah, which has been closed to drivers for two months.

The closure has left business owners worried about their financial losses, and the hearing comes after a lot of back and forth.

Several businesses have joined together to file a lawsuit against the city, claiming a stretch of the road in Kemah's Lighthouse District was shut down because of the city's plan for street projects to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.

They've filed the lawsuit, hoping to get the stretch of the street to open for good.

The business owners said the project has caused them to lose money and customers.

RELATED: Kemah businesses file lawsuit claiming 6th Street closure caused financial losses

Managers say that because part of 6th Street is blocked off, drivers and potential customers cannot access it.

"By putting a pavilion and putting other obstructions in the street, that's explicitly not allowed for any city to do, especially a general law city like Kemah where to do anything like this you'd have to get 100% of the property owner's consent," Brian Kilpatrick, who is representing the businesses, said.

One business owner told Eyewitness News that their sales are down 50%.

A temporary restraining order allowed the street to re-open, but that didn't last long.

When the first restraining order was in place, the manager at VooDoo Hutt said sales jumped.

"We are unable to comment on any ongoing lawsuits at this time, as the matter is currently under legal review," the City of Kemah told ABC13 in a statement.

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