City council members and officials with the Planning and Zoning Commission in West University Place held a public hearing May 4 on a potential change to the zoning ordinance that would require sexually oriented businesses and various business establishments to meet at least a 750-foot separation requirement from certain protected zones within city limits.

Key terms: Businesses that would be required to adhere to the new rule, according to the agenda item, include sexually oriented establishments, bail bond services, head shops, massage establishments, poker clubs, precious metal dealers, smoke shops and tattoo shops.

Protected uses include schools, churches, youth athletic facilities, parks, municipal buildings, licensed day care centers and residential areas.

What to know: City officials said the proposed amendment is intended to focus on ensuring “clear and enforceable land use standards to protect neighborhood character and public facilities.”

Next steps: No action was taken during the May 4 meeting. The ordinance amendment will need to go back to City Council for approval later this year, city officials said.

Sweet Paris Creperie and Cafe opened in 2012 in Rice Village as a fast-casual, bistro-style shop serving sweet and savory crepes in a European-inspired setting.

Now, founders Allison and Ivan Chavez are celebrating 14 years at their flagship location in May.

What's on the menu: Sweet Paris offers sweet crepes layered with fresh fruit, chocolate and house-made fillings as well as savory options like smoked salmon, chicken and melted cheese. The menu also includes coffee, salads and light fare such as Belgian waffles and paninis.

The celebration: To celebrate the milestone, the bistro will offer a lineup of celebratory, birthday-themed offerings throughout May at all locations, according to a May 4 news release.

On May 16, the first 100 customers to visit in-store will also receive a complimentary Sweet Paris swag bag, per the release.

• Locations vary

Houston City Council members unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s code of ordinances May 6 that officially establishes an apartment inspection program intended to address unsafe living conditions and repeat offenders across multifamily units.

About the program: Former council member Letitia Plummer originally proposed the ordinance in July 2025. Since then, city officials and council members have gone back and forth to tweak the ordinance and receive feedback from residents and property owners.

The final ordinance approved establishes a High-Risk Rental Building Program to identify and address certain properties through enhanced registration, inspection and enforcement measures, according to the agenda item. 

How it works: Properties with 10 or more citations in six months will be designated as a high-risk rental building and will be required to register the property in the program for at least six months from the date the notice of designation is issued.

Property owners who violate the ordinance can receive a fine of between $500 to $2,000 per day for each violation.

The Houston-Pasadena region rose one spot, and is now ranked No. 6 out of 226 metropolitan areas for its number of high ozone days, according to the 2026 State of the Air report released by the American Lung Association on April 21.

Looking back: The region was ranked No. 7 in 2025, Community Impact previously reported. Between 2022-24, the Houston region’s annual weighted average of high ozone days was 43.3, according to the report.

Some context: Ozone air pollution, aka smog, is a lung irritant and can cause health problems, such as chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath, according to the ALA.

What else: With regard to annual particle pollution, the Houston-Pasadena area ranked No. 8 out of 211 metropolitan areas. The region also ranked No. 89 out of 224 metropolitan areas for 24-hour particle pollution, according to the report.

On May 26, Texas Republican voters will choose their nominee for the U.S. Senate in a runoff election between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The big picture: The Republican race for U.S. Senate is one of several statewide contests that advanced to May runoffs after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary election.

Cornyn and Paxton were the two highest-performing candidates in the eight-way primary race, with Cornyn securing 42% of the vote to Paxton's 41%.

At the polls: Early voting in Texas' runoff elections runs from May 18-22, and runoff election day is May 26.

Looking ahead: The winner of the May 26 overtime round will face the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate—state Rep. James Talarico of Austin—in the November midterm election. Third-party and independent candidates may also appear on the November ballot, and the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.