League City City Council denied a gas station at the intersection of FM 646 and South Egret Bay Boulevard at its Sept. 22 meeting.

In a nutshell: The motion to approve the first reading of the special use permit for the gas station failed in a 2-5 vote, with council members Tom Crews and Andy Mann being the only council members voting for it.

City staff also suggested the applicant move the proposed tract due to its proximity to homes along Kentucky Avenue, city documents note.

Also of note: City staff also received an application for a gas station at the northeastern corner of the intersection, which could move forward for City Council to consider at a later date.

Three candidates are vying for League City City Council, Position 3 for the Nov. 3 election.

The overview: League City is holding a special election for City Council, Position 3, which is currently held by council member Tom Crews.

Crews is running for mayor against Incumbent Nick Long.

Whoever is elected for Position 3 will serve the remainder of the two-year term, which ends in November 2028.

The Coastal Water Authority, which provides untreated water to municipalities in Harris, Chambers and Liberty Counties, has selected Jonathan Mathers as its new government relations manager. According to an Aug. 21 news release, Mathers will focus on engaging policymakers and stakeholders in his new role.

Career history: Mathers has a background in Texas water and legislative affairs, which includes:

• Most recently working for the Texas Water Development Board

• Serving as chief of staff for former Texas Rep. Bill Callegari

• Serving as a staff member for Texas Sen. Drew Springer

Some context: The Coastal Water Authority is a conservation and reclamation district that provides raw surface water to municipalities, including Houston, Baytown and Deer Park.

According to the latest report from the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), renters across the Greater Houston area are experiencing slight decreases in rent rates as the supply of units remains steady.

The breakdown: HAR officials stated in a Sept. 16 update that the continual availability of rental units has helped stabilize rent costs, with the rental market remaining well-balanced in August.

The report highlights the following key trends for August:

• The number of available rental units jumped nearly 5% year over year.

• The average cost of rent saw a small decrease.

• Townhome and condominium renters experienced the opposite trend, with average costs increasing by 2.4% year over year.

• The number of available townhome and condominium units on the market decreased as more renters filled those spaces.