logo

World Class Therapy for Chronic Pain and Nerve Disease Proven to Provide Lasting Relief

Chronic Pain Specialist in Greatwood, TX

 Oxygen Therapy Greatwood, TX

How the Brain to Body System Provides Chronic Pain Relief in Greatwood, TX

To reverse chronic pain and/or nerve disease, areas of the body that have become weak due to disease or injury must be strengthened. This includes your brain, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, and cells. Our experts here at Texas Nerve and Spine developed the most advanced pain and nerve therapy system to do all of this and more, and we call it the Brain to Body System.

From fibromyalgia and disc herniations to diabetic neuropathy and sciatica, our Brain to Body System helps restore your health and corrects the causes of your problems. Unlike treatments from other nerve and spine clinics, our system provides long-term relief without relying on invasive surgeries or dangerously addictive pharmaceutical medications.

To understand how our Brain to Body System solves chronic pain and similar conditions like nerve disease, you need a basic knowledge of the conditions themselves. That way, you can understand why so many who suffer from them rarely improve.

Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain

This is a type of pain that does not get better on its own or that doesn't alleviate after traditional medical treatments or prescription pain meds.

Nerve Disease

Nerve Disease

This is a type of pain that does not get better on its own or that doesn't alleviate after traditional medical treatments or prescription pain meds.

Chronic pain from nerve diseases and serious injuries causes a domino effect within your body. It starts with inflammation, which leads to decreased blood supply. This reduced blood supply results in a lack of oxygen. When your body doesn't get enough oxygen, it loses crucial nutrients that your body needs. This progressive effect often leads to long-term problems such as:

  • Chronic Pain
  • Motor-Function Loss
  • Loss of Sensation
  • Muscular Atrophy
  • Loss of Movement
  • Depression

But with Texas Nerve and Spine's Brain to Body system, patients suffering from chronic pain and nerve disease build strength through rehabilitation. This advanced system helps:

  • Stimulate New Nerve Pathways
  • Strengthen and Grow Muscles
  • Promotes Cellular Repair
  • Improves Circulation and Blood Flow

Our Brain to Body System is central to our approach to chronic musculoskeletal pain relief and chronic nerve pain relief in Greatwood, TX. By following the Brain to Body system, we can provide several services to patients suffering from chronic pain and nerve damage.

EWOT:Exercise with Oxygen Therapy

Here's a fact you might not know: Breathing in higher levels of oxygen than you normally take in actually helps improve your health. Also called EWOT, exercising with oxygen is a technique that increases oxygen circulation at a much more rapid pace than oxygen therapy alone. Create New Blood Cells

How Does EWOT Work?

At Texas Nerve and Spine, our doctors use the NuStep Recumbent Cross Trainer to help achieve the aforementioned benefits. This specialized machine trains your muscles, brain, and nerves to work together, which supports your body's healing processes. While using the NuStep Recumbent Cross Trainer, patients are hooked up to an oxygen generator to enjoy the benefits of EWOT and reach their chronic pain relief goals.

When you oxygenate your blood with EWOT, it can have amazing benefits that can:

  • Restore Blood Flow
  • Improve Oxygen Circulation
  • Reduce Inflammation
  • Boost Energy
  • Increase Strength
 Laser Therapy Greatwood, TX

TherapyFlexion/Distraction Therapy

Many patients who visit Texas Nerve and Spine are suffering from an injury or disease of the vertebral discs of their spine. It requires the right kind of care from highly specialized doctors. If you're in search of a safe, gentle, controlled treatment for back and spinal pain, Flexion Distraction therapy may be for you.

 Knee Pain Specialist Greatwood, TX

How Does Flexion/Distraction Therapy Work?

Finding relief for this type of condition and pain is often easier said than done. Fortunately, relief is right around the corner at Texas Nerve and Spine. Our Flexion/Distraction Table stretches the spine safely and gently, allowing injured tissue and damaged discs the chance to heal and become hydrated, which lets the affected area recover more effectively and efficiently.

Patients looking for chronic back and neck pain relief in Greatwood, TX choose Flexion/Distraction therapy because it:

  • Significantly Reduces Spinal Pain
  • Fosters Healing in Damaged Discs
  • Removes Pressure on Spinal Nerves
  • Is Non-Invasive
  • Is Cost-Effective
  • Does Not Require Downtime
  • Has No Risk of Infection
  • Provides Quicker, Easier Healing

LaserLaser Therapy

With more than 50 million adults in America suffering from chronic pain, it makes sense that most of them want a solution that doesn't require pain medication or harmful surgery. That's where laser therapy from Texas Nerve and Spine comes into play. Laser therapy has been used for therapeutic purposes in medical environments for years. In fact, it is FDA-approved and backed by more than 2,500 research studies, which have demonstrated its efficacy in chronic musculoskeletal pain relief in Greatwood, TX.

How Does Laser Therapy Work?

Though laser therapy is a common treatment option, not all lasers are the same. Our Class IV laser therapy, used in all applicable programs, is the most efficacious and powerful laser available for tissue healing and regeneration and healing. Class IV lasers use photobiomodulation, which provides excellent results for Musculoskeletal disorders. This process has also been proven to help with other various conditions that cause chronic pain, such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, low back pain, shoulder pain, and much more.

Our chronic pain patients choose laser therapy from Texas Nerve and Spine because it:

  • Provides Significant Relief Without Pain or Side Effects
  • Cost-Effective
  • Reduce Inflammation
  • Boost Blood Flow
  • Accelerate Tissue Repair
 Knee Pain Therapy Greatwood, TX

TherapyMotor Function Re-Training Therapy

When your motor functions are limited or non-existent due to a serious injury or surgery, it can ruin your life. You lose the ability to be independent - one of the hallmarks of being human. Fortunately, with motor function re-training at Texas Nerve and Spine, patients suffering from motor function issues have a light at the end of the tunnel. This type of specialized physical therapy helps people recover from injuries or surgeries that leave their motor functions lacking. The goal of motor function re-training is to regain coordination and strength in the areas affecting the patient.

Motor function re-training therapy is a crucial part of the motor function rehabilitation process because it helps patients regain the independence they lost. Perhaps equally important, it also helps them return to their original level of motor function or better.

 Herniated Disc Specialist Greatwood, TX

How Does Motor Function Re-Training Work?

Based on our Brain to Body system, our specialists design custom exercise programs based on our patient's motor function needs. Depending on the type of injury and lack of motor skills associated with it, we may also use electrical stimulation and other modalities for more effective treatment and recovery.

Motor function re-training provides many benefits for affected patients, including:

  • Improved Flexibility
  • More Strength
  • Better Range of Motion
  • Re-Claim Independence
  • Live a Normal Life

ReleaseMyofascial Release Therapy

Myofascial Release therapy gives patients chronic pain relief in Greatwood, TX, and boosts joint mobility by loosening up restricted, tight muscles. Though there are similarities to traditional massages, myofascial release therapy focuses on soft tissues and the muscular system in your body to relieve tension and stress on muscles.

How Does Myofascial Release Therapy Work?

Restricted muscles have reduced blood flow and less oxygen. When this happens, it leads to limited movement and pain that is often intense. Our program uses state-of-the-art technology to apply acute, high-velocity vibration directly to the affected tissue to provide the patient with the environment necessary to increase mobility which, over time, can exponentially reduce pain

Benefits of this type of treatment include:

  • Improved Tissue Recovery
  • Reduced Soreness
  • Improved Joint Range of Motion
  • Improved Blood Flow
  • Better Neuromuscular Efficiency
 Herniated Disc Therapy Greatwood, TX

ActivationNeuro Activation Wall Therapy

As is the case with any spinal cord injury, the nerves around the spine get weak. When this happens, pain develops, and recovery is halted. Suppose you're searching for a safe, effective way to deal with a painful spine issue like sciatica or a herniated disc. In that case, neuro impulse therapy is a great chronic nerve pain treatment in Greatwood, TX. Unlike common chiropractic treatments, this advanced therapy does not involve any "cracking" or significant adjustments.

 Leg Pain Specialist Greatwood, TX

How Does Neuro Activation Wall Therapy Work?

Any type of injury can cause dysfunction and weakness in your brain. To improve cognition and the neurological connection between the brain, the muscles, and the nerves, some injured patients choose to undergo interactive neurocognitive therapy using our neuro activation wall. Our neuro activation wall retains, strengthens, and restores proper function to the brain and nervous system without relying on medications or outlandish therapies.

Texas Nerve and Spine patients choose neuro activation wall therapy because it:

  • Improves Cognition
  • Strengthens Nerves That Have Been Damaged
  • Boosts Balance and Mobility
  • Is Non-Invasive
  • Does Not Require Addictive Medicines
  • Does Not Require Recovery Time
  • Does Not Present Any Risk of Infection

TherapyNeuro Impulse Therapy

As is the case with any spinal cord injury, the nerves around the spine get weak. When this happens, pain develops, and recovery is halted. Suppose you're searching for a safe, effective way to deal with a painful spine issue like sciatica or a herniated disc. In that case, neuro impulse therapy is a great chronic nerve pain treatment in Greatwood, TX. Unlike common chiropractic treatments, this advanced therapy does not involve any "cracking" or significant adjustments.

How Does Neuro Impulse Therapy Work?

Neuro Impulse Therapy works by using very specific impulses directed at the area causing pain. These targeted impulses send a signal to your body so that it can begin healing and repairing your body naturally. Benefits of this therapy include:

  • Re-Training Nerves to Work Again
  • Strengthen Nerves
  • Dramatically Speed Up Injury Recovery
  • Quickly Reduces Pain
 Leg Pain Therapy Greatwood, TX

PeripheralNeuropathy Rehabilitation

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when there is a lack of blood flow to the nerves in areas like your feet and hands. When these nerves are devoid of blood, they begin to decay and degenerate because they don't have enough oxygen or nutrients. Eventually, the nerves in your body shrivel up, causing pain, numbness, balance problems, and other painful symptoms.

How Does Peripheral Neuropathy Rehabilitation Work?

Our Brain to Body program works wonders for neuropathy issues like these by using state-of-the-art technology like laser therapy and personalized, strategic plans of action created around our patient's needs. If you're looking for both short and long-term pain relief from peripheral neuropathy, this could be the solution you need.

 Neuropathy Greatwood, TX

TherapySpinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal conditions range in severity from barely noticeable to absolutely crippling. To get to the bottom of your spine conditions, our team uses X-Rays to pinpoint the location of your spine's disease. From there, we craft a custom rehabilitation program that addresses the underlying causes of your spine pain. Often, part of that therapy includes spinal decompression.

Pain Specialist Greatwood, TX

How Does Spinal Decompression Therapy Work?

Spinal decompression works by gently stretching the spine. When the spine is stretched, it changes its position. This change relieves pressure off the discs in your spine, which act as cushions in your back. By creating negative pressure, herniated and bulging discs retract, giving the nerves and structures in your back relief. This relief sends nutrient-rich fluids and oxygen to the discs in your back so they can heal properly.

Your Path to Chronic Pain Recovery Starts at Texas Nerve and Spine

Chronic pain can be debilitating. But it doesn't have to be permanent. Your journey to a pain-free life starts with a simple four-step process at Texas Nerve and Spine:

phone-number 832-979-5117
Step 01

Identify the Root Cause of Your Pain

At Texas Nerve and Spine, our doctors understand that true back and chronic nerve pain relief in Greatwood, TX won't happen until we can uncover the underlying causes of your pain. To do so, our specialists will perform detailed exams and review your medical history to understand the full scope of your needs. That way, we can craft a personalized treatment plan to provide long-term relief for your chronic pain.

Step 02

Develop a Plan for Healing

Once we have discovered the underlying reasons for your painful condition, it's time to get to begin healing. Our team will work together to create a customized therapy program designed exclusively for you and your body.

Step 03

Provide a Plan of Care

Once our team develops your own custom plan for healing, we'll use our experience and resources to provide you with your plan of care. This plan will be based on your needs and our Brain to Body system, giving you the relief you deserve in a natural manner.

Step 04

Continued Support

Chronic pain relief cannot be accomplished without a tested pain relief system and a purpose-driven team that supports your recovery. That's why our expert staff will assess your journey to recovery and be there for support every step of the way. Because when you treat chronic pain at Texas Nerve and Spine, you're never alone.

Book an Appointment

Contact our office today to get started on your journey to a pain-free life.

Latest News in Greatwood, TX

These 3 Houston suburbs are some of the best places to live in Texas for 2019

Spring is here, which means it's home shopping season, and this might help narrow down your search.Real estate review site Niche compiled information from its users and data from the U.S. Census Bureau to grade neighborhoods and suburbs on factors including quality of schools, crime rates, housing trends, job market, amenities, and more. After all that calculating, three Houston suburbs — Greatwood, Cinco Ranch, and New Territory — were named among the 10 ...

Spring is here, which means it's home shopping season, and this might help narrow down your search.

Real estate review site Niche compiled information from its users and data from the U.S. Census Bureau to grade neighborhoods and suburbs on factors including quality of schools, crime rates, housing trends, job market, amenities, and more. After all that calculating, three Houston suburbs — Greatwood, Cinco Ranch, and New Territory — were named among the 10 best places in all of Texas to live for 2019.

Coming in at No. 6, Greatwood gets an overall A-plus rating from Niche. The suburb (population 12,437) scores mostly As (public schools, housing, being good for families, jobs, diversity, and health and fitness); some Bs (in cost of living, outdoor activities, nightlife, and weather); and one C (commute). The suburb's median home value is $322,000, median rent is $2,000, and median household income is $148,047.

Greatwood also earns the title of best suburb to live in Texas and America's 99th best place to live. "Living in Greatwood offers residents a suburban feel, and most residents own their homes," Niche says. "Many families live in Greatwood, and residents tend to have moderate political views."

Cinco Ranch, No. 8, scores As for its public schools, housing, being good for families, jobs, diversity, and health and fitness, and Bs for cost of living, outdoor activities, nightlife, weather, and commute. It ranks as Texas' second best suburb to call home, and nationwide, it's the 105th best place to live.

Like Greatwood, Cinco Ranch offers a "suburban feel, and most residents own their homes ... and have moderate political views," Niche says. Its median home value and household income are similar to Greatwood, at $329,400 and $141,992, respectively.

At No. 10 is New Territory, which scores mostly As (for for its public schools, housing, being good for families, jobs, diversity, and health and fitness) and Bs (for cost of living, outdoor activities, nightlife, weather, and commute).

This suburb is home to many young professionals, and residents tend to lean liberal, Niche says. The median home value is an affordable $276,800, the median rent is $1,554, and the median household income is $135,444. New Territory also ranks as the 125th best place to live in America.

The title of best place to live in Texas goes to the sought-after San Antonio neighborhood of Terrell Hills. The rest of Texas' top 10 list includes five Dallas-Fort Worth neighborhoods: Timberbrook in Plano (No. 2), Preston Highlands in Dallas (No. 3), Richardson's Canyon Creek South (No. 4), Richardson's Clear Spring Place (No. 5), and Richardson's Canyon Creek North (No. 9). Austin has one shining spot with the Triangle neighborhood at No. 7.

Sugar Land City Council OK’s $1.9M for Greatwood drainage project

Sugar Land City Council voted to approve a $1.9 million construction contract focused on drainage improvements in the Greatwood Village neighborhood at its Oct. 19 meeting.Jorge Alba, Sugar Land’s senior engineering manager, said the investment in the Greatwood Village drainage improvement project is in a response to flooding that took place in May 2019.“If you remember, during the May 7, 2019, event, Greatwood received more than 13 inches of rain in a period of nine hours,” Alba said. “It was realized t...

Sugar Land City Council voted to approve a $1.9 million construction contract focused on drainage improvements in the Greatwood Village neighborhood at its Oct. 19 meeting.

Jorge Alba, Sugar Land’s senior engineering manager, said the investment in the Greatwood Village drainage improvement project is in a response to flooding that took place in May 2019.

“If you remember, during the May 7, 2019, event, Greatwood received more than 13 inches of rain in a period of nine hours,” Alba said. “It was realized that one of those sites were more severely affected; they experienced extreme street ponding and several homes received structural flooding during the storm event.”

According to a presentation given to the City Council at the Oct. 19 meeting, the improvements will address the street ponding and structural flooding issues. City officials said it will target existing structural flooding by designing and implementing drainage improvements in areas east of Crabb River Road, north of Sansbury Boulevard, west of Greatwood Parkway and south of the Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 11 Middle Bayou.

“This construction project will involve modifying the storm drainage outfall into the LID 11 Middle Bayou, replacing storm sewer lines, reconstructing concrete roadway and replacing inlets,” Sugar Land City Engineer Jessie Li said.

The scope of work for the project will include:

According to the presentation, the project is likely to impede driveway access, mail delivery and trash pickup. It could also interrupt water services to the area, as well as cause road closures.

The project is part of the general obligation bond passed by voters in November of 2019, which totaled $90.76 million. Of that, more than $47 million was approved for drainage improvements—such as the Greatwood project. The city opened the project to bid on Sept. 16 and received six qualified bids. The original engineering cost estimate for the project was $2.2 million and the selected bid of $1.9 million came from Houston-based J Rivas Construction, LLC.

In total, the project is expected to cost $2,038,199—with $1,894,357 going toward construction costs, $49,194 going toward materials testing, and a 5% contingency fund of $94,718. The city had $2,750,000 set aside for the project from the 2019 bond, and any remaining funds will be used for other upcoming drainage projects being funded through the bond.

“This project addresses a need identified by our residents and demonstrates our commitment to deliver projects approved by voters in the 2019 bond election,” Li said.

According to city documents, the projects included in the bond propositions were chosen based on extensive planning through various master plans, as well as City Council input and the results of citizen satisfaction surveys—which indicated drainage, public safety and mobility as the top three resident priorities.

"I'd like to thank staff for the quick work you did to get this into the 2019 G.O. bond package," Council Member Carol McCutcheon said. "That was quick work."

According to the presentation, the city will also update residents during construction—including the use of door hangers, electronic signage, homeowners association notifications and face-to-face meetings with city staff. There will also be a Greatwood Village homeowners association meeting in November that will address project questions and concerns.

"Between this, and what we have going on at Chimneystone and Settlers Park, we've now dealt with almost all of the structural flooding that we've experienced in the city of Sugar Land," Mayor Joe Zimmerman said, referring to both Hurricane Harvey and the Sugar Land flood event of May 2019.

City officials said the Greatwood project is expected to begin in November and should be finished by October 2022. To sign up for notifications from the city on road closures and service interruptions—from projects like the the Greatwood Village drainage improvement oroject—visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/notifyme.

Editor, Katy and Sugar Land/Missouri City

Laura joined Community Impact Newspaper in 2020 after a few years in the public relations industry. Laura graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Originally from North Texas, Laura relocated to Houston after spending three years in Pacific Northwest. Previously, she interned with two radio stations in Central Texas and held the role of features editor at the San Marcos Daily Record. Laura writes about local government, development, transportation, education, real estate and small businesses in these communities.

Thank you for reading Community Impact

Want more from CI? Becoming a CI Patron grants you access to an exclusive weekend newsletter and CI Swag. Your one-time or monthly donation catapults our mission to hire high-quality journalists and provide trusted news in Texas communities.

Become a CI Patron

Locally owned Drake's Burgers and Shakes now serving customers in Greatwood

Kevin Rios founded and opened Drake’s Burgers and Shakes at 6560 Greatwood Parkway, Sugar Land, on April 22.The family-friendly restaurant, which is named after Rios’ son, specializes in gourmet burgers, sandwiches, sides and shakes.Rios, along with his father, previously owned Veritas Steak and Seafood, which closed in February so the family could focus on the new restaurant, according to the business's website. 281-937-7868. www.dra...

Kevin Rios founded and opened Drake’s Burgers and Shakes at 6560 Greatwood Parkway, Sugar Land, on April 22.

The family-friendly restaurant, which is named after Rios’ son, specializes in gourmet burgers, sandwiches, sides and shakes.

Rios, along with his father, previously owned Veritas Steak and Seafood, which closed in February so the family could focus on the new restaurant, according to the business's website. 281-937-7868. www.drakesburgersandshakes.com

RELATED STORIES

• Fort Bend County reports 38 new coronavirus cases, 34 recoveries June 12
• Data: Fort Bend County's 2020 census self-response rate is 68%—higher than any other Texas county
• Fort Bend ISD to offer off-campus PE for students in the 2020-21 school year
• Fort Bend County health official says recent high case counts do not constitute a spike
• Ask an expert: How should I talk to my children about the death of George Floyd, coronavirus and other traumatic events in the news?

Editor

Claire joined Community Impact in September 2019 and is the editor of the Leander/Liberty Hill and Georgetown editions. She previously worked as the reporter for the Sugar Land/Missouri City edition and in December 2021 moved to Austin to become the reporter for the Northwest Austin edition. She graduated from The University of Texas in May 2019, where she studied journalism, government and Arabic. While in school, Claire was a fellow for The Texas Tribune;, worked for the student newspaper, The Daily Texan; and spent a semester in Washington, D.C. She enjoys playing cards with her family and listening to Taylor Swift and the Boss, Bruce Springsteen.

Thank you for reading Community Impact

Want more from CI? Becoming a CI Patron grants you access to an exclusive weekend newsletter and CI Swag. Your one-time or monthly donation catapults our mission to hire high-quality journalists and provide trusted news in Texas communities.

Become a CI Patron

GOOD NEWS IN GREATWOOD May 29, 2016

Campbell Elementary 5th graders ended the year with a spectacular performance of “Dancing with the Stars” choreographed by Nikki Greig, Debra Hodges, Tami Champion and Pam Billedo. The orchestra provided the music and each 5th grade class performed a dance. Before the grand finale dance that included all the classes, the teachers, Ms. Downey, Ms. Harfiel, Ms. Gresham, Ms. Daugherty, and Ms. Kopps, did a teacher dance.Members of the orchestra, Ashley Akarue Alyson Armentrout, Stefani Ayiteyfio, Anna Baden, Reese Billedo, Be...

Campbell Elementary 5th graders ended the year with a spectacular performance of “Dancing with the Stars” choreographed by Nikki Greig, Debra Hodges, Tami Champion and Pam Billedo. The orchestra provided the music and each 5th grade class performed a dance. Before the grand finale dance that included all the classes, the teachers, Ms. Downey, Ms. Harfiel, Ms. Gresham, Ms. Daugherty, and Ms. Kopps, did a teacher dance.

Members of the orchestra, Ashley Akarue Alyson Armentrout, Stefani Ayiteyfio, Anna Baden, Reese Billedo, Ben Burgess, Bella Cantone, Mason Costa, Hayden Degeyter Ife Famogun, Emma Gandy, Alina Garcia, Ava Gonzalez, Janice Lau, Kirstin Le, Ivanna Martinez, Taylor Maughan, Laila McCloud, Collin Nguyen, Kachi Okoye, Matthew Pham, Rachel Scott, Brooke Silva, Bethany Solomon, Lauren Spencer, Alyssa Willis, and Zoey Zellman began the program with the “G Scale.” This was followed by “French Folk Song,” “Evening Calm,” “Soul Strings,” “‘Bile ‘Em Cabbage,” “Pomp and Circumstance,” “Theme from ‘Star Wars’,” and “Concerto #4,” a solo played by Alina Garcia.

It was another wonderful production by Campbell’s outstanding music teacher, Susannah Austin. As soon as school is out, she is off to Pittsburg, PA to spend 3 weeks with daughter, Sarah.

Greatwood Gators

The Greatwood Gators Swim Team selects each week a “Gator of the Week.” This special award is given in each age group to those swimmers determined to be the most deserving for that week. There are a variety of factors that determine the recipients such as positive attitude, great work ethic, team spirit, good sportsmanship, great improvement or an exceptional week at practice. They must be present at Tuesday’s practice to receive the honor. Each receives a special gift from the coaches and use of the special Gator of the Week kickboards. The recipients for the week of May 13th include: 6 & Under Girl – Payton Tibbetts; 6 & Under Boy — Rylan St. Jean; 7/8 Girls – MacKenzy Baldwin and Meagan LeGrand; 7/8 Boys – Evin Davis and Justin Lai; 9/10 Girl – Abby Bergeron; 9/10 Boy – Billy Neel; 11/12 Girl – Kira Rollinson and 11/12 Boy – Mason Costa.

Do you know that, “Life is like a mirror – if you frown at it, it frowns back: if you smile it returns the greeting?”

I look forward to hearing your Good News. Please call 281-343-9932 or email [email protected].

Wishing you a memorable and safe Memorial Day weekend.

Sugar Land redraws City Council district boundary lines in response to annexation

New district boundary lines will go into effect Jan. 1 as the result of the annexation of Greatwood and New Territory last December, which added nearly 30,000 residents to Sugar Land.The city operates with four district council members who must live within the district they choose to run to represent. Additionally, two at large council members and the mayor, who can run from anywhere in Sugar Land round out the City Council.A call for rebalancing these districts after annexation was necessary in accordance with the Voting Right...

New district boundary lines will go into effect Jan. 1 as the result of the annexation of Greatwood and New Territory last December, which added nearly 30,000 residents to Sugar Land.

The city operates with four district council members who must live within the district they choose to run to represent. Additionally, two at large council members and the mayor, who can run from anywhere in Sugar Land round out the City Council.

A call for rebalancing these districts after annexation was necessary in accordance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which requires equal representation across all districts, City Attorney Meredith Riede said.

The new boundaries have District 1 encompassing the north side of the city; District 2 encompassing the west side portion south of Hwy. 90 and Hwy. 6 and north of Hwy. 59; District 3 encompassing the east side south of Hwy. 59 and north of Steep Bank Creek; and District 4 encompassing the southern portion of the city south of Hwy. 59 and Steep Bank Creek.

“This is pretty common for redistricting, and it’s pretty common for this to occur,” Riede said. “It’s just not common for us because we do this every 10 years [with new census data], but when you take 30,000 people into your city, you’re going to have to move some lines.”

Guiding lines

A city-appointed committee met with representatives from consulting firm Bickerstaff, Heath, Delgado and Acosta LLP during three meetings held from late July through mid-August. For full transparency, all committee meetings were open to the public, committee chairman Randy Garbs said.

“Due to the annexation of New Territory and Greatwood, the committee recognized that there were going to be some significant changes that would be necessary to make the district relatively equal in population,” Garbs said. “The committee through this process considered seven plans—three of them were provided by our consultant. Four were actually suggested by the various committee members.”

Using the 2010 census population for Sugar Land, Greatwood and New Territory of 108,697, the target was to have 27,174 people in each district, attorney Bob Heath said. The approved plan has 27,177 residents in District 1; 26,225 residents in District 2; 26,966 residents in District 3; and 28,329 residents in District 4, consulting firm officials said.

“Generally, it’s very recognizable boundaries, which was one of your criteria,” Heath said. “Also, it keeps election precincts together.”

In addition to adhering to the VRA, the city followed the U.S. and Texas constitutions. The population figures are used from 2010 because Texas and the U.S. Supreme Court deemed these the appropriate numbers to use, so boundaries will be looked at again after the 2020 census comes out, Riede said.

A key factor in redistricting is ensuring overall demographics are equally represented in each district. Typically, a city’s Hispanic population is looked at closely and can even be made into a Hispanic district, Heath said. However, Sugar Land’s Hispanic population is relatively small, and its Asian population is large, he said.

“We end up with one district, which has a significant concentration of Asians, and it’s District 2,” Heath said. “There is a very compact concentration in that area. We have preserved that.”

Guidelines, according to the Voting Rights Act, also state that, during redistricting, identified geographical boundaries should be followed; communities of interest should be maintained; county voting precinct lines should be followed when possible; districts should be compact and include contiguous territory; and representation and minority voting should be preserved.

The new boundaries stick to these guidelines, with a few minor exceptions—one being the division of precinct 4080 that stretches across Hwy. 6 along Hwy. 59. Council voted to include the Lake Pointe subdivision on the north side of Hwy. 6 in District 1.

Although keeping voting precincts together creates less confusion for voters and is more convenient for county administration, it is challenging to keep all precincts together, Heath said.

“We also recognize that when you’re trying to redistrict by precincts, it’s very hard to do unless you’re someplace like the city of Houston,” he said. “On the other hand, a single-member district in Houston is about 200,000 people, so it’s pretty easy to get your numbers to work out when you have something that big. In a smaller city, as everything in the state is, it gets a little harder.”

Elections affected

As steps toward implementation are taken, residents should be aware of a slight change in the 2019 elections.

“An election is not just one Saturday in May,” Riede said. “It is actually a long process. It is a series of events that go together to make the election. When you adopt a new redistricting plan, you’re adopting new boundaries. So, that’s going to change the representation, but it’s effective for that election, not on a date on a calendar for every event. It’s a phased process.”

Council members Amy Mitchell of District 3 and Bridget Yeung of District 2 have reached the term limit and cannot seek re-election in 2019. However, Council members Steve Porter of District 1 and Carol McCutcheon of District 4 are eligible to run for reelection.

“The new District 1 will continue to be the most diverse in our city, both culturally and economically,” Porter said in an email. “District 1 includes the city’s only current business park, the taxes from which help to lower residential property taxes. It also includes Constellation Field and Sugar Land Regional Airport, and, hopefully soon, Imperial Market to complement our Sugar Land Visitors Center. This district is rich in history, as celebrated by the Sugar Land Heritage Museum.”

The new lines add Sugar Creek to District 3, which will have the largest effect on the district, Mitchell said.

“Because of being term-limited, there’s going to be a new District [3] council member, so anybody who is anywhere in the new district can apply for the position,” Mitchell said.

Candidate filing for the May 2019 council member elections will adhere to the new boundaries, so residents wishing to run for office who may live in one district now and will be in a new district as of Jan. 1 will need to file for candidacy in their new district, Riede said.

“For filing purposes only, the new plan will be going into effect in January,” she said. “For all other purposes, you will continue to represent the incumbents that elected you to office.”

The longest phase leading up to full-fledged implementation of the new boundaries is the campaign process, during which time candidates follow the new lines to campaign, Riede said.

“Campaigning—this is the phase that’s going to be the most confusing,” Riede said. “This is where you’re going to have the opportunity to contact your incumbents for any questions you might have while at the same time you’re going to receive mailings, door knockers and possibly signs in your yard telling you to vote for a certain candidate, and that may be a different district or different name than what you’re currently sitting in.”

During the May election, residents will vote for council members corresponding to their new district should their district change, Riede said.

“On that date the plan goes into effect for everybody,” she said. “You have your new council district boundaries, and whoever is elected during that election is your new representative.”

Born and raised in Montgomery County, Beth Marshall graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in communication and a minor in business. Originally hired as a reporter for The Woodlands edition in 2016, she became editor of the Sugar Land/Missouri City edition in October 2017.

Thank you for reading Community Impact

Want more from CI? Becoming a CI Patron grants you access to an exclusive weekend newsletter and CI Swag. Your one-time or monthly donation catapults our mission to hire high-quality journalists and provide trusted news in Texas communities.

Become a CI Patron

Disclaimer:

This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.