FOCUS Seeking De-Annexation from City

While the main FOCUS facility is not physically relocating, the organization is attempting to leave the City of Hamilton.

The Philomena Family Center facility is located on the north end of Hamilton at the corner of Old College Street and Palmetto Creek Lane. The property, including two lots in the Palmetto Creek development, was annexed into the city in 2025.

FOCUS, or Fellowship of Christians United in Service, requested the county begin the process of de-annexed from the city during the Oct. 20 meeting of the Harris County Commission.

During that meeting, County Attorney Russell Britt explained that on Aug. 12, the county had received a request from FOCUS seeking to de-annex from the city and return to being part of the unincorporated area of the county. He explained this only required a resolution approved by the commission with the resolution representing the county’s consent, but that de-annexation must be approved by Hamilton City Council.

Documentation with the request noted that Hamilton does not provide FOCUS with any utility services and there is no financial impact to the city as FOCUS is a non-profit organization.

Commissioner Rob Grant asked if the de-annexation were to be approved, would that property have current zoning or would “we have to give them a zoning designation?”

Brian Williams, of Harris County Community Development, answered the property is currently zoned A-1, or Agriculture, and could remain so but is dependent on “principal use”. Williams said that if the principal use is a church, the property can remain zoned A-1, but if the principal use is a civic organization, FOCUS would need to obtain a special use permit. He said that “secondary uses do allow them to do basically do what they want to do. The primary use is what we are concerned about here.”

When questioned about the definition of a “church” in the county’s codes, Williams responded that such definition is only found in the county’s alcohol ordinance and defined as “a permanent building where persons regularly assemble, not once a week, not once a month, not four times a year, regularly assemble for religious worship.” He also noted there was no definition of a civic group in the county’s code.

Williams noted that FOCUS does conduct regular worship services but added, “they do a lot of other things, such as a food bank” and deferred to Lynda Dawson to highlight other services provided by FOCUS.

COMMISSION Chair Susan Andrews asked, “Tonight, our only question is: do we want allow them (FOCUS) to go to the city to request de-annexation?”

Britt added that any action other than approving a referendum for de-annexation would be a “future decision down the road, we aren’t considering a zoning decision here. We’re considering whether the territorial boundaries of the county should change. Then, if those boundaries are changed, then the county would be presented with a decision on how to handle the zoning.”

Four people had requested to address the commission regarding the proposal, but only two did.

Lynda Dawson formally requested the Philomena Family Center property and adjacent residential lot be de-annexed back into the county “so that we can continue and expand our services for years to come. She noted that FOCUS is a 501c3 religious organization “conducting worship and religious, educational, financial, and enrichment programs through partnerships with churches in Harris County.” She reported the covenant for lot one of the Palmetto Creek development said “it is to be used for a place of religious worship and related activity, which closely mirrors the county zoning ordinance language.” She also noted that other churches in the county have revenue-generating activities.

Kathy Carlisle offered comments on the worship and church-related activities taking place at FOCUS.

Commissioner Scott Lightsey motioned to approve the referendum with Commissioner Greg Gantt seconding the motion which unanimously passed.

FOCUS and the Hamilton City Council have experienced a recent troubled relationship as the organization has sought to move all of its functions to the Philomena Family Center location instead of having different parts of the ministry scattered at different locations in the city.