KEMAH, Texas (KTRK) — A street in Kemah’s Lighthouse District is back open after the city closed it to motorists later this summer.

It’s all thanks to legal action taken by area business owners who say the closure has hurt them financially.

A Galveston County judge granted what’s called a temporary injunction ordering the city to reopen Sixth Street because state law was not followed.

“Pure relief. It was an amazing thing,” said Bakkhus Taverna general manager Lance Cumpian.

“This is a huge win for our team. Of course, I was very excited,” said Jordan Paultz, Voodoo Hut’s general manager of operations.

There is excitement because the street has lots of parked cars and that means more customers for restaurant and bar managers.

SEE ALSO: Kemah businesses are filing a lawsuit claiming the 6th Street closure caused financial loss

“It’s a huge relief off my shoulders. I know my owner is happy about it, too,” Cumpian said.

About a month ago, the Lighthouse District on 6th Street was closed to motorists. Bollards were put up, and Cumpian says business is down.

“We lost about 50 percent of our overall sales, even on a Tuesday. We made maybe $700. For us to operate, it’s two times, three times that,” Cumpian said.

The closure was part of a plan to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. After seeing the financial losses, several of the businesses filed a lawsuit against the city, and now a temporary injunction has been issued to reopen the street.

“During the day, bartenders and servers rely on that local crowd, and having them park here during lunch is critical to our success,” Paultz said.

In the preliminary order, the court found that Kemah closed 6th Street between Bradford Avenue and Kipp Avenue without a petition “signed by all property owners abutting the street or alley.”

“Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable injury, loss and damage” if the street is not reopened.

While things are back to normal for now, these managers are hopeful that this legal battle between them and the city will come to an end.

“We’re open to working with the city and I think Kemah is a beautiful place to experience southern hospitality, and by working with local residents and the city, we can create something beautiful together,” Paultz said.

The attorney representing the businesses says the city has filed an appeal. ABC13 reached out to the city for confirmation and has not heard back.

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