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FROM CITY HALL ANNEX, IT'S THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING RIGHT HERE ON HTV 1:00 PM
[Planning Commission: Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Hearing]
ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2023.THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUR FINAL CONSIDERATION OF 2023 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE, UH, MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN.
UM, AND WHEN I SAY FINAL, I MEAN THE COMMISSION'S FINAL.
THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
UM, I'M COMMISSION CHAIR MARTY STEIN, AND I'M GONNA CALL THE ROLE TO VERIFY OUR QUORUM.
COMMISSIONER VAR IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER, HE PRESENT IS PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER HINES IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER JONES IS PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER MODEST, PRESENT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER POROUS PERLE IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER ROBBINS HERE IS HERE.
COMMISSIONER SIGLER IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER TAHIR IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER VICTOR PRESENT IS PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER VIRA BLAND WILL BE PRESENT, VIRTUALLY PRESENT VIRTUALLY.
PRESENT VIRTUALLY PRESENT VIRTUALLY.
COMMISSIONER, UH, DALTON WILL BE ABSENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER MANDUKA IS PRESENT IN PERSON AND IN PLACE OF DIRECTOR MARGARET WALLACE BROWN.
WE HAVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAVID FIELDS SAY PRESENT.
UM, COMMISSIONERS PROCEDURALLY, JUST IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FOR EACH AMENDMENT TODAY, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STAFF IS GONNA MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
WE WILL THEN CALL ON ANY SPEAKERS FROM THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK.
WHEN THAT HAS CONCLUDED, THEN WE WILL TURN TO OUR DELIBERATION AND VOTE ON EACH ITEM, AND WE'LL DO THAT SEPARATELY FOR EACH ITEM.
BUT WE HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE ACT ON THAT PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE'RE BREAKING IT UP THAT WAY.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, MS. GEISER COVERED THE PART ABOUT KEEPING YOUR CELL PHONES MUTED.
WITH THAT, WE GO TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND, UH, DAVID FIELDS IS ALSO THE CHIEF TRANSPORTATION PLANNER FOR THE WHOLE CITY OF HOUSTON.
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AS MENTIONED, I'M DAVID FIELDS.
I'M THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE CITY'S CHIEF TRANSPORTATION PLANNER.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY'S MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIONS MEETING? UH, THE MEETING.
THIS MEETING WILL FOLLOW THE NORMAL RULES OF PLANNING COMMISSION WITH ONE EXCEPTION.
NORMALLY SPEAKERS HAVE ONE OR TWO MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS INSTEAD, AFTER STAFF PRESENTS EACH APPLICATION, THREE MINUTES WILL BE ALLOWED FOR EACH OF THE MTFP.
APPLICANTS PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL BE ALLOWED.
AS ALWAYS, THE COMMISSION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO EXTEND SPEAKING TIMES OR ASK QUESTIONS AFTER THE ALLOTTED SPEAKING TIME TO THE PUBLIC.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TODAY, AND YOU DID NOT SIGN UP IN ADVANCE, GIVE STAFF YOUR COMPLETED SPEAKER REQUEST FORM OR PUT YOUR NAME INTO THE CHAT.
PLEASE NOTE WHICH ITEM YOU ARE REQUESTING TO SPEAK ABOUT.
THE CHAIR MAY ALSO ASK AT THE END OF OTHER SPEAKERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM.
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM ARE NORMALLY CALLED FIRST.
LASTLY, IF YOU HAVE JOINED THE MEETING REMOTELY, PLEASE UNMUTE AT THAT TIME.
STATE YOUR NAME AND THE CHAIR WILL ASK YOU TO PROCEED.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. FIELDS? OKAY.
PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER VART HAS JOINED US AND TAHIR OH, AND TAHIR AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, WE GO TO, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL ONE, WHICH IS THE TIMELINE.
MS. UH, SHARON MOSES BURNSIDE.
THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
YOU GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
TODAY'S MEETING IS PART OF THE 2023 MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS.
THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY THE INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE VIRTUAL ON THE SCREEN TO SHOW YOU HOW TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE VIRTUAL ATTENDEES HOW TO USE A CHAT ICON FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
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AND THEN YOU HAVE THE AGENDA LISTED BEFORE YOU NEXT SLIDE.THIS TELLS YOU IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, IT SHOWS YOU WHERE TO GO.
GO TO OUR PLANNING WEBSITE, MTFP, AND YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR AMENDMENTS.
THIS SLIDE IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR SCHEDULE AND JUST WANNA KIND OF STATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
OUR PRE-SUBMIT MEETING, IT, IT RAN FROM JANUARY 3RD UNTIL FEBRUARY 24TH.
CLICK THAT, UM, UH, ABRAHAM AND SEE IF THAT, IF THE, IF IT SHOWS THERE, IT MAY NOT.
AND THEN ON FRIDAY MARCH, UM, FRIDAY MARCH 3RD WAS THE APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DEADLINE.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP WAS HELD ON THURSDAY, MAY 11TH, AND THE PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE WAS HELD VIRTUALLY ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14TH.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY ON JULY 27TH THIS YEAR.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I POINT OUT THAT WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL MEETING TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMISSION WAS UPDATED REGARDING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED DURING THIS YEAR'S MTFP PROCESS.
THAT MEETING WAS HELD ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.
IT WAS THE MTFP APPLICATION MEETING UPDATE, AND IT WAS HELD DURING THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT MEETING WILL BE PART OF OUR SCHEDULED NEXT YEAR.
SO NOW, TODAY WE'RE IN THE FINAL STEP OF THIS MEETING OF THIS IS, UH, THIS YEAR'S MTFP PROCESS.
AND THIS TODAY'S MEETING IS CALLED THE MTFP RECOMMENDATION SLASH ACTION MEETING.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AT THIS MEETING TODAY.
AFTER THIS MEETING, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL FORWARD THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS OVER TO CITY COUNCIL BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M READY TO TAKE 'EM.
IF NOT, WE CAN GO RIGHT INTO THE, UH, AMENDMENTS.
QUESTIONS FOR MS. MOSES BURNSIDE.
THIS IS THE, THE GUTS OF OUR MEETING.
AND WE'LL START WITH, UH, AMENDMENT A WEST GREENS ROAD, AND THE PRESENTATION WILL BE BY BRANDON MOSELEY.
GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE TODAY.
GREENS MADAM CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
I'M TRANSPORTATION PLANNER TWO WITH THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
TODAY I AM PRESENTING, UM, AMENDMENT REQUEST A WEST GREENS ROAD, SUBMITTED BY META PLUS PLANNING AND DESIGN.
THIS AMENDMENT REQUEST IS LOCATED INSIDE HOUSTON CITY LIMITS JUST SOUTH, OUTSIDE OF BELTWAY EIGHT ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 2 49.
THE AMENDMENT REQUEST IS TO DELETE A SEGMENT OF PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WEST GREENS ROAD, WHICH IS ABOUT 2,300 FEET LONG BETWEEN MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, GESNER ROAD, AND WE TO THE WEST AND MAJOR THOROUGHFARE MEES ROAD TO THE NORTH.
ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT, THE CURRENT ALIGNMENT OF MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WEST GREENS ROAD IS INFEASIBLE TO BUILD BECAUSE OF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 2005, THAT'S WEST OF THE APPLICANT'S BOUNDARY.
THE APPLICANT BELIEVES THE LOCATION OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX DIRECTLY AND COMPLETELY OBSTRUCT BUILDING.
THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE DEPARTMENT COMPLEX WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH NO STUB STREETS OR ANY FEASIBLE WAY FOR WEST GREENS ROAD TO PASS THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
THE APPLICANT STATES THAT IF WEST GREENS ROAD WERE TO BE CONSTRUCTED UNDER CURRENT CONDITIONS, IT WOULD REQUIRE PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND WOULD CAUSE DESTRUCTION OF SEVERAL EXISTING APARTMENT BUILDINGS CAUSING THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE TO GREATLY OUTWEIGH THE LOCAL NEED FOR THE CORRIDOR.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO DELETE A SEGMENT OF PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WEST GREENS ROAD BETWEEN MAJOR THOROUGHFARE ROAD AND MAJOR THOROUGHFARE MIRRORS ROAD.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DENY THE REQUEST TO DELETE THIS SEGMENT OF THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WEST GREENS ROAD BETWEEN MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, GESNER ROAD, AND MAJOR AND MA MAJOR THIRD FAIR MULES ROAD.
UH, STAFF RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THE PROPOSED CORRIDOR WOULD BE A NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE, WOULD BE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP REDUCE CONJUN CONGESTION AND INCREASE ACCESS TO MO AND MOBILITY TO THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESS COMPLEXES.
DURING THE INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICANT'S DELETION REQUEST AS THIS CORRIDOR IS A VALUABLE CONNECTION FOR FUTURE MOBILITY FOR TXDOT AND MASS TRANSIT.
STAFF PROPOSED AN ALTERNATIVE AMENDMENT TO RE-CLASSIFY MAJOR, THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AS A PROPOSED, AS A PROPOSED MAJOR COLLECTOR.
THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR MAJOR COLLECTOR IS 80 FEET AS OPPOSED TO 100 FEET REQUIRED BY A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
BOTH STAFF AND THE APPLICANT AGREE THAT THE RECLASSIFICATION IS A SUPPORTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO THE DELETION AS A MAJOR COLLECTOR WILL PROVIDE THE APPLICANT WITH MORE DEVELOPABLE SPACE ALONG THE
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PROPOSED CORRIDOR WHILE STILL MAINTAINING ACCESS NEEDED TO HELP THE AIR DEVELOP AS PROJECTED.SO, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE CITY'S PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE TO RECLASSIFY A SECTION OF MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WEST GREENS ROAD AS A MAJOR COLLECTOR BETWEEN GESNER ROAD AND MILLS ROAD.
AND ANY QUESTIONS, QUICK QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CALL SPEAKER THE APPLICANT AND OTHER SPEAKERS NOW.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS JENNIFER CURTIS WITH META.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANYBODY IN? IS SOMEBODY FOLLOWING THE CHAT FOR US? NOBODY IN THE CHAT.
UM, THEN IF NO ONE WISHES TO SPEAK ON, UH, AMENDMENT A WEST GREENS ROAD, WE'LL TURN TO, UH, YOU WANT GO AHEAD AND GO NOW.
UM, MY NAME'S JENNIFER CURTIS WITH META PLANNING AND DESIGN.
UM, WE'RE THE APPLICANT, UM, WE DO STAND BY OUR ORIGINAL REQUEST TO DELETE.
UM, THAT IS THE PREFERRED OUTCOME FOR MY CLIENT, UM, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT BRANDON STATED EXCELLENT PRESENTATION ON THE JUSTIFICATIONS THAT WE PROPOSED.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO STAFF FOR EXTENDING AN ALTERNATIVE.
UM, IT'S A MORE THAN FAIR COMPROMISE.
UM, SO, UM, ALTHOUGH MY REQUEST IS THAT WE DO WANT TO DELETE THE THOROUGHFARE, UM, I ABSOLUTELY, UM, AM APPRECIATIVE OF, OF STAFF FOR EXTENDING AN OLIVE BRANCH.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE, I, I KNOW YOU WORKED VERY HARD TOWARD YOUR GOAL ON THIS, BUT AS ALWAYS, IN THE END, YOU GRACIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HELPED US REACH WHAT WE THINK IS, IS IN BEST INTEREST OF EVERYBODY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM MS. MS. CURTIS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE, UH, DISCUSSION ON A STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS BEFORE YOU ON THE SCREEN, WHICH IS TO DENY THE ORIGINAL DELETION AND, BUT APPROVE THE, UH, ALTERNATE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, AND, UM, JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, UH, MADAM CHAIR THAT AND JENNIFER, THAT I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT COMPROMISE AND I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION THEN? DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UM, TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR AMENDMENT A WEST GREENS ROAD? I MOVE ALLMAN ROSENBERG, ROSENBERG SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY, WE GO TO, UH, LETTER B, WILCREST DRIVE, MS. BURNS MOSES BURNSIDE.
MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I AM SHARON MOSES BURNSIDE, YOU KNOW, I'M WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, SO I'M PRESENTING THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND IT'S B WILCREST DRIVE.
THIS AMENDMENT WAS SUBMITTED BY ROLANDO GUDO.
WILCREST DRIVE IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IN THIS AMENDMENT, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO RECLASSIFY SEGMENT OF WILCREST DRIVE.
WILCREST DRIVE IS A NORTH SOUTH MAJOR THOROUGHFARE THAT TRAVERSES APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM IH 10 TO DORRANCE ROAD.
THE SEGMENT THAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO DOWNGRADE OR RECLASSIFY IS APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE EXISTING OF THE EXISTING MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
THE APPLICANT IS MAKING THIS REQUEST IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SAFER SOLUTIONS TO SPEEDING AND RECKLESS DRIVING IN THE AREA.
THE APPLICANT HAS STATED THAT THE RECKLESS DRIVING HAS CAUSED FATALITIES AND COST HIS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED THIS AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE EXISTING CORRIDOR IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BETTER OPTIONS FOR SAFETY IN THE AREA.
HOWEVER, STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST AND TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, TO CHANGE THE CLASSIFICATION, THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE KINDA SHOWS THE AMENDMENT PROPOSAL IN THAT ONE MILE SEGMENT.
BUT I WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE BECAUSE WHAT IT ALSO SHOWS HERE IS THAT THIS IS A PART OF THE VISION ZERO HIGH INJURY NETWORK.
AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, EVEN UNDER THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT, THAT WHOLE ONE MILE SEGMENT A CORRIDOR IS ON THE VISION ZERO HIGH INJURY NETWORK.
SO STAFF BELIEVES THAT INSTEAD OF AMENDING THE MTFP TO RECLASSIFY OR DOWNGRADE THAT CORRIDOR, THAT IT'S BETTER LOOKED AT LIKE FROM, FROM A VISION ZERO LENS, BECAUSE STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS HOW, HOW THE STREET IS DESIGNED, THE SAFETY OF THE STREET TO MAKE THE CORRIDOR
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SAFER.IT WOULD BE MORE, UH, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND NOT JUST CHANGING THE CLASSIFICATION.
THE APPLICANT REQUESTS TO HAVE A SEGMENT OF THE EXISTING MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WILCREST DRIVE, DOWNGRADED AND RECLASSIFIED TO A MAJOR COLLECTOR FROM BEECHNUT STREET TO BISSONNET STREET.
HOWEVER, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT YOU DENY THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST AS STAFF IS LOOKING AT THE CORRIDOR AS A VISION ZERO MATTER, BECAUSE JUST CHANGING THE CLASSIFICATION OF A CORRIDOR DOESN'T MAKE A STREET SAFER.
STAFF BELIEVES THAT SAFER STREETS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN THIS AREA, BUT THROUGH A VISION ZERO CONNECTIVITY STUDY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ACTIONS THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE IDENTIFIED IN THE VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN.
THAT CONCLUDES MY, MY REPORT, MY PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN, I BELIEVE THEIR INTENT IS TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT AND ADD SPEED BUMPS.
DOES THIS IN ANY WAY IMPACT THAT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER FROM A VISION ZERO PERSPECTIVE? I'M ACTUALLY WAY I DEFER TO YOU, DAVID, AND LET YOU SPEAK ON THAT.
UM, SO THE SPEED LIMIT IS ONE ISSUE.
IT'S ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT USERS OF THE ROAD, AND THAT'S WHAT THE VISION ZERO STUDY CAN TAKE A LOOK AT.
JUST CHANGING, UH, THE DESIGNATION ALLOWS CERTAIN THINGS TO HAPPEN, BUT WON'T ACTUALLY, UH, CREATE A PLANNING STUDY OR COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATIONS NEEDED.
BUT CURRENTLY THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR SPEED BUMPS.
WOULD THEY QUALIFY FOR SPEED BUMPS? IF WE DOWNGRADED THE, THEY WOULD QUALIFY, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY WOULD GET SPEED BUMPS.
THANK COMMISSIONER ALLMAN KIND OF LOOKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND THINKING ABOUT IMMEDIATE NEEDS VERSUS THIS HAVING TO DO THE STUDY.
THE LONG RANGE STUDY FOR THE FISSION ZERO, WHICH I THINK IS VERY MUCH NEEDED.
IS THERE, IS THERE A WAY AND THINKING THAT PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, SPEED HUMPS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE, UM, STRATEGY, PROBABLY EVEN IF IT WAS DOWNGRADED.
ARE THERE OTHER THINGS IN THE TOOLBOX? I'M THINKING COULD WE DOWNGRADE IT TO A MAJOR COLLECTOR AND GET SOME INTERIM THINGS DONE WHILE YOU'RE WORKING ON THIS STUDY AND THEN UPGRADE IT AGAIN, WHICH I, AND I, AS I SAID THIS IS, I KNOW THIS IS AN UNORTHODOX APPROACH, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING YOU HAD THOUGHT ABOUT OR WOULD CONSIDER? IT'S, UM, SO THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE CONNECTIVITY STUDIES ARE THEY'RE A VERY SHORT TERM PROGRAM.
WE DO THESE IN JUST A MATTER OF MONTHS WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO A LONG TERM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT TAKE, YOU KNOW, CAN TAKE MANY YEARS TO DO THE STUDY AND EVEN MORE TO FIND FUNDING.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE THINK THIS WILL GET EVERYBODY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WITHOUT THAT VERY LONG TIME PERIOD.
UH, AND SO IN THAT STUDY, IT WOULD INCLUDE LIKE SOME SHORT RANGE IMPROVEMENTS MM-HMM
I'M GOING IN THE ORDER OF REQUESTS, COMMISSIONER VAR, AND WE DO HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS, REMEMBER, OKAY.
AND, UM, ACTUALLY I THINK MY QUESTIONING KIND OF FOLLOWS, UM, WHERE COMMISSIONER ALLMAN ALLMAN WAS GOING, WHAT IS THE TIMETABLE FOR, FOR THIS, UM, CHANGE VERSUS THE, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STUDY THAT WE WOULD NEED? UM, SO IF THE COMMISSION WERE, UH, TO DECIDE TO RECOMMEND RE DESIGNATING, THAT COULD HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY, BUT NO PHYSICAL CHANGE WOULD HAPPEN UNTIL A BIGGER STUDY WERE GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY.
THE CONNECTIVITY STUDY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE USUALLY TAKE THREE TO SIX MONTHS WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT AFTER THAT.
AND I, I GUESS WHAT I'M THINKING AS WELL IS I HATE FOR THERE TO BE ITEMS THAT ARE OFF THE TABLE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS RECLASSIFIED.
AND SO I, I LIKE YOUR PROPOSAL THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE EITHER RE RECLASSIFY NOW AND THEN GO BACK OR, OR ONE OR THE OTHER.
JUST, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE TOOLS MISSING FROM THE TOOLBOX THAT WE'RE I PART OF THE ISSUE IS WE CAN RECLASSIFY AND WE'RE DONE AND THEN IT'S UP TO THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PROCESS FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS TRAFFIC DIVISION TO DECIDE.
AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE MORE INPUT IF WE DO THIS OTHER CONNECTIVITY STUDY, WHICH WE CAN DO IN THREE TO SIX MONTHS.
AND MAY I JUST STATE THERE TOO, UH, ALSO, UH, UH, CHAIR THAT ONCE YOU DO THAT, EVEN IF YOU DOWNGRADE IT AND RECLASSIFY TO A MAJOR COLLECTOR, IT CAN TAKE YEARS TO GET SPEED HUMPS.
WHEREAS, YOU KNOW, DAVID HAS MENTIONED THAT IT CAN TAKE A FEW MONTHS FOR THE STUDY.
SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
FINISHING OUR HINZ, I SORRY, WE, WE ASKED SIMILAR QUESTIONS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MANNER FOR IMPLEMENTATION
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IS TO DO THE STUDY THREE TO SIX MONTHS AND THEN IMPLEMENTATION AFTER THAT, WHERE RECLASSIFICATION HAS A BIG QUESTION MARK REGARDING TIMEFRAME BEFORE WE ACTUALLY SEE IMPLEMENTATION.YOU KNOW, DURING OUR INTERAGENCY COORDINATION, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS IS VERY AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA AND EVERYBODY'S KIND OF ON GUARD AND READY TO ASSIST AND READY TO HELP.
I THINK THAT, AND I WILL ALWAYS DEFER TO DAVID WITH THE VISION ZERO, BUT LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, I THINK THAT'S A BETTER PERSPECTIVE IN THE WAY WE CAN, WE VIEW THIS CORRIDOR BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUST A RECLASSIFICATION, IT REALLY IS SAFETY AND STREET DESIGN.
I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER CLARK.
SO MY QUESTION ON THAT IS THREE TO SIX MONTHS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WILL THEY BE IN A QUEUE
I I DON'T WANNA PROMISE JANUARY, BUT VERY SOON, BUT VERY SOON IN THE FIRST QUARTER AND THE FIRST ONE WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT YEAR.
WELL, SO MY, MY QUESTION THEN, ON THAT STUDY, BECAUSE THIS IS A 10TH OF THE CORRIDOR MM-HMM
YOU SAID A MILE OUT OF 10 MILES MM-HMM
I THINK WHEN YOU THINK IN TERMS OF DRIVER HABITS, RIGHT, THE REALITY IS PEOPLE DON'T CHANGE THEIR DRIVING HABIT FOR AN ISOLATED SECTION.
UM, SO WILL THAT STUDY INCLUDE A LARGER PORTION OF WILCREST? AND, AND THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN ABOUT DOWNGRADING GOING BACK, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS YOUR AVERAGE DRIVER IS NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, ADJUST THEIR HABITS FOR A, A SMALL SEGMENT WITHIN THE CORRIDOR.
SO CAN YOU MAYBE ELABORATE ON, ON THE OVERALL STUDY THAT MAYBE MIGHT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT? SURE.
UM, SO FIRST, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE REASON, UH, STAFF HAS SHINED AWAY FROM THE, UH, DOWNGRADING OR REA RE DESIGNATING AND RECOMMENDING SPEED BUMPS IS THAT IT'S ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF A BIGGER CORRIDOR AND IT TENDS NOT TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE THAT WAY.
UM, WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY IS HOW FAR THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK EXTENDS.
SO AS, UH, MS. MOSES BURNSIDE MENTIONED THAT GREEN, THE, UH, GREEN LINES ON THAT MAP, MOST OF THIS ONE MILE IS IN IT.
I DON'T THINK IT GOES THAT MUCH FURTHER, BUT THAT WOULD PRETTY MUCH BE THE EXTENTS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT WHERE THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS ARE HAPPENING, WHATEVER THAT IS.
VICTOR IS NEXT AND THEN ROSENBERG, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
THE, AGAIN, THE TIMING, I UNDERSTAND THE STUDY IS THREE TO SIX MONTHS, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION IS THE KEY, UM, CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
UM, THE SHORT TERM TOOLS SHOULD BE, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN TRAFFIC, UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHICH TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THERE HAVE TO BE SOME TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE RIGHT AWAY FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S, IT'S VERY UNSAFE FROM ALL THE COMMENTS WE HAVE READ AND ALL THE SPEAKERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE AS WELL.
SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN THAT THE STUDY WILL FINISH.
BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH IS THE KEY, USUALLY TAKES YEARS.
AND I'M HOPING THAT'S NOT WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
SO THE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM IS EXACTLY THAT, TO DO THE STUDY AND IMPLEMENTATION IN A RELATIVELY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
UH, WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH FOUR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS DIFFERENT KIND OF FASTER APPROACH.
IT, WHAT IT MEANS IS THIS WILL NEVER BE A FULL RECONSTRUCTION.
IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE A DRAINAGE PROJECT IN ADDITION TO IT.
IT'S JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON THESE LIMITED ASPECTS AND WHAT WE CAN DO THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT GO A BIT FASTER.
UH, JUST A NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER, UM, BOTH COMMISSIONER HINES AND POROUS PERLE HAVE JOINED US.
COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG, UM, STAFF, EVERYBODY.
I JUST WANT REASSURANCE THAT CAN IS YOUR MIC ON? SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I JUST WANT REASSURANCE THAT OUTSIDE OF THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT WITH ALL OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY THAT WE ARE TODAY OUT THERE TRYING TO PUSH, UM, ANY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE OR THAT YOU HAVE, AND OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S WARNING SIGNS, FLASHING LIGHTS, WHATEVER THE CITY'S TOOLS ARE, UM, THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THEM IN THAT CAPACITY.
AND I ACTUALLY, UH, SHOULD GIVE CREDIT TO COUNCIL PALM POLLARD'S OFFICE, WHO, WHILE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO ADDITIONAL, UH, SIGNAGE, UH, SPEED SIGNAGE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M WORKING, UH, WITH, UH, UM, ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN ORDER TO DO SOME FOCUSED ENFORCEMENT IN THAT AREA.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POLLARD, BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN RESPONDING TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND THESE PROBLEMS. AND I THINK, UM, HE'S WORKED VERY WELL WITH US TO, TO COME UP WITH THIS.
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QUESTION ON THAT PROPOSAL, IS THIS AREA IN A TURS OR MANAGEMENT DISTRICT? INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT? UH, IS THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OVER IN THAT LOCATION AND HAVE YOU I DON'T HAVE A TURS BEEN WORKING WITH THEM BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TOOLS.AND THEY'LL BE PART OF THAT STUDY BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THE MORE PARTNERS WE HAVE AROUND THE TABLE, THE FASTER THAT IMPLEMENTATION GOES.
WELL I WAS GONNA SAY, NOW THAT I OPEN THAT CAMERA RUNS, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YEAH, THE, THE VISIONS
UM, CAN WE GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS NOW JUST IN CASE? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY, I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON LETTER B WILCREST DRIVE? ANYONE VIRTUAL? NOBODY.
HELLO? THIS ONE? YEAH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
HI, THIS IS RICHARD SMITH WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR THE COMMISSIONERS THAT THIS ROADWAY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR SPEED HUMPS.
WE ACTUALLY CLASSIFY ROADWAYS FOR SPEED HUMPS AND DURING, AND OUR CURRENT PROCESS WOULD RESTRICT THEM TO ROADWAYS THAT HAVE A VOLUME LESS THAN 5,000 VEHICLES.
THIS SECTION CLEARLY EXCEEDS THAT AND THEREFORE WE WOULD NOT CLASSIFY IT OR LOOK AT CONSIDERATION OF SPEED HOMES AT THIS TIME.
THAT, THAT GIVES US SOME SPECIFICITY.
THAT'S, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, MR. THANK YOU.
AND I, SORRY FOR KIND OF SHOWING LATE TO THE DANCE HERE.
KIRKWOOD ROAD SOUTH OF BUFFALO BAYOU SPEED LIMIT IS 30.
WHEN YOU GET TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE GOING NORTH, THE SPEED LIMIT IS 35, BUT CARS GO 40 50, THEY GO.
WHAT I HAVE FOUND OVER THERE IS THE SPEED LIMIT.
I'LL CALL IT MORE OF A RADAR TYPE OF A SETUP.
YOU KNOW, THE FLASHING YOU'RE DOING, 60, 70, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY JUST TO SUGGEST WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING INTO THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX, UH, I'M SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF IT ON IN THE LIST, BUT I FOUND THAT WORKS VERY WELL.
AT LEAST IT REMINDS EVERYBODY OF THE SPEED LIMIT YOU'RE GOING VERSUS WHAT THE SPEED LIMIT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
WELL, YOUR SPEED GOING TO THE, TO THE LIMIT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM? OKAY, THANK YOU.
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THEN IS JUST TO DENY THE RECLASSIFICATION WITH THE STIPULATION THAT WILL BE YES.
GOING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
WE WILL KEEP LOOKING INTO IT AND WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, COME TO A CONCLUSION, SOMETHING TO HELP THE, THE AREA.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THEN IS THERE A MOTION TO, FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR LETTER B WILCREST DRIVE MOTION MAR SECOND VICTOR? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND LETTER C, MR. ZARIA, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WILL BE PRESENTING A STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON AMENDMENT C FRANCE ROAD REALIGNMENT SUBMITTED BY META PLANNING AND DESIGN ON BEHALF OF KATIE 28 55 DEVELOPMENT, LLC.
FRANCE ROAD IS LOCATED WITHIN THE WALLER COUNTY, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, EJS AREA.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REALIGN A 1.75 MILE SEGMENT OF THE PROPOSED MAYO FER FRANCE ROAD.
UH, FRANCE ROAD IS AN EAST WEST STREET.
IT COMES FROM GRAND PARKWAY TO THE EAST AND IT ENDS AT, AT, UH, FM 28 55.
FRANCE ROAD IS PART OF THREE MAYO.
THIRD FLOOR PLAN THAT MET THAT NEEDS TO CONTEND KATIE'S MET, I'M SORRY, KATIE'S MAYO THIRD FLOOR PLAN TO THE EAST CITY OF HOUSTON'S MAYO THIRD FLOOR PLAN WHERE THE LINE REQUEST IS LOCATED AND TO THE WEST WALLER COUNTY'S MAYO THIRD FLOOR PLAN AT THE VERY END OF HOUSTON'S ETA NEXT SLIDE, THE APPLICANT REQUESTS FOR THE, UH, MAYOR FER TO SWING THE ROAD TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE OUT TRACK.
THE REASON OF THIS REQUEST, ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT, IS BECAUSE THE SNAKE CREEK, THE, UH, THE FLOODWAY AND THE FLOOD PLAN WOULD POSE MORE CHALLENGES FOR THE PROPOSED CURRENT ALIGNMENT AS THE ALIGNMENT COULD POTENTIALLY DAMAGE THE EXISTING DRAINAGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE CREEK.
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THE OUT TRACK IS A FULLY DEVELOPED OIL AND GAS SITE, WHICH HAS FULL ACCESS ON CLIFF ROAD, UH, FRANCE ROAD.CURRENT CONFIGURATION CANNOT BE BUILT, THEREFORE THE OUT TRACK IS NOT LOSING ANY FRONTAGE BY MOVING FRONT ROAD TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THEIR SITE.
IN ADDITION, UH, STAFF RECEIVED A LETTER FROM, UH, MONUMENT PIPELINE, THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE OIL AND GAS SITE, STATING THAT THEY HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE REAL RELI REQUEST.
SO THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST IS TO REALIGN THE PROPOSED MAYO FER FRANCE ROAD FROM BARLETT ROAD TO THE WESTERN AGE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ETA.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE REQUEST TO REALIGN THE PROPOSED MAYO FER FRANCE ROAD FROM BARLETT ROAD TO THE WESTERN AGE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON ETA.
WITH THAT MADAM CHAIR, I CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR FRANZ ROAD.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THE CHAT OR ANYONE LISTENING WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON LETTER C FRANZ ROAD? IF NOT, WE'LL TURN TO THE COMMISSION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ZARIA OR ANY COMMENTS? HEARING NONE THEN.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON FRANZ ROAD CLARK? IS THERE A SECOND? ALLMAN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND THEN WE GO TO LETTER D, BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD.
I'M SHARON MOSES BURNSIDE, UH, WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
THIS TIME I'M PRESENTING PROPOSED AMENDMENT D, BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD.
THE APPLICANT FOR THIS AMENDMENT IS EHRA.
BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD IS LOCATED IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ETJ IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS ACTUALLY THREE IN ONE.
SO BEAR WITH ME HERE AS THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THREE THINGS.
FIRST, TO DELETE THE PROPOSED MAJOR COLLECTOR BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD SHOWN IN DARK BLUE.
SECOND, TO DELETE THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE COMMUNITY DRIVE OR UNNAMED CORRIDOR SHOWN IN RED.
AND THIRDLY TO, UH, DOWNGRADE AND RECLASSIFY THE EXISTING BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD SHOWN IN LIGHT BLUE FROM A MAJOR COLLECTOR TO A MINOR COLLECTOR.
THE APPLICANT IS MAKING THESE REQUESTS DUE TO CONSTRAINTS IN THE AREA AS THE APPLICANT BELIEVES THAT BUILDING THESE CORRIDORS WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE.
THE TWO CORRIDORS THAT ARE IN THAT ARE, ARE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, IT'S A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND THE MAJOR COLLECTOR, THE APPLICANT STATES THAT IF CONSTRUCTED THESE TWO CORRIDORS WOULD HAVE TO CROSS OVER KANEY CREEK, WHICH IS A 50 FOOT WIDE WATERWAY THAT FLOWS INTO LAKE HOUSTON.
THE APPLICANT ALSO BELIEVES THAT IT WOULD BE, UH, COST PROHIBITIVE TO BUILD THESE TWO CORRIDORS BECAUSE A BRIDGE WOULD HAVE TO BE BUILT, UH, FOR BOTH CORRIDORS TO CROSS THE WATERS.
ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, I WANNA SHOW YOU THAT NORTHERN PART, UM, OR KIND OF IT'S, I GUESS TO THE EAST.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE ARE WETLANDS IN THE AREA AND ALSO A SANDPIT OPERATION.
SO THOSE ALSO POSE OBSTACLES TO, UH, THE BUILDING OF THESE CORRIDORS.
ACCORDINGLY, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO DELETE BOTH OF THE PROPOSED CORRIDORS.
I PUT THREE FINGERS OF IT AS TWO, TWO OF THE PROPOSED CORRIDORS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DOWNGRADE OR RECLASSIFY THE EXISTING BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD THAT EXTENDS TO THE NORTH.
YOU CAN SEE PART OF ITS DARK BLUE RIGHT THERE ON THAT MAP.
IT'S CURRENTLY A MAJOR COLLECTOR ON THE MAP, BUT IF THESE TWO ARE DELETED, THEN THAT WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION AS A MAJOR COLLECTOR.
SO THEY'RE ASKING TO TREAT TO RECLASSIFY.
GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE APPLICANT HAS STATED THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY DRIVE WITH THE UNNAMED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WAS ON THE MTFP BY MISTAKE.
SO Y'ALL FORGIVE THE LAWYER AND ME THAT HAS TO RE YOU KNOW, CLARIFY THIS FOR THE RECORD.
UM, ON THIS SLIDE YOU'LL SEE THAT THE APPLICANT SHOWS THE IMAGES FROM 2017 TO 2019 AND IT SHOWS OUR PREVIOUS MAPS IN 2017.
YOU SEE COMMUNITY DRIVE ON THE MAP, BUT THERE IS NO EXTENSION OF BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD TO THE SOUTH IN 2018.
YOU NOW SEE COMMUNITY DRIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED, BUT THERE'S AN EXTENSION OF BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD FINALLY IN 2019.
ON OUR MAP, YOU SEE THAT COMMUNITY DRIVE IS BACK ON THE MAP WITH THE EXTENSION OF BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD TO THE SOUTH.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT OUT, YES, THE MAPS DID CHANGE, BUT THIS WAS NOT AN ERA.
THIS WAS THE CITY OF HOUSTON UPDATING THE MAPS AS PROPOSED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
SO PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'M SO SORRY, BUT I HAVE TO DO THIS FOR THE RECORD.
IN 2016 MONTGOMERY COUNTY THOROUGHFARE PLAN, THEY UPDATED THEIR THOROUGHFARE PLAN, BUT THEY DIDN'T BRING IT BACK TO US UNTIL 2018.
IN 2017, THERE WAS AN APPLICANT THAT CAME TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT PROPOSED AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL TO REMOVE THAT
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MAJOR THOROUGHFARE COMMUNITY DRIVE.NOW IN 2018, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MAPS COINCIDED WITH EACH OTHER AND, AND MADE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING TOGETHER.
THEY BROUGHT THEIR MAP FOR CONTINUITY OF ALL THE MAPS AND THE STREET GRID.
SO IN 2018, WE ADDED THEIR MAP BACK TO OUR MTFP.
IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR MAPS FROM 2016, IT SHOWS THAT THEY HAD THE, UH, COMMUNITY DRIVE ON THEIR MAPS.
SO IN 2018, WHEN WE ADDED IT TO OURS, IT ADDED IT BACK ONTO OUR MAP.
ALSO, IN 2021, THEY REDID THEIR MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
AGAIN, MONTGOMERY COUNTY DID, AND THEY STILL HAD THAT.
THEY MAINTAINED THAT SAME CORRIDOR.
SO IT'S STILL ON THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PLAN.
OKAY, NOW WITH THAT BEING STATED, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
HOWEVER, MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICANT'S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
SO SINCE THEY SUPPORTED, UH, THE THREE REQUESTS BY THE APPLICANTS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
ONE TO RECLASSIFY THE EXISTING MAJOR THOROUGH MAJOR COLLECTOR BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD FROM A MAJOR COLLECTOR TO A MINOR COLLECTOR FROM SOUTH OF THE GRAND PARKWAY TO PROPOSED BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD TWO, TO DELETE THE PROPOSED MAJOR COLLECTOR BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD FROM EXISTING BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD TO PROPOSED WESTLAKE HOUSTON PARKWAY.
AND THREE, TO DELETE THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE COMMUNITY, DRIVE THE UNNAMED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE FROM EXISTING BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD TO THE PROPOSED WESTLAKE HOUSTON PARKWAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO APPROVE ALL THREE OF THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
AS STAFF HAS RECEIVED THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND STAFF SUPPORTS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AS WELL AS STAFF FINDS NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED.
AND WITH THAT, IT'S CONCLUDING MY PRESENTATION.
AND, AND SO DO, DO WILL WE AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAVE THE SAME MAP ON THIS? YES, WE, WE WILL, UH, BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT IT AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO OBJECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEIR NEXT THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATING THIS SO THAT OUR MAPS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL TAKE IT CONTIGUOUS, TAKE IT OFF, YES.
UM, SPEAKERS FIRST, DO WE HAVE ANYONE? I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED IN ADVANCE.
DOES ANYONE, ANYONE WHICH TO SPEAK ON LETTER D BA BAPTIST ENCAMPMENT ROAD.
WITH THAT, COMMISSIONERS, DID I SEE YOUR HAND UP MR. NELSON? NO.
I WAS CURIOUS AS TO HOW HARD IT IS TO BUILD A ROAD OVER A SAND PIT THAT'S EVACUATED LOTS AND LOTS OF SOIL.
I GUESS THAT'S JUST AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM.
I THINK IT'S A HUGE EXPENSIVE ENGINEERING PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE APPLICANTS HAD WAS A COST.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? UH, THEN DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR D ONE, D TWO AND D THREE? DO WE NEED THREE VOTES? NO, JUST ALTOGETHER IT'S PROPOSED.
SO, BUT YOU WERE, UM, MOTION KAIN FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? CLARK? CLARK? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A COMPLICATED ONE.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS FUN FINDING THE ANSWER THOUGH.
OKAY, WE GO TO, UM, LETTER E, INNER KATIE TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
MR. FIELDS, I'M GONNA STAND IN PLACE HERE AND DO IT.
DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? SO, SINCE DAVID IS FILLING IN FOR MARGARET, THANK YOU DAVID.
I'M GONNA FILL IN FOR DAVID HERE.
UH, I'M ALSO GONNA PRESENT E WHICH IS THE, UH, INTER KATY TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET.
AND THE APPLICANT IS METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY, WHICH WE BETTER KNOW AS METRO.
AND GO ON TO THE, OH, THAT SLIDE IS FINE.
SO METRO IS REQUESTING TO DESIGNATE THE METRO RAPID, ANY INNER KATY BUS RAPID TRANSIT.
OR THE BRTI THINK THAT'S A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT.
ROUTE AS A TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET IN THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN.
THE INTER KATY BRT PROJECT WAS INCLUDED IN THE METRO NEXT PLAN AND ADOPTED BY METRO BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN 2019.
THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN NORTHWEST TRANSIT CENTER AND WILL CONTINUE EAST ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF I 10 FOR AN APPROXIMATELY FOUR MILE LONG ELEVATED GUIDEWAY TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
ONCE THE PROJECT IS IN DOWNTOWN, IT WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE STREET PAIRINGS OF CAPITAL AND RUSK STREETS FINALLY TERMINATING AT ST.
THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE FIVE NEW STATIONS AND THE STATIONS ARE LISTED ON THE SCREEN.
THE NEW STATIONS WILL BE LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE GUIDEWAY TO PROVIDE LOCAL ACCESS TO THE METRO RAPID SERVICE, CONNECT WITH KEY DESTINATIONS AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO METRO'S BOOST AND LOCAL TRANSIT SERVICES.
THE TABLE ON THE SCREEN SHOWS THE STREETS AND THE STREET SEGMENTS
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THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED FOR THE PROPOSED M-T-F-P-T-C-S TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET CLASSIFICATION.THE TCS DESIGNATION MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MGFP, AS THE ADDITION OF THE TRANSIT CORRIDOR CLASSIFICATION WILL NOT CHANGE THE EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK, NOR WILL IT IMPACT STREET INTERSECTION SPACING.
THE T-C-S-T-C-S DESIGNATION WILL EMPOWER THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO DESIGNATE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STREETS AT APPLICABLE STREETS SURROUNDING THE STATIONS AND PROVIDE MORE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES AND HELP BOOST THE INNER K-D-B-R-T RIDERSHIP.
THERE WERE FIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED DURING THE OPEN HOUSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
TWO COMMENTS SUPPORTED THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
ONE DID NOT, DID NOT SUPPORT IT DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING BY THE PROPERTY OWNER WHO BELIEVED THE PROJECT WOULD RESULT IN A TAKING OF HIS PROPERTY.
AND THE REMAINING COMMENTS PRIMARILY CONSISTED OF INQUIRIES RELATED TO THE BRT PROJECT.
ALL INQUIRIES WERE ADDRESSED BY THE APPLICANT AND IN ADDITION, THE T DETERS FIVE SUPPORTS THE, UH, THE TCS DESIGNATION.
SO TO KIND OF SUM IT UP A BRIEF IN, IN BRIEF, THE APPLICATION THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO ADD A TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET CLASSIFICATION ALONG THE INNER KATIE CORRIDOR ON THE MTFP, THE REQUESTED INNER K-D-T-C-S THAT'S TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET DESIGNATION MEETS THE INTENT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S CODE OF ORDINANCES AND THE CITY'S COMPLETE STREET AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
THE APPROVAL OF THE REQUESTED TCS DESIGNATION WILL PROMOTE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND HELP THE CITY GROW MORE SUSTAINABLY.
THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVE THE REQUESTED MTFP AMENDMENT.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE.
UM, I HAD 75 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT THE INTERSECTION OF WASHINGTON AVENUE AND I 10.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS SIMPLY THIS, AND THIS IS FOR ANY PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS PROPERTY CONTIGUOUS TO THE, UH, STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT'S, UH, FRONTAGE ROADS.
THERE, THERE IS NO FRONTAGE ROAD OR FEEDER ROAD ALONG I 10 AT WASHINGTON AVENUE THAT CONNECTS OVER TO TC JESTER AND THERE'S A RAILROAD TRACK THERE IN BETWEEN.
I OWN TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT, UH, BACK UP TO WHAT IS PROPOSED TO BE, UH, MODIFICATIONS OF THE FEEDER ROAD ACCESSES.
MY MAIN CONCERN AS A REAL ESTATE BROKER, SIMPLY THIS, I HAVE IMPROVED MY PROPERTIES TO THE POINT THAT THEY'RE SELLABLE CONDITION AS TODAY.
AND MY PROBLEM IS IF I PUT 'EM UP ON THE MARKET, I NEED TO KNOW EMPHATICALLY THAT THERE WILL BE NOTE TAKING OF THESE TWO PROPERTIES.
OTHERWISE, I COULD HOLD MYSELF QUITE LIABLE KNOWING THAT THERE IS ACTIVITY GOING TO BE HAD AT THAT INTERSECTION AT SOME POINT IN THE GAME.
IT'S A COMPLICATED INTERSECTION.
TO ME IT'S A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION THE WAY IT'S SET UP.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO ANY MODIFICATIONS.
MY CONCERN IS TO ANY PROPERTY OWNER IS IF THERE'S GONNA BE AN ABSOLUTE TAKING.
AND IF THERE'S NOT, IT WOULD BE VERY NICE FOR ME TO RECEIVE A LETTER STATING THAT.
SO I DON'T GET INTO A LIABILITY PROBLEM IF I SELL MY PROPERTIES.
AND GLAD YOU GOT THIS ON THE RECORD.
I MEAN, OUR DESIGNATION OF THIS WOULD WELL IN ADVANCE PROCEED ANY ACTION TO ACTUALLY BUILD TRANSIT ALONG THERE.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT, THAT THIS ACTION REALLY HAS A GREAT BEARING ON WHAT COULD BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU.
HOWEVER, HAVING IT ON THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE MAP, I WOULD THINK WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
IT WOULD BE FAIR DISCLOSURE THAT IT'S THERE AND THAT IT IS INTENDED.
DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER PHIL? WE'RE NOT ADDING ANY RIGHT OF WAY.
THIS IS ALL IN THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY.
THERE'S NO TAKING OF ANY PROPERTY HERE.
IT'S JUST RECLASSIFICATION OF THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY HERE.
HOW DO I, HOW CAN I FIND THAT IN WRITING SOMEWHERE? MAN, THAT'S A BIG DEAL TO ME IS A BROKER.
THE LIABILITY'S EXTENSIVE FOR ME.
IF I, I SAY SOMETHING AND IT'S NOT RIGHT AND IT HAPPENS.
MR. HENEY? YES, WE HAVE THE UM, GO AHEAD, GO TO THE FRONT PLEASE.
WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM METRO.
MR. HEIN, IF YOU LET THIS IS A, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM METRO SURE.
COULD YOU COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD PLEASE? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE METRO RAPID INDICATED PROJECT.
AND AGAIN, UM, THIS ALIGNMENT, THE
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GUIDEWAY WILL BE WITHIN THE STATE RIGHT AWAY.UM, IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT, I CAN TAKE YOUR CONTACT AND SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU.
IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'S THE PERSON YOU NEED TO TALK TO AND THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON E INNER KATY TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET? IF NOT, IS THERE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER? MAD, I I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION FOR STEPH.
SO THIS IS STATE RIGHT AWAY AND, AND I KNOW IT'S, IT'S A METRO APPLICATION, BUT, UM, DID WE GET ANY INPUT FROM TECH STOCK? 'CAUSE IT'S THEIR ACTUAL RIGHT AWAY, CORRECT? THAT'S OKAY.
UM, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT INTERAGENCY? YEAH.
UH, TDOT ACTUALLY IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UH, METRO.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM WE CAN GET INFORMATION FROM T OUT IF HE NEEDS IT.
BUT WE HAD THE INTERAGENCY COORDINATION MEETING WITH TDOT.
THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY RIGHT OF WAY.
AND WITH THE PROJECT MANAGER TALKING TO MR. HENEY, I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE CLEAR.
AND MY, MY QUESTION WAS JUST REGARDING THE APPLICATION IN GENERAL.
'CAUSE WE HAD THE, THE LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM METRO AND EVERYTHING MM-HMM
I JUST DIDN'T SEE LIKE A LETTER FROM TDOT AND IT'S THERE RIGHT AWAY.
IT'S IN THERE RIGHT AWAY AND YEAH, IT'S NOT IN RELATION TO HIS CONCERN.
OH, HE WANTS TO SAY ONE MORE THING.
I HAD TRIED TO CALL THE TEXAS COME TO THE MIC HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL THE TEXAS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 'CAUSE I HAVE ALL THE PLAYERS' NAMES IN A FILE.
I CAN'T GET ANYBODY TO RETURN MY CALL.
SO IT LEAVES YOU KIND OF OUT BLIND.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M SORRY TO BE BELABOR THE ISSUE, BUT IT'S A BIG DEAL TO ME.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? I CAN'T TELL FROM THE MAP IS THE ONLY, THE SOUTH SIDE OF I 10 GOING TO BE DESIGNATED AS A TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
JUST ALONG THAT END CORRIDOR, I WANNA BRING THE PROJECT MANAGER OF MR. HENEY.
MR. HENEY, CAN YOU GIMME TWO SECONDS? COME ON UP PLEASE, PLEASE.
ALMA? ALMA? YEAH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA MISSTATE, BUT IT'S, IT'S ALONG THE INNER SIDE OF THE KATY CORRIDOR.
HE WANTS TO KNOW IF IT'S JUST THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE INNER KATY CORRIDOR.
YES, IT'S BETWEEN THE MAIN LANES AND THE FRONTAGE ROAD.
SO IT'S WITHIN THE STATE RIGHT AWAY.
I'M SORRY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
OKAY, SO I JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE SOUTH SIDE WILL HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSIT CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE NORTH SIDE WILL NOT.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, WE ARE NOT IMPACTING ANYONE ON THE NORTH SIDE BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, IF NOT THEN DO, CAN WE GET A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON LETTER E? MOTION ALLMAN ALLMAN SECOND GARZA.
UH, LETTER F CYPRESS WOOD DRIVE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M WITH THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND TODAY I WILL PRESENTING, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION ON AMENDMENT F CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE, SUBMITTED BY META PLANNING AND DESIGN ON BEHALF OF GUIDEWIRE REALTY, GARRA REALTY INVESTMENTS, AND, UM, AND GOLDEN SHAMROCK REALTY.
THIS AMENDMENT IS IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY WITHIN THE CITY'S CITY OF HOUSTON'S.
ETJ IS CLASSIFIED AS A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PER THE CITY'S MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
PLAN S WILL DRIVE IS GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF TWO 90 AND WEST OF GRAND PARKWAY, AS INDICATED ON THE CIRCLE ON THE SCREEN.
THIS BRIEFLY OVERVIEWS THE REQUESTED AMENDMENT TO THE MAJOR THIRD PLAN AND FREEWAY PLAN, UH, METAL PLANNING AND DESIGN REQUEST TO REALIGN AND RECLASSIFY CYPRESS WOOD DRIVE.
THE RED DOTS SHOW THE CURRENT PROPOSED, UM, ALIGNMENT AND THE BLUE SQUARES REPRESENT THE PROPOSED ALIGNMENT REALIGNMENT.
THIS PORTION OF CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE IS APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES LONG BETWEEN GRAND PARKWAY AND BECKER ROAD.
THIS PORTION HAS YET TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
HOWEVER, CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE HAS BEEN BUILT EAST OF THE GRAND PARKWAY WHERE THE FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY IS LOCATED.
UM, THE TWO MILES OF CYPRESS CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE BISECTS A LARGE TRACK HELD BY COMMON OWNERSHIP, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT SITE.
THE LANDOWNER IS PROPOSING TO DEVELOP THE TRACK FOR LARGE COMMERCIAL USE, SUCH AS A HOSPITAL OR USES SUCH AS REGIONAL MALLS OR SHOPPING.
THE AREA HAS A SOLID EXISTING NETWORK.
US TWO 90 IS THE HIGHWAY TO THE SOUTH.
CUMBERLAND RIDGE IS ALSO THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IS IN THE MAJOR THIRD OF OUR PLAN, AND IT'S TO THE NORTH BECKER ROAD IS A MAJOR THE THOROUGHFARE TO THE WEST OF THE SUBJECT TRACK.
AND BECAUSE OF THE STRONG NETWORK SURROUNDING THE PORTION OF THE SUBJECT TRACK, CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE IS IN A PRIME POSITION AS A COLLECTOR STREET.
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TO REALIGN AND RECLASSIFY CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE TO A MAJOR COLLECTOR BETWEEN STATE HIGHWAY 99 AND BECKER ROAD.THE REQUESTED DOWNGRADE AND REALIGNMENT OF CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE IS TO MAKE THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL SITES MORE EFFICIENT AND FEASIBLE.
THE DOWNGRADE, A COLLECTOR WILL ALLOW FOR A TIGHTER CURVE RADII ALONG CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE.
AND THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED WITH THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WHICH WILL HELP ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF CARVING OUT LARGE COMMERCIAL SITES THROUGHOUT THE TRACK.
THE APPLICANT HAS PRESENTED SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTATION SHOWING THE MINIMUM SAFETY STANDARD REQUIREMENTS WILL BE MET.
THEREFORE, CITY STAFF AND HARRIS COUNTY SUPPORT THE PROPOSED RELOCATION AND RECLASSIFICATION OF THE CORRIDOR.
THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT REQUEST.
UM, WITH THAT STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE REQUEST TO REALIGN AND RECLASSIFY CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE TO A MAJOR COLLECTOR BETWEEN STATE HIGHWAY 99 AND BECKER ROAD.
WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE CHAT? WE DON'T.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK ON UH, AMENDMENT F CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE HEARING NO RESPONSE.
THEN IS THERE A MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON CYPRESSWOOD DRIVE MOTION? THANK YOU.
FAIR FAIRFIELD DRIVE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN AND H IS VIA DORA DRIVE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'M A PLANNER HERE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO I'LL BE PRESENTING STAFFS FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR, UM, MMHV GORO DRIVE.
UH, THIS WAS SUBMITTED BY LJA ENGINEERING ON BEHALF OF CASTLE ROCK, UH, UH, COMMUNITIES.
SO THIS AMENDMENT IS LOCATED IN THE EASTERN PORTION OF HARRIS COUNTY AND THE CITY, THE CITY'S, UM, ETJ.
AND SO HERE IS A MAP OF THE REQUESTED AMENDMENT TO DELETE THE PORTION OF VIDORA DRIVE OUTLINED IN RED.
UH, THIS REQUEST CONCERNS THE ANTICIPATED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WHICH WOULD CONNECT THE NEWPORT SUBDIVISION, UH, TO THE NORTH AND PE AND THE PECAN ESTATES TO THE SOUTH.
SO THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST IS TO DELETE THE, UH, ALIGNMENT ENTIRELY.
THE APPLICANT STATES THAT THE CURRENT ROUTE OF THE ANTICIPATED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING, UM, CHALLENGES AND, AND EXTRA COSTS, UM, INCLUDING A POTENTIALLY GRADE SEPARATED RAILROAD, A NEW BRIDGE OVER THE JACKSON BAYOU, AND WOULD ALSO HAVE TO NAVIGATE AROUND A HISTORICAL 19TH CENTURY, UM, GRAVE SITE.
AND SO THIS PROPOSAL WOULD DELETE A PORTION OF THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE ALIGNMENT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO ELIMINATE A CONNECTION TO RED SUMMIT DRIVE, UM, DIAMONDHEAD BOULEVARD AND FM 2100.
SO HERE WE SEE THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST TO DELETE THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, UH, VIA DORO DRIVE FROM GOLF CLUB DRIVE TO RED SUMMIT DRIVE.
AND SO STAFF, AFTER REVIEWING THE PROPOSAL WITH VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE COUNTY, UM, STAFF FROM HARRIS COUNTY, UH, WE DO NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO DELETE THE, THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, UM, AS THIS WOULD INCREASE TRAVEL DEMAND ON SOUTH DIAMOND BOULEVARD CROSBY, HOFFMAN ROAD AND RED SUMMIT DRIVE.
SO ALTERNATIVELY, TO REDUCE THE REQUIRED RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE STAFF DOES SUPPORT REDUCING AND RECLASSIFYING THE PROPOSED CORRIDOR AS A MINOR COLLECTOR.
UH, THE REDUCTION OF RIGHT AWAY WIDTH WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT, UM, BY REDUCING THE IMPACT OF THE AREA CAUSING THE CORRIDOR TO BY BYPASS THE HISTORIC GRAVE SITE.
AND SO STAFF WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT TO PRODUCE A MAP.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS MAP HAS A RIGHT OF WAY OF 80 FEET.
UM, HOWEVER, THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY IS TO REDUCE TO A MINOR COLLECTOR, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE, UH, ONLY 60 FEET RIGHT AWAY.
SO WITH THAT, STAFF RECOMMENDS TO DENY THE REQUEST TO DELETE A SEGMENT OF THE PROPOSED, UH, MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, VIDORA DRIVE FROM GOLF CLUB DRIVE TO RED SUMMIT DRIVE, AND APPROVE STAFF PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE TO DOWNGRADE AND RECLASSIFY THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARE VIDORA DRIVE AS A MINOR COLLECTOR FROM SOUTH DIAMONDHEAD BOULEVARD TO RED SUMMIT DRIVE.
[00:55:01]
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS? I'VE GOT NOBODY SIGNED.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK ON VIA DORA DRIVE? NO.
UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER CLARK? UM, I JUST WANNA PUT IT ON THE RECORD.
I MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS WORKING TOGETHER AND DOWNGRADING AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY AVOIDING THE, THE GRAVEYARD, THE CEMETERY, BUT IT DOESN'T AVOID THE RAILROAD CROSSING AND IT DOESN'T AVOID WETLANDS, AND I DON'T EVER SEE THIS THING BEING BUILT.
IF YOU GET PERMISSION TO GO ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS, I'D PROBABLY SEND YOU A TROPHY, UM,
SO I, I JUST NEED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD.
I THINK THIS IS THE WRONG THING TO DO.
COMMISSIONER JONES? YES, AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
UH, I DO WANT TO ECHO, UH, COMMISSIONER CLARK COMMENT AND, AND STATEMENT, UH, THE ONLY WAY THIS ROAD GETS EXTENDED AND DEALING WITH A RAILROAD IS IF IT ENDS UP BEING SOME GOVERNMENT PROJECT, NOT, NOT PRIVATE DEVELOPER.
UH, WE KNOW OF INSTANCES, I KNOW OF INSTANCE WHERE, UH, ANOTHER CROSSING OF A RAILROAD TOOK OVER 10 YEARS AND IT WAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, AN EXTENSIVE GIVE AND TAKE BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
UH, BUT IF SOMEBODY WHO WAS ABLE TO AFFORD THAT, UH, AND WANTED IT FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT REAL ESTATE, THIS IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT COMBINATION OF THE PIPELINE, YOU KNOW, EV EVERY BIT OF IT.
UM, IF IT'S DONE, IT'S A, IT'S GONNA BE A GOVERNMENT ENTITY PRO PROGRAM.
I, I THINK MR. MADDOX FROM HARRIS COUNTY WANTS TO SPEAK MS. MATHIS, FRED MATHIS FROM HARRIS COUNTY.
WHEN THE CITY AND COUNTY LOOKED AT THIS CORRIDOR, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES, CENTER POINT CROSSINGS, CENTER POINT, UM, TRANSMISSION LINES.
WE DID AN ALIGNMENT WHICH, UH, AVOIDED THE GRAVE SITES.
WE ALSO UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE CROSSING OF THE RAILROAD.
UM, WE KNOW THERE'S CHALLENGES.
IT'S NOT A PERFECT SITUATION, BUT WE FELT WE NEED TO STILL KEEP AN ALIGNMENT OR STILL KEEP A LINE ON THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE MAP.
SO THERE IS POTENTIAL AT SOME POINT CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE NEWPORT SUBDIVISION AND PECAN ESTATES.
SO HARRIS COUNTY AND THE CITY ARE IN ALIGNMENT ON THIS RECOMMENDATION? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MATHIS? OKAY.
UM, DID I CALL, ASK IF WE HAD SPEAKERS, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON VIDORA? UH, OKAY.
IF WE DON'T, IF NO ONE WISHES TO SPEAK ON VIA DORA COMMISSION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION? OKAY.
MOTION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
MA, IS THERE A SECOND? ROSENBERG.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO LETTER INJ, UH, AG AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I AG SAYNO, AGNOS AND AGNOSTIC EAST ANDERSON, I CAN GET, UM, HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
BURKE ROAD HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
AND SO THAT TAKES US TO ROMAN NUMERAL THREE NEXT STEPS.
LET ME SAY OUT LOUD THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR INPUT, UH, FOR OUR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THIS YEAR.
BUT THIS COMPLETES OUR PRESENTATION FOR THE 2023 MTFP RECOMMENDATION ACTION MEETING.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS THAT YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, UH, ARE TO FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, REQUEST BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
ONCE THEY APPROVE IT, WE WILL HAVE A NEW MAP FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THIS WAS A REALLY COMPLICATED YEAR.
WE HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING, UM, AMENDMENTS, AND I APPLAUD THE WAY YOU AND ALL STAFF, MR. FIELDS, UM, THANK YOU.
KIND OF MANAGED TO COME UP WITH SOME AGREEMENTS AND COMPROMISES ON MOST OF THEM.
UM, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT IS POSTED.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PROGRAM? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION CLARK SECOND BALDWIN.
WE'RE ADJOURNED AND WE HAVE TO COME BACK AT TWO 30.