[00:00:01]
[Planning Commission: Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Hearing]
IT'S THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING RIGHT HERE ON HTV.UM, GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M GONNA TURN THE MIC OVER TO MS. MICKELSON SO SHE CAN UPDATE YOU ON OUR TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY HTV THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE TUNING IN CAN SEE, UM, THE ROOM AND THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT UP.
WE HOPE ON THE DOCUMENT CAMERA THAT WE DON'T HAVE HARD COPIES.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO USE ONE OF THE TABLETS.
SO, UM, I THINK WE CAN PROCEED.
THIS MAY PERSIST THOUGH INTO THE TWO 30 MEETING, JUST AN ALERT AND EVERYONE IN HTV AND HITS KNOWS THIS IS HAPPENING, SO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIX IT.
SO I THINK WE CAN PROCEED LEGALLY SINCE EVERYONE IN THE ROOM CAN SEE AND HEAR US AND THE PEOPLE ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE, WHO ARE TUNING IN VIA HTV CAN APPARENTLY OKAY.
SO IT IS 1:15 PM ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 21ST.
I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION, AND WE ARE HOLDING OUR MEETING TODAY AT THE CITY HALL ANNEX AT 900 BAGBY.
UH, SPEAKERS, IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON AN ITEM, PLEASE FILL OUT THE SPEAKER'S FORM BEFORE THE ITEM IS CALLED AND TURN IT INTO STAFF NEAR THE FRONT DOOR.
CONSENT AND REPEAT SPEAKERS ARE ALLOWED.
NEW SPEAKERS ARE TIMED FOR TWO.
TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM OF 11, I'LL CALL THE ROLE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER BALDWIN IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SEGLER SEGLER PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER VICTOR VICTOR PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER VIRO BLAND RA BLAND PRESENT.
PRESENT AND SECRETARY VON TRAN TRAN PRESENT.
I WILL ASK FOR THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR CLARK COMMISSION MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC WELCOME.
I AM VON TRAN, SECRETARY OF THIS COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
UH, JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY THAT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CAN BE REACHED AT (832) 393-6600 OR YOU CAN CALL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PLANNER OF THE DAY AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 2 4.
OUR WEBSITE IS HOUSTON PLANNING.COM.
SO WE'LL PROCEED ONTO THE NEXT ITEM, BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM STAFF.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, YOU CAN COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME.
THERE IS NO PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION TODAY.
WE ARE SIMPLY HAVING A WORK WORKSHOP TO INTRODUCE THIS YEAR'S MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN ITEMS. OKAY.
SO WE WILL MOVE IT ALONG NOW, MR. WILSON TO ALRIGHT, JUST MAKING SURE THAT'S WORKING.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS WILSON CALVERT AND I'LL BE CONDUCTING TODAY'S 2025 MTFP APPLICATION UPDATE MEETING.
WE'LL SEE WE MADE THE COMPUTER MAY BE WORKING NOW, GIVE US A SECOND HERE,
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.
THIS IS TODAY'S, UH, AGENDA ONLY ITEMS WITH UPDATES WERE PLACED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ITEMS NOT PLACED ON THE AGENDA ARE CURRENTLY ON A PATH TOWARDS, UH, APPROVAL AS SUBMITTED.
SO THESE ARE JUST THE ONES WITH SOME CHANGES.
UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION, WE HAVE AN MTFP WEBSITE.
ALSO AS, UH, DIRECTOR TRAN MENTIONED, PLEASE FEEL TO CALL US AT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ON THE MTFP PROCESS.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUST HAS ONE MORE MEETING ON THIS NEXT MONTH, ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, WHICH WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION MEETING.
AND NOW I'LL PRESENT THE THREE ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[00:05:01]
NEXT SLIDE.THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS ITEM C CYPRESS NORTH HOUSTON ROAD, WEST OF 1960.
THIS APPLICATION IS LOCATED IN NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY ALONG HIGHWAY 2 49 AND INCLUDES PORTIONS IN BOTH OUR ETJ AND WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS SLIDE.
THE APPLICATION IS BROKEN INTO THREE REQUESTS.
THE FIRST REQUEST IS TO REMOVE CYPRESS NORTH HOUSTON BETWEEN PERRY ROAD AND FM 1960 FOR A DETENTION PROJECT.
AND AT THIS TIME WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL I SUBMITTED FOR THIS SPECIFIC AMENDMENT.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS TO RECLASSIFY SALON ROAD AS A MAJOR COLLECTOR.
THE CITY'S CURRENT STANCE ON IS THAT THIS CORRIDOR SHOULD EITHER BE A LOCAL STREET OR A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
SO IN LIEU OF A RECLASSIFICATION AS A MAJOR COLLECTOR, WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS A RECOMMENDATION OF DELETION FROM THE MTFP.
THIS VIEW SHOWS THE DIFFICULTY OF BUILDING A BRIDGE TO CONNECT SALON AND GREENS ROAD OVER AN EXISTING DRAINAGE CHANNEL.
THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT WOULD REQUIRE A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE DESIGNATION AND TRAFFIC VOLUMES THAT WOULD ACCOMPANY THAT.
THE THIRD AMENDMENT IS THE DELETION OF GREENS ROAD FROM GESNER TO MILLS.
WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS A RE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL FOR THE SEGMENT.
THE TRAFFIC COUNTS WE FOUND ON MILLS ROAD ARE ONLY ABOUT 8,000 VEHICLES PER DAY.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF MILLS ROAD AT GREENS ROAD.
THIS IS WHERE THE MTFP WOULD, UM, BE DELETED STARTING FROM HERE, GOING WEST.
UM, THE, UH, EXISTING MILLS ROAD RIGHT OF WAY IS ACTUALLY WIDE ENOUGH TO IMPROVE TO FOUR LANES.
IT'S CURRENTLY BUILT AS TWO LANES, SO ANY ADDITIONAL EAST WEST, UH, CONNECTIVITY REQUIREMENTS, WE DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GROW THE EXISTING CORRIDOR.
UM, TEXT OUT IS ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST AT THIS TIME.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF REPORT FOR ITEM C.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. CALVERT.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON, UH, ITEM C.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO? OKAY.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO F THE NEXT ITEM IS F CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD.
CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD IS LOCATED WITHIN CITY LIMITS NEAR THE GALLERIA AREA.
THIS REQUEST, UH, REGARDS CHIMNEY ROCK SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN SAN FELIPE AND WESTHEIMER.
UH, THE REQUEST IS SUBMITTED IN ORDER TO, UH, PERMIT TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES ON THIS CORRIDOR.
UM, STAFF IS CURRENTLY NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
WE ARE, WE ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN BE MADE WITH AN EXISTING MAJOR THOROUGHFARE DESIGNATION.
UH, AFTER WORKING WITH THE CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER, THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES ARE EXCESSIVE FOR THESE TRI TYPES OF STREET CALMING MEASURES.
UM, WE FOUND THAT THERE IS A VEHICLE OR TRAFFIC VOLUME OF 16,000 VEHICLES PER DAY IN THIS SECTION.
SO THAT IS THE REASON, UH, THE PRIMARY REASON WHY, UH, STREET CALMING OF, UH, SPEED CUSHIONS WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS SEGMENT.
UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HUFFMAN'S OFFICE AND, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO IDENTIFY WHAT THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
WE PICTURED, UH, ONE OPTION WOULD BE A, A SPEED LIMIT SIGN WITH INTEGRATED RADAR, UH, POTENTIAL PAINTED CROSSWALKS, ALSO INCREASED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IN THE AREA.
SORRY TO GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, UH, I ALSO WANTED TO STATE THAT FOR THE PUBLIC'S SAKE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ROLE IN THIS IS ONLY TO DESIGNATE THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE MTFP.
IT'S NOT IN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS BODY TO DETERMINE WHAT TRAFFIC CALMING OR SPEED CONTROL MEASURES ARE APPROPRIATE.
SO THAT WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE MTFP PROCESS NO MATTER WHICH WAY THIS AMENDMENT, UM, GOES.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE TO IDENTIFY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE BEST TREATMENT FOR THIS CORRIDOR.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG, DID YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? YEAH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE TRAFFIC VOLUME IS OF WHAT IT IS, IS, IS KIND OF WHAT RAISED MY INTEREST EVEN IN MORE, I MEAN, WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING VEHICLES HAVE A HIGHER PRIORITY ON THE STREET THAN PEOPLE DO.
AND UM, I DO THINK THAT IS, UM, IN OUR PURVIEW, UM, IS PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
THE USAGE OF THIS SPACE, UM, DEMONSTRATED SAFETY HAZARDS HISTORY OF, UM, UH, INCIDENTS.
UM, AGREE MAKING JIMMY ROCKA MOGUL COURSE ISN'T OBVIOUSLY THE RIGHT THING.
BUT, UM, I I I DO THINK BASING THE CASE THAT THERE'S TOO MANY CARS, UM, IS EXACTLY THEIR POINT AND THE REASON FOR THE APPLICATION.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ADDITIONAL MEASURES YOU'RE CONSIDERING OR LOOKING AT, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO PUSH BACK OR, OR OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST CAUSING ME GREAT CONCERN TO HEAR THAT THERE'S
[00:10:01]
TOO MANY CARS DRIVING THROUGH HERE, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING.COMMISSIONER ROSENBERG, I'M NOT SURE THAT HE SAID THAT WE AREN'T GONNA DO ANYTHING.
I THINK WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE, MR. UH, CALVERT AND AND HIS TEAM AND YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS WILL WORK AND THERE'S SOME POTENTIAL TREATMENTS.
UH, WHAT I HEARD FOR THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC, WHICH IS RIGHT, IS IT, IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR SPEED BUMPS.
IT WOULD BE A DISASTER IF THERE WERE SPEED BUMPS ON THAT KIND OF ROADWAY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC VOLUMES.
IT IS A VERY HIGHLY TRAVELED, UH, SECTION OF THE ROAD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? DO I HAVE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
LOCATION IS IN OUR ETJ IN EASTERN HARRIS COUNTY ALONGSIDE BELTWAY EIGHT.
THE ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED APPLICATION WAS TO SET AN ALIGNMENT FOR A 100 FOOT MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND WE ARE NOW, UH, LOOKING AT AN ADJUSTMENT TO DO A MAJOR COLLECTOR AT 80 FEET WIDE.
THE OWNER OF THE LAND IS WORKING ON DEVELOPING A COMMERCIAL SITE AND MAJOR THOROUGHFARES HAVE CURVED RADII AND REVERSE CURVE TANGENTS THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR MAXIMUM SPEED.
BY SWITCHING TO A COLLECTOR, IT WOULD ALLOW THE ROAD TO BEND UP TOWARDS THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY IN A SHORTER DISTANCE AND ALLOW THE CITY TO HAVE MORE DEVELOPABLE SPACE IN THEIR TRACK THAT THEY OWN TO THE SOUTH.
ADDITIONALLY, WE DO NOT FORESEE SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC DEMANDS AS TIDWELL WOULD TERMINATE AT LANDER ROAD DUE TO THE SHELDON RESERVOIR.
I'M STILL WORKING ON COLLABORATING WITH HARRIS COUNTY PARKS AS THEY HAS, THEY HAVE LEASED THE LAND FROM THE CITY.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE THEIR FEEDBACK, UM, AS A NEW ROAD WOULD BE, UH, INSTALLED TO THE NORTH MEDIATED ADJACENT EDGE OF THEIR SITE.
THIS CONCLUDES STAFF STAFF'S REPORT.
WHAT PRECINCT OF HARRIS COUNTY IS THAT IN? IT'S IN ONE.
I MEAN, I, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE FOLKS INVOLVED TOO.
YES, AND SO I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE ACTUAL, UM, THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING STAFF AND THEY'RE IN SUPPORT, BUT I DID WANNA SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE PARKS GROUP, UM, BECAUSE THEY TAKE A VEHICULAR ACCESS FROM LIKE A NARROW DRIVEWAY FROM PINELAND MM-HMM
AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS DIRECTLY FROM THE NEW ROAD THAT WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED.
I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON GE EAST TIDWELL.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO? OKAY.
SO LET'S MOVE ALONG THEN TO OUR NEXT STEPS.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE, UH, ONE MONTH FROM NOW.
UM, ADDITIONALLY WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT ITEMS ON ITEMS THAT WERE NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, CALLING FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
YES, THAT'S OUR NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MARLON MUSSELMAN.
UM, I'M MARLON MUSSELMAN AND I OWN PROPERTY IN FORT BEND COUNTY THAT THE PROPOSED EAST WEST UNNAMED THOROUGHFARE, UH, IS SUPPOSED TO BE DELETED OR DISCUSSION ON THAT.
AND THERE'S MANY ISSUES I UNDERSTAND IN BUILDING THAT ROAD.
BUT AS A PROPERTY OWNER, IF THE ENTIRE, UH, EAST WEST UNNAMED ROAD IS DELETED, THAT LEAVES ME WITH NO PUBLIC ACCESS TO MY PROPERTY.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT SOME KIND OF ACCESS BE, UH, PUT IN, UH, BASICALLY FROM ROWING ROAD OVER TO CHIMNEY ROCK, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL SEGMENT OF THE EAST WEST THOROUGHFARE THAT I THINK WE NEED THAT SO THAT THE PROPERTY CAN BE DEVELOPED.
OTHERWISE, IT, IT'S THERE ONLY A PRIVATE ROAD THAT GETS INTO IT.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
WE APPRECIATE IT AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, MR. CAUGH AND HIS TEAM WILL WORK WITH YOU AND, AND MAKE SURE YOUR COMMENTS ARE HEARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANNY WYNN.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICES.
UH, I'M A PROPERTY OWNERS IN THIS AREA AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY PROPERTY NEIGHBORS, MR. MUSLIM.
HE AND HIS PROPERTY HAS OWNED THIS PROPERTY FOR SEVERAL DECADES SINCE THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE AREA.
AND NOW THE AREA IS EXPLOSIVELY GROWING AND I BELIEVE THAT THE FACT
[00:15:01]
THAT PUT PUTTING THAT STREET BACK NOT ONLY IS HELPFUL FOR HIS PROPERTIES, BUT FOR THE PROPERTY IN THE WHOLE AREAS, PROPERTY IS MEANINGLESS VALUE VALUELESS IF IT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESSIBILITY.SO THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE IS TO HAVE THE STREET AND THE FRONTAGE SO THAT POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS WILL COME IN AND DEVELOP THE PROPERTIES.
I'VE BEEN IN COMMERCIAL STATE FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES AND I SEEN THE IMPACT OF A VACANT PIECE OF LAND WITH NOTHING ON IT, BUT BECAUSE OF A VISION OF A DEVELOPERS, BECAUSE OF THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, THAT PLACE TURNED INTO A BUILDING PROVIDES SERVICES, JOBS, AND REVENUES FOR THE AREAS.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO PUT THAT STREET BACK.
AS YOU KNOW, FORT BEND TOW IS CRAZY WITHOUT THE TRAFFIC AND ON, ON HIGHWAY SIX AND AND F AND 5 21.
SO HAVING THAT STREET WILL HELP TO SOLVE THE CONGESTION IN THE AREA.
SO I PRAY THAT YOU WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER PUTTING THAT STREET BACK FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO? OKAY, MADAM CHAIR? YES, MAY, MAY.
I, MR. JONES, MAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT TO BOTH APPLICANT OR THE, THE SPEAKERS, AND THAT IS REMOVING THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE WON'T BE ROADS, IT'S JUST SIMPLY THE, THIS PATTERN.
UM, AS PROPERTY WILL BE DEVELOPED, ROADS WILL BE CONNECTED.
IT JUST, AND JUST THIS IS COMING FROM ME.
EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE DEVELOPMENT, THERE WILL BE ROADS, THEY JUST WON'T, IF THIS PASSES, WE SIMPLY JUST WON'T HAVE THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE WON'T BE ROADS.
THERE WILL BE WEATHER, LOCAL STREET, UH, COLLECTOR ROAD, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
THE INTENT IS SIMPLY HERE TO REMOVE THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE DESIGNATION.
AND REMIND ME OF WHAT THE JUSTIFICATION FOR REMOVING THE SURE.
SO, UH, THIS SITE, UH, ALONG THAT WESTERN PORTION IN PARTICULAR HAS SEVERAL USES THAT ARE LIKE A LARGE TV ANTENNAS THAT WE DO NOT EXPECT TO BE REDEVELOPED.
UM, THERE ARE SOME, THERE'S A, I BELIEVE A LANDFILL ALONG THE EASTERN SIDE AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT THERE ARE, UH, SEVERAL, UM, IT'S A FLOODWAY AS AS WELL THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE CURVING FROM, FROM THE WEST AND EAST SIDE.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS ACTUALLY HERE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC REQUEST, UM, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
THIS IS A PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM, NOT A DISCUSSION ITEM.
SO THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SPEAK WHO ARE NOT PRESENT OR DID NOT KNOW IT WOULD BE DISCUSSED.
IT WILL BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
AND WE'LL HAVE A FULL FINAL REPORT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? OKAY, THEN WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 1:32 PM THANK YOU.