* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] FROM CITY [Planning Commission: Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Updates on August 21, 2026.] HALL ANNEX, IT'S THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING RIGHT HERE ON HTV. WELL, UH, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. ARE WE DONE NOW, JEFF? OKAY, GOT THE THUMBS UP. ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. IT IS 1:03 PM ON THURSDAY. IT IS NOT JULY 23RD. IT IS AUGUST 20 20TH, 2026. I'M LISA CLARK. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER. ALL RIGHT, I'VE GOT IT MIXED UP. OKAY. IT'S AN IN-PERSON MEETING AT CITY HALL. ANNEX AT 900 BAGBY. 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 FOR ONE MINUTE. NEW SPEAKERS ARE TIMED FOR TWO MINUTES. SPEAKER RULES ARE FOUND AT THE ON THE TOP PORTION OF THE SPEAKER. SIGN IN FORM ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA. COUNCIL MEMBERS SPEAKING ON AN ITEM ARE NOT TIMED. MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN APPLICANTS HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS. INSTEAD OF THE USUAL. FIVE. NON APPLICANTS AND GENERAL SPEAKERS ARE ALLOWED TWO MINUTES TIME. THERE'S NOT AN OPTION FOR REBUTTAL. EVEN IF YOU DID NOT USE YOUR FULL TWO MINUTES, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AGAIN AND TIME CANNOT BE ALLOTTED TO ANOTHER SPEAKER. TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM OF 11, I WILL CALL THE ROLE CHAIR CLARK IS PRESENT. VICE CHAIR GARZA PRESENT. COMMISSIONER BALDWIN PRESENT. COMMISSIONER BALLARD PRESENT. COMMISSIONER CARROLL PRESENT. COMMISSIONER JONES. PRESIDENT. COMMISSIONER MAREZ. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER RON. WHO IS NOT HERE? COMMISSIONER FAM. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER PIERCE. I THOUGHT I SAW COMMISSIONER PIERCE. NO. COMMISSIONER HINES IS PRESENT. , UM, COMMISSIONER SIGLER PRESENT. COMMISSIONER SYKES PRESENT. COMMISSIONER VICTOR PRESENT. COMMISSIONER MANKA PRESENT AND SECRETARY VON TRAN. PRESENT. WE HAVE A 14TH. NO, I COUNTED HIM. DID I SKIP YOU? OKAY. AND COMMISSIONER, PRESENT, PRESENT. SO WE HAVE 14, RIGHT? 14, 15. OKAY, SO WE HAVE 15 MEMBERS PRESENT, SO WE DO MEET A QUORUM AND NOW I'LL CALL FOR THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. COMMISSIONER PIERCE TO SHOW. AND PIERCE AND COMMISSIONER PIERCE, UH, HAS JOINED US. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR CLARK COMMISSION MEMBERS, STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC. I AM VON TRAN, SECRETARY OF THIS COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING. OUR LAST, UH, APPLICATION UPDATE FOR THE MTFP. THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER THE THIRD IN WHICH THIS COMMISSION WILL BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS. SO AGAIN, WELCOME TO THIS, UH, PUBLIC SESSION TODAY. IN CLOSING, FOR ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 0 0. TO REACH THE PLANNER OF THE DAY, PLEASE CALL 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 2 4. YOU MAY VISIT US ONLINE@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM. THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR TRAN. WE'LL MOVE ON TO RE NUMERAL ONE, BUT BEFORE WE DO, I WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WE'LL HEAR FROM STAFF I'LL CALL FOR ANY SPEAKERS. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION TODAY. WE'RE SIMPLY HAVING A WORKSHOP TO BE INTRODUCED TO THIS YEAR'S MTFP ITEMS. UM, SO WE'LL BE TAKING NO ACTION TODAY. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON MA'AM. CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. MY NAME IS PETRA SHAW. TODAY'S MEETING IS AN UPDATE OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S PROGRESS IN EVALUATING THE 2026 MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN AMENDMENTS. THIS WILL INCLUDE A SUMMARY OF THE REQUEST STAFF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND OUTSTANDING WORK TO BE DONE ON THE REQUESTS IN ADVANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER 3RD ACTION MEETING. IF APPLICABLE, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS MAY CHANGE IF NEW INFORMATION IS PRESENTED BEFORE THE ACTION MEETING. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AT TODAY'S MEETING, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DEFERRAL OPTION AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING. SO THIS MEETING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT EACH REQUEST BEFORE ACTION IS REQUIRED. ONCE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTS ON [00:05:01] THE AMENDMENT REQUESTS, STAFF WILL FORWARD UPDATES TO CITY COUNCIL TO BE ACTED UPON BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEVEN PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OF THESE TWO ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE HOUSTON CITY LIMITS AND FIVE ARE WITHIN THE ETJ. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MTFP AMENDMENTS, PLEASE VISIT THE MTFP WEBSITE OR CONTACT STAFF BY EMAIL AT BILITY DOT PLANNING@HOUSTONTX.GOV OR BY CALLING 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 6 6 0. IF IT PLEASES THE COMMISSION, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE MTFP AMENDMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR. YES. THANK YOU. AMENDMENT TWO A IS GULFTON CONNECTOR BUSWAY PROJECT SUBMITTED BY METRO. THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT IS LOCATED WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS HARRIS COUNTY. IN THE GULFTON COMMUNITY, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO RECLASSIFY THREE THOROUGHFARES CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD FROM A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE TO A TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET FROM WEST PARK DRIVE TO GULFTON STREET, RECLASSIFY GULFTON STREET FROM A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE TO A TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET FROM CHIMNEY ROCK ROAD TO HILLCROFT AVENUE, RECLASSIFY HILLCROFT AVENUE FROM A PRINCIPAL THOROUGHFARE TO A TRANSIT CORRIDOR STREET FROM GULFTON STREET TO BISSONET STREET. STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST. THE GULFTON CONNECTOR BUSWAY PROJECT IS A PROPOSED 4.1 MILE DEDICATED BUSWAY THAT WILL PROVIDE RAPID TRANSIT SERVICE TO THE GULFTON COMMUNITY, FEATURING SEVEN STATIONS THAT CONNECT RIDERS TO LOCAL BUS ROUTES AND KEY DESTINATIONS. THE PROJECT WOULD LIKE WOULD LINK THE WEST PARK LOWER UPTOWN TRANSIT CENTER TO BAYLAND PARK WITH THE MTFP CORRIDOR THAT WOULD ALIGN WITH THE PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM. THE PROPOSED RECLASSIFICATION WILL REORIENT EACH STREET FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION. THE AREA AROUND THE SUBJECT AMENDMENTS CONSISTS OF MOSTLY HIGH DENSITY COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT. MUCH OF THIS DEVELOPMENT PREDATES THE CITY'S REQUIREMENT TO PLOT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. SO MUCH OF THE AREA IS STILL PART OF THE ORIGINAL WESTMORELAND FARMS PLATS FROM THE 1920S. THERE HAVE BEEN A HANDFUL OF COMMERCIAL PLATS IN SCHOOL SUBDIVISIONS RECORDED SINCE 2013. THE PROCESS TO AMEND THE CITY'S TOD PLAN WILL BE DONE BY PLANNING STAFF IN COORDINATION WITH METRO AND WILL BE INITIATED ONCE FULL FUNDING IS SECURED FOR THE PROJECT. STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST AND WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. THIS INCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED FOR THIS AREA. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ROMAN AL THREE B MARKER. CYPRUS AMENDMENT THREE B IS BARKER CYPRUS AND PROPOSED NORTH SOUTH MINOR COLLECTOR SUBMITTED BY RGEA ENGINEERING. THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT IS LOCATED IN THE ETJ HARRIS COUNTY IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON, JUST SOUTH OF THE GRAND PARKWAY. THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DELETE IN APPROXIMATELY 9,873 FOOT UNIMPROVED SEGMENT OF BARKER CYPRESS ROAD, A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE BETWEEN THE GRAND PARKWAY AND GRANT ROAD AND AN APPROXIMATELY 3,326 FOOT UNIMPROVED SEGMENT OF AN UNNAMED NORTH-SOUTH MINOR COLLECTOR BETWEEN THE PROPOSED BOUDREAUX ROAD AND KITMAN ROAD STAFF IS IN NOT, IS NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUESTS. THE APPLICANT ASSERTS THAT MAINTAINING THESE SEGMENTS OF BARKER CYPRESS ROAD IN AN UNNAMED NORTH SOUTH MINOR COLLECTOR IS IMPRACTICAL DUE TO SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS INCLUDING FLOODPLAIN AND FLOODWAY IMPACTS CONFLICT CONFLICTS WITH EXISTING UTILITY AND DRAINAGE EASEMENTS AND ESTABLISHED PARKLAND. THE APPLICANT FURTHER ASSERTS THAT THE CORRIDOR IS TOO SHORT, PRIMARILY SERVES LOCAL ACCESS AND HAS PROJECTED TRAFFIC VOLUMES THAT DO NOT JUSTIFY ITS CURRENT CLASSIFICATIONS WHILE THE EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK ALREADY PROVIDES ADEQUATE REGIONAL CONNECTIVE CONNECTIVITY FOR THE SURROUNDING AREAS. RECENT PLANNING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA INDICATES PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES ON SEVERAL OF THE LARGE ACRE PROPERTIES. STAFF IN CONS COORDINATION WITH HARRIS COUNTY FINDS THAT THE SEGMENTS OF BARKER CYPRUS AND THE PROPOSED NORTH SOUTH MINOR COLLECTOR ARE NECESSARY COMPONENTS FOR REGIONAL TRAFFIC CIRCULATION STAFF IN HARRIS COUNTY WILL BE MEETING WITH THE APPLICANT NEXT WEEK TO COORDINATE AND A FINAL RECOMMENDATION WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING. WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE IF YOU DO HAVE ANY. OKAY. UH, ALALA MURTAZA. I'M SURE I BUTCHERED THAT. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SAY? NO. OKAY. JUST INTO PARIS COUNTY. GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, YES, SORRY. DID SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING? NO, I'M HEARING THINGS NOW. . WE'LL MOVE ON TO [00:10:01] ROMAN THREE C AND PLEASE NOTE I'M GONNA RECUSE MYSELF FROM C AND FROM D AND MR. GARZA'S GONNA TAKE OVER. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. GO RIGHT AHEAD, MS. SEAN. MM-HMM . UM, AMENDMENT THREE C IS KER MA ROAD BETWEEN BECCA AND BATH ROAD. SUBMITTED BY META THE APPLICA THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DELETE AN APPROXIMATELY 5,200 FOOT UNIMPROVED SEGMENT OF KER MA ROAD, A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE BETWEEN BATH ROAD AND BECCA ROAD. STAFF. REVIEW OF THIS REQUEST IS ONGOING. THE SUBJECT SEGMENT OF MEYER ROAD HAS BEEN PART OF THE MTFP SINCE AN UPDATE IN 1982 AND SHOWN ON THE CITY'S PUBLISHED MAP IN 1983. AT THE TIME, THE CITY ENVISIONED A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE CONNECTING THE AREA AROUND SPRING CREEK WITH THE SOUTHERN ETJ LINE WEST OF KATY, TEXAS. SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS HAVE TRUNCATED MEYER TO WHERE ITS PROPOSED. SOUTHERN TERMINUS IS WITHIN THE GRAND PRAIRIE COMMUNITY JUST SOUTH OF THE SUBJECT SEGMENT. THE SUBJECT SITE FEATURES IN EXISTING DATA CENTER AND THE APPLICANT PROPOSES AN EXPANSION WITH SEVERAL MORE STRUCTURES IN DETENTION AREAS. THE APPLICANT ASSERTS THAT DEDICATING A HUNDRED FOOT WIDE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WOULD REPRESENT AN INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIER TO THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER EXPANSION, CITING CHALLENGES WITH PROVIDING PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE COMPLEX OVER A PUBLIC STREET IN SECURING THE SITE. THE APPLICANT ALSO ASSERTS THAT THE RELATIVELY LOW TRIP GENERATION IN THE EXISTING SEGMENTS OF WARREN RANCH AND KICKAPOO ROADS AS ALTERNATIVES FOR REGIONAL TRAFFIC CIRCULATION. THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED AN UPDATED VERSION OF A TRAFFIC TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY. STAFF WILL COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY TO FACTOR THIS ANALYSIS IN THE RECOMMENDATION TO BE PRESENTED AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING. WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. YOU THANK YOU MS. SHA. UH, BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE AWARE THAT COMMISSIONER PORTER HAS ARRIVED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UM, I, UH, COMMISSIONER, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, MR. JENNIFER CURTIS IS HERE. DID YOU WANNA SPEAK TODAY, MS. CURTIS? YES, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JENNIFER CURTIS WITH META PLANNING AND DESIGN. UM, I ACTUALLY, UM, THE PRESENTATION WAS ALL ACCURATE AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF AND, AND DIRECTOR TRAN AND EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY WITH US OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO COME TO A SOLUTION ON THIS ONE. AS, AS SHE SAID, OUR, OUR COORDINATION IS ONGOING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING A FINAL, UH, SOLUTION TO YOU ALL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MS. CURTIS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO UH, D MASON ROAD AMENDMENT 3D IS MASON ROAD BETWEEN FM 5 29 AND WEST LITTLE YORK, SUBMITTED BY MEAP. THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT IS LOCATED IN THE ETJ HARRIS COUNTY IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON, SOUTH OF TWO 90 EAST OF GRAND PARKWAY AND NORTH OF I 10. THE APPLICANT REQUESTS A REALIGNMENT OF MASON ROAD TO CORRECT INCONSISTENCIES IN THE CURRENT MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEWAY PLAN THAT RESULTED FROM PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS. IN MAPPING ERRORS. THE EXISTING ALIGNMENT REQUIRES AN IMPRACTICAL SHARP TURN AND INCLUDES A 460 FOOT JOG NEAR FM 29. THAT DOES NOT MATCH THE APPROVED GENERAL PLANS OR THE ROADWAY ALREADY CONSTRUCTED NORTH OF FM 5 29. THE CURRENT ALIGNMENT ALSO REQUIRES A BRIDGE ACROSS A WIDE SECTION OF BEAR CREEK FLOODWAY RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES AND COSTS. A REVISED ALIGNMENT WOULD BETTER REFLECT IS EXISTING DEVELOPMENT, CORRECT MAPPING ERRORS AND COULD REDUCE FUTURE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION COSTS BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ANTICIPATED FLOODPLAIN MAP UPDATES OR BY AVOIDING THE WIDEST PORTION OF THE FLOODWAY. THE SUBJECT SEGMENT OF MASON ROAD IS WITHIN THE GRAND MASON GP. THE AREA IS EXPERIENCING RAPID DEVELOPMENT AND MOST OF THE PLANNING ACTIVITY INVOLVES DEVELOPING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OUT OF ACREAGE FOR MULTIPLE MASTER PLAN COMMUNITIES. HARRIS COUNTY HAS NO OBJECTION TO THIS REQUEST AND STAFF IS IN SUPPORT. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MICHELLE. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MS. CURTIS? JUST FOR QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MICHELLE. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO E SOUTH RIDGE ROAD. LET ME SEE IF OUR CLARK, YEAH, WELL, WE'LL CONTINUE. , LET'S GO ON WITH E SOUTHRIDGE, UH, SOUTHRIDGE ROAD. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. MY NAME IS AKAH BIJI. ITEM THREE E IS SOUTHRIDGE ROAD BETWEEN KIRKENDAL ROAD AND ELLA BOULEVARD. IT THIS APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED BY META PLANNING AND DESIGN. THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT IS LOCATED IN THE ETJ HARRIS COUNTY, NORTH HOUSTON, WEST OF I 45 NORTH. [00:15:01] THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DELETE APPROXIMATELY 4,850 FEET OF SOUTHRIDGE ROAD. A MINOR COLLECTOR BETWEEN ELLA BOULEVARD AND KIRKENDAL ROAD. STAFF IS NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST. THE SUBJECT SEGMENT OF SOUTHRIDGE ROAD HAS BEEN A PART OF THE MTFP SINCE 2018. HARRIS COUNTY ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION TO HELP ALLEVIATE SCHOOL RELATED TRAFFIC ON ELLA BOULEVARD. AT THE TIME, THE PROPOSED SEGMENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,008 50 FEET LONG. SINCE THEN, APPROXIMATELY 1690 FEET OF THE ROADWAY HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED TO HELP IMPROVE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION WITH THE NEARBY SCHOOLS. THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO DEVELOP 321 ACRE SITE FOR LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USE. THEY ASSERT THEIR PROPERTY IS WELL SEATED FOR LARGE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL USERS. USERS BECAUSE OF ITS STRATEGIC LOCATION ALONG THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE KIRKENDAL ROAD AND ITS PRO PROXIMITY TO I 45. THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT DEDICATING A 60 FOOT WIDE MINOR COLLECTOR WOULD NOT ENHANCE REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY AND WOULD LIKE TO AVOID MIXING INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC WITH SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND IS THEREFORE PROPOSING TO PROVIDE INGRESS AND EGRESS EXCLUSIVELY VIA KIRKENDAL ROAD. STAFF IN COORDINATION WITH HARRIS COUNTY, FINDS THAT THE REQUEST IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT FOR REGIONAL TRAFFIC CIRCULATION. STAFF HAS PRESENTED ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS TO THE APPLICANT AND COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES IN ADVANCE OF THE SEPTEMBER MEETING. WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. STAFF CON. THEN THIS CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER'S QUESTIONS MS. CURTIS? YES, PLEASE. JUST FINISHING E OKAY, GREAT. HELLO AGAIN. JENNIFER CURTIS WITH META PLANNING AND DESIGN REGARDING SOUTH RIDGE ROAD. I ACTUALLY, UM, I DO HAVE AN UPDATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SPRING ISD, UM, WHICH IS THE SCHOOL TO THE EAST AS WELL AS THERE'S ACTUALLY ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO THE NORTH. UM, THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT WE SPOKE WITH FOR SPRING, ISDI BELIEVE HE'S THE GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS, MR. GARY HUTTON. UM, HE ADVISED THAT, UH, THE SCHOOL IS IN SUPPORT OF REMOVING THIS COLLECTOR ROAD AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD CONSIDERED A SIMILAR REQUEST AS WELL TO THE BENEFIT OF THE SCHOOL PROPERTIES. THEY WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ON THOSE PROPERTIES AND THE ROAD IS ACTUALLY INHIBITING SOME OF THAT. THEY ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC THAT WOULD BE GENERATED BY THIS SITE GOING THROUGH WHERE THE SCHOOL BUSES ARE AND WHERE THE STUDENTS DRIVE ON THAT ROAD. SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EXPRESSED THEIR VERBAL SUPPORT. THEY, UM, HAVE SAID THEY WOULD PROVIDE A, A WRITTEN LETTER FOR Y'ALL TO REVIEW AS WELL. WE JUST HAVEN'T RECEIVED THAT SINCE WE JUST SPOKE TO THEM YESTERDAY. UM, SO THAT IS MY UPDATE. UM, WE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS THAT HARRIS COUNTY PROPOSED WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WEIGHING THOSE OPTIONS WITH THE DEVELOPER TO SEE IF, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE. BUT GIVEN THE, THE NATURE OF THE TRAFFIC BEING GENERATED ON THE SITE, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO IS IN AGREEMENT, WE STILL FEEL THE DELETION IS THE BEST RESULT. BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH STAFF ON THE OPTIONS THAT WERE PROPOSED. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU. I HAVE NO ONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO, UH, ROMAN NUMERAL THREE F AMENDMENT. THREE F IS VICKSBURG BOULEVARD SUBMITTED BY BGE. THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT IS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ETJ, FORT BEND COUNTY, AND SOUTHWEST HOUSTON, WEST OF FORT BEND PARKWAY. THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DELETE AN APPROXIMATELY 1700 FEET OF UNIMPROVED SEGMENT OF VICKSBURG BOULEVARD, A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE SOUTH OF ARD ROAD AND WEST OF FORT BEND PARKWAY. STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST. THE SUBJECT SEGMENT OF VICKSBURG BOULEVARD HAS BEEN A PART OF THE MTFP SINCE 2016 BETWEEN FM 2234 TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMIT BOUNDARY. THE SITE FEATURES PHYSICAL AND LOGISTICAL CONS, CONSTRAINTS INCLUDING A TELEVISION ANTENNA FARM WITH TOWERS SUPPORT STATIONS OBSTRUCTING THE ALIGNMENT. ADDITIONALLY, FORT BEND HAS REMOVED VICKSBURG BOULEVARD FROM THEIR MAJOR THOROUGHFARE AND FREEVIEW PLAN IN APRIL OF 2025. THE AREA SOUTH OF MISSOURI CITY LINE HAS SINCE BEEN DEVELOPED AS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES WITH NO OPPORTUNITIES TO EXTEND THE STREET. HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AND FORT BEND COUNTY HAVE EXPRESSED NO OBJECTION AND WE HAVE RECEIVED NO ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST TO DELETE THIS SEGMENT OF VICKSBURG BOULEVARD. THIS CONCLUDES STAFF PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO ONE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON F VICKSBURG BOULEVARD. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO G [00:20:01] AMENDMENT. 3G IS THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY SUBMITTED BY THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY. THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT IS LOCATED IN THE ETJ HARRIS COUNTY AND WALLER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON, SOUTH OF TWO 90. IN WEST OF THE GRAND PARKWAY, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO RECLASSIFY, REALIGN AND DELETE ALL MAJOR THOROUGHFARES WITHIN THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCIES APPROXIMATELY 20,000 ACRE PROTECTED AREA ALONG THE WALLER. HARRIS COUNTY LINE STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST. APPROXIMATELY THREE FOURTH OF THE TRACT IS WITHIN THE HOUSTON HARRIS COUNTY ETJ, AND THE REMAINING PORTION LIES WITHIN THE WALLER COUNTY PORTION OF OUR ETJ. THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO REALIGN AND DELETE ALL PROPOSED ROADS TRAVERSING THEIR CONTROLLED PROPERTY. THE EXISTING PAVED ROADS THROUGH THE SITES ARE PROPOSED TO BE DOWNGRADED FROM MAJOR THOROUGHFARES TO MINOR COLLECTORS TO ALLOW THEM TO REMAIN IN THEIR CURRENT CONFIGURATION. THE INTENT IS TO ALIGN THE CITY'S LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN WITH THE GOALS OF THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY'S VISION OF PROTECTING A HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRES OF WETLANDS ACROSS THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA. MAJOR THOROUGHFARES ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE NECESSARY TRAFFIC, CIRCULATION AND ACCESS WHEN NEW DEVELOPMENT OCCURS. THE APPLICANT IS, IS ASSERTING THAT NONE OF THE PROPOSED MAJOR THOROUGHFARES AFFECTING THE KATY PRAIRIE ARE NECESSARY AS THE CONSERVANCY AIMS TO PRECLUDE ANY DEVELOPMENT AND LEAVE THE LAND IN ITS NATURAL STATE. THE LAND USE OF THE SURROUNDING AREA IS LIMITED TO MOSTLY AGRICULTURE, LARGE LOT SINGLE FAMILY, SMALL COMMERCIAL USES IN A LARGE SWATH OF UNDEVELOPED LAND ALREADY PROTECTED BY THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY. WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS ADVANCED WRITTEN COMMENTS INDICATING SUPPORT, INCLUDING SUPPORT FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, HARRISON WALLER COUNTY COUNTIES HAVE EXPRESSED OBJECTIONS CITING ONGOING TRAFFIC TRANSPORTATION STUDIES IN THE AREA. STAFF IS IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST TO DOWNGRADE, DELETE, AND REALIGN THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES WITHIN THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY TRACK. THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS, STAFF. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GET STARTED? OKAY, MAREZ? YES. COMMISSIONER MAREZ. UM, SO YOU MENTIONED BOTH HARRIS COUNTY AND WALLER OBJECT. MM-HMM. AND I BELIEVE, 'CAUSE I'VE, I'VE JUST HAD SOME WORK THAT LIKE WALLER COUNTY'S DOING A BOND PROJECT THAT NOT IN THESE IMMEDIATE VICINITIES, BUT SOME OF THESE ROADWAYS LIKE NORTH OR SOUTH. MM-HMM. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT, LIKE, ARE BEING IMPACTED AND BEING IMPROVED. SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IS LEAVING THESE SECTIONS, UM, DOWNGRADED AND THEN ALLOW FOR OTHER SECTIONS OF THE ROADWAY TO REMAIN UPGRADED. I'M JUST REALLY, DID YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT? DIRECTOR? LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PREPARED AND READY TO GO. UM, LET ME GET A CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, SO THE OTHER SEGMENTS THAT ARE BEING UPGRADED, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OUTSIDE OF THIS, THIS CURRENT, OUTSIDE OF THESE BOUNDARIES. GOTCHA. YEAH. OUTSIDE OF THESE BOUNDARIES, BUT THE ROADWAYS ARE, UM, HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENT PLANNED ON THEM. SO I'M JUST, UM, QUITE FRANKLY A LITTLE CONFUSED HOW THAT'S GONNA ACTUALLY WORK IN REALITY IF I'M, IF I'M BEING HONEST, LIKE, AND, AND THE COUNTIES HAVE BOTH EXPRESSED THEIR OBJECTIONS TO THIS. SO, UM, I I'M JUST MIDDLE GROUND. I'M TRYING TO JUST FIGURE OUT HOW, HOW THAT WORKS IN REALITY. HOW WE CARVE OUT THESE SEGMENTS AND DOWNGRADE THEM AND THEN HAVE BEYOND THESE SEGMENTS UPGRADED AND POTENTIALLY WORK HAPPENING ON THE ROADWAY TO ACCOUNT FOR TRAFFIC AND, AND HOW DID THAT WORK IN THE REAL WORLD? ? THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M ASKING. YES. YEAH, SO I THINK REALLY THE, UM, THE, THE BIG TASK HERE IS COORDINATION. OKAY. UM, SO WITH REGARDS TO THIS APPLICATION SPECIFICALLY AND THE CURRENT STUDY THAT IS UNDERWAY WITH, UH, THE PRECINCT FOUR IN HARRIS COUNTY, IT IS NOT COMPLETED YET. AND SO THE CITY'S POSITION IS THAT, UM, WE, UH, WILL CONTINUE. UM, I I THINK WHAT WE, OUR POSITION IS THAT UNTIL THE HARRIS COUNTY IS COMPLETED WITH THEIR STUDY, IT IS UNKNOWN AS TO WHAT IS NEEDED. AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEXT YEAR FOR HARRIS COUNTY TO COME BACK WITH THEIR OWN PRESENTATION OF THE SOLUTIONS AND WHAT IS NEEDED AND PERHAPS, UH, INITIATE THEIR OWN APPLICATION, UH, TO, UH, THIS AREA. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS APPLICATION FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, UM, THE CONSERVANCY IS SEEKING, UH, TO HAVE THEIR, UH, NATURE CONSERVANCY IN THE WAY THAT IS NEEDED. AND IT IS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME RIGHT NOW. SO UNTIL OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE COMPLETED WITH THEIR STUDY, THEN THEY CAN BRING THAT FORTH. SO, UM, BASICALLY WE'RE WAITING ON WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING AS [00:25:01] FAR AS WALLER, I'M NOT EXACTLY FAMILIAR WITH THE SEGMENTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I THINK SPECIFICALLY, UM, IT IS NORTH OF HARRIS COUNTY AND SO THERE WILL BE ONGOING COORDINATION GOING FORWARD. MR. BUTLER, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANNA ADD. , THERE'S A LOT OF COLORED LINES IN THIS MAP. IT'S JUST, IT'S, IF I CAN SIMPLIFY IT AS BEST I CAN, THE STREETS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE ARE SHOWN IN YELLOW AND THEY'RE, THEY JUST WANT TO DOWNGRADE THOSE TO MINOR COLLECTORS THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO SIT. THE GEOMETRY OF A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WOULD NOT FIT THAT. SO DOWNGRADING 'EM ALLOWS THE EXISTING STREETS TO STAY. THE BLACK AND PINK LINES ARE EITHER DELETING THE THOROUGHFARE ALTOGETHER OR MOVING IT TO THE ADJACENT TRACT. UM, THAT'S, THAT'S AS SIMPLE AS I CAN BOIL IT DOWN TO. WHAT DOES THE BLACK ARROWS MEAN? THOSE ARE, UH, PROPOSED TO BE DELETED. THE BLACK, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NOTE, THE BLACK LINES LOOK AT THE NOTE. YEAH. PROPOSED. OH, THE BLACK. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE YELLOW LINE WOULD NOT CONTINUE GOING STRAIGHT OVER THE BLACK LINE. IT, IT WOULD, THAT, THAT STREET IS ON THE GROUND. IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE, THE PAVEMENT IS A LITTLE IFFY, BUT THERE IS A RIGHT OF WAY THAT GOES ACROSS FROM THE HARRIS SIDE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEIR TRACK TO THE WALLER SIDE. IT'S JUST THAT THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN NOW CALLS FOR A STREET TO INTERSECT THAT AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO REMOVE. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. DID THAT HELP? I, WELL, I THINK MY STRUGGLE HERE IS LIKE IN OTHER APPLICATIONS WE SAY, OKAY, COORDINATING WITH HARRIS COUNTY ENGINEERING WHOMEVER REVIEWING TBD, BUT HERE WE'RE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IT UP TO THAT OTHER AGENCY TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SUBMIT THEIR OWN APPLICATION IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT. LIKE, IT JUST SEEMS A LITTLE, I DON'T THINK IT'S A MATTER OF NOT LIKING, IT'S A MATTER OF TWEAKING AND ADJUSTING WHERE THEY, THEIR STUDIES SHOW THEM. BUT LIKE, WE DON'T KNOW IF WALLER'S STUDY WILL BE DONE THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, YEAR AFTER, WE DON'T KNOW. BUT YES, THEY COULD COME BACK AND DO THE SAME THING AS WE HAVE HARRIS COUNTY DO QUITE OFTEN. THEY COME IN AND MAKE AMENDMENTS, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DELETIONS OR CHANGES TO, UH, THE, UM, THE TYPE OF ROADWAY IT IS. OKAY. UH, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S JUST SEEMS, UH, ODD FOR US TO APPROVE PENDING ALL THAT I GUESS. BUT, UM, YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. YES. COMMISSIONER CARROLL, SO I UNDERSTAND I'M IN SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING. DEFINITELY. BUT IF, IF IT, IF YOU WEREN'T RECOMMENDING THIS, IN OTHER WORDS, IN OTHER WORDS THE, THE THOROUGHFARE DID GO THROUGH OR THE DELETIONS DIDN'T OCCUR, WOULD THAT OPEN THIS AREA UP TO DEVELOPMENT? THEY'RE, IT'S GOING LAND BECAUSE EVERYTHING HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN IS, UH, THE CONSERVANCY'S LAND. SO THEY'RE, THEY THEMSELVES ARE LEAVING IT AS NATURAL SPACES THERE. SO PUTTING ROADS THROUGH LANDS THAT'S UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT SEEMS LIKE A BIT OF A WASTE OF RESOURCES, BUT JUST FROM POINT A TO POINT B. TRUE. BUT I THINK NOT ALL THE WAY AROUND. TRUE, TRUE. BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER WAYS. THERE HAS TO BE ROADWAY WASTES FOR EMERGENCY ACCESS, BUT, UM, NOT NECESSARILY MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. MM-HMM. UNDERSTAND GOING THROUGH THEM. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, COMMISSIONER, JUST COMMENT THAT, AND THEY CONTINUE TO TRY AND ACQUIRE MORE AND MORE LAND, RIGHT? I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT DONE YET. SO THAT'S WHAT THE HOPE IS AS THEY GET THIS, THEY CAN CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, THE INCREMENTAL CREEP OF ADDITIONAL LAND INTO THE CONSERVANCY, WHICH WOULD FURTHER ERODE THE OPPORTUNITY OR NEED FOR THE ROADS. NOT THAT THERE'S NOT 15 MILES BEYOND THERE SOME NEED FOR THE ROAD, BUT STILL I THINK IT'S THE BENEFIT TO US ALL AS A, AS A COMMUNITY, BOTH FROM THE MITIGATION OF WATER AND THE WILDLIFE AND THE CLIMATE OFFSET SOME OF THOSE THINGS, THE NEED. YEAH. SO IF I CAN ADD ON TO, WE DIDN'T REALLY GO INTO THAT, BUT, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AS TO, UH, THE BACKGROUND OF THIS SUBMISSION. SO THE, THE CONSERVANCY IS GROWING THERE, UM, AREA AND, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE FURTHER ALONG IN THEIR PLANS, THE BIG OVERALL PLAN, UH, THAT IS THE REALLY, TRULY THE REASON FOR US TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AS THEY EXPAND THIS NATURE CONSERVANCY. AND IT IS A BIG BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OUR FOURTH LARGEST CITY. WE DESERVE, UH, NATURE AND LAND. AND, UM, WITH THE REMAINING COORDINATION WITH WALLER COUNTY AND HARRIS COUNTY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT COMPLETED THEIR STUDY, CONSERVANCY CAME TO US FIRST. AND SO WE ARE APPROVING THIS AND I BELIEVE IN GOOD FAITH THAT IN THE FUTURE THE COUNTIES CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CONSERVANCY, UM, [00:30:01] AS WE WORK OUT EMERGENCY, UM, EXIT OR WHATEVER PLAN THAT IS. UH, BUT AS FAR AS CONSERVANCY IS CONCERNED, UM, THERE IS, UM, THE NEED AND WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, UH, WITH A BUNCH OF CARS AND ALL OF THAT THROUGH, UH, OUR NATURE RESERVE. UH, BUT ALL OF THAT CAN BE CONTINUED TO BE NEGOTIATED AND COORDINATED. IT'S JUST THAT THEY CAME TO US FIRST. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. YES. COMMISSIONER VICTOR. SO JUST TO CLARIFY IT IN FUTURE, IF WE APPROVE THIS, WHICH I'M IN SUPPORT FOR, BUT IF WE APPROVE THIS, HARRIS COUNTY WILL GET THEIR, UH, EMERGENCY ACCESS ROADS THROUGH CONSERVANCY OR IF NEEDED, LIKE, BECAUSE I'M JUST CONCERNED HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO AROUND? WILL THERE BE A WAY TO AT LEAST HAVE EMERGENCY VEHICLES GO THROUGH? IS THERE A POTENTIAL? I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S ALL IN PLANNING. YEAH, THERE'S SOME EXISTING ROADS THERE AND I DON'T, I I'M NOT A TRAFFIC PERSON, SO I CAN'T REALLY ANSWER THAT COMMISSIONER VICTOR, BUT THERE IS POTENTIAL THAT THERE WOULD, I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA GET A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN'T EVEN GO THROUGH EMERGENCY AND THEY'LL HAVE TO GO AROUND IT. I IMAGINE. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CONSERVANCY PEOPLE HERE, AND MAYBE THAT'S A QUESTION WE ASK OF, OF MARYANNE MAYBE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WILDFIRES HAPPEN. I'M SURE THEY HAVE FIRE ACCESS, SO MOST LIKELY THERE'S A PLAN FOR THAT. UM, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, COMMISSIONER MAREZ? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I MEAN, TO BE CLEAR, I HAVE NO ISSUE IN TERMS OF LIKE THE LIMITS OF THESE REQUESTS, RIGHT? LIKE, I GET THAT IT'S JUST THE CONVERSATION REGARDING THE OVERALL MOBILITY WITHIN THESE AREAS BECAUSE, UH, I DROVE THROUGH LIKE MORTON ROAD, WHICH I KNOW IT'S NOT THE EXACT ONE IN HERE, BUT IT'S NEARBY THE OTHER DAY AND IT'S, IT'S PRETTY CRAZY OUT THERE, QUITE FRANKLY, , FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD. UH, AND I DO KNOW WALLER KIND OF GOT A BOTTOM PROGRAM OUT THERE. I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY ANOTHER ONE COMING UP, SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT WHOLE AREA. SO YEAH, NOT OBJECTING TO LIKE THE SEGMENTS IN PARTICULAR OR THE CONSERVATIVE AREA IN PARTICULAR, BUT JUST REALLY WANTING TO, I GUESS. RIGHT. NO, I UNDERSTAND. BE AWARE OF THE BROADER PICTURE OUT THERE. RIGHT. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. WANNA SAY ANYTHING? YEAH, YEAH. I WAS GONNA CALL THE SPEAKERS. UM, DO YOU ALL ME TO CALL THE SPEAKERS IN ORDER OR DUE TO ALL THIS CONVERSATION, DO YOU WANT SOMEONE PARTICULAR TO COME OUT FIRST? MAYBE SO, YES, . HI, I'M MARIANNE PINI. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY. AND I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU BEFORE THIS LAST TWO TIMES, BUT ALSO SINCE 2006 WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ACTUALLY DO SOME OF THIS WORK. UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH HARRIS AND WALLER COUNTY. WE'RE PART OF THE STRATEGIC GROWTH FOR PRECINCT FOUR. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE BOND AND THE MOBILITY STUDY FOR WALLER COUNTY. AND YES, THERE ARE ISSUES. CLEARLY WE DO NOT WANT MAJOR THOROUGHFARES GOING THROUGH LANDS THAT ARE NEVER GONNA BE DEVELOPED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE EXISTING ROADS OUT HERE. THERE ARE ALSO FARM ROADS THAT ARE ACCESS ACCESSIBLE. SO IF SOMEBODY NEEDED TO GO THROUGH, THEY COULD, BUT WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS OVER 30 YEARS, AND WE HAVE PROTECTED A LOT OF LAND ALREADY OVER 20,000. AND THE MAP THAT YOU HAVE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ALL THE LANDS THAT ARE ACTUALLY UNDER EASEMENT AGREEMENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. WE DID NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING TO BE DELETED THAT IS NOT ON ROADS, THAT ARE CONSERVANCY PROTECTED. WE ACTUALLY SAID, OKAY, IF YOU WANNA PUT A ROAD THERE, REALIGN IT AND PUT IT ON SOMEBODY'S LAND, THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED. IF YOU HAVE A ROAD THERE THAT WE BELIEVE DOESN'T NEED TO BE A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, BUT COULD BE MORE LIKE A WINDING WONDERFUL ROAD, A PARK ROAD, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ASKED THAT IT STAY AS A MINOR COLLECTOR BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE PARK ROAD DESIGNATION IN TEXAS THAT I KNOW OF. UM, IT'S, IT'S A FEDERAL RULE THAT WE MIGHT TO COME BACK TO YOU LATER AND ASK FOR THAT. UM, IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO LOOK AT AND WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT HAVING THESE LINES ON THE MAP DOES EXCITE AND ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT THAT PERHAPS SHOULDN'T BE THERE BECAUSE OUR 20,000 ACRES, AND IF WE GET TO THE 30,000 ACRES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON HERE, AND THEN THE 70 AND 80,000 ACRES WE'RE WORKING IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, UM, WE WILL FIND THAT, UM, YOU DON'T NEED THOSE ROADS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR POSITION AT THIS POINT. UM, OUR LANDS PROVIDE AMAZING RESOURCES THAT'S JUST FINISH UP, FINISH MY THOUGHT. UHHUH AMAZING RESOURCES, NOT ONLY THE FLOOD MITIGATION THAT BILL TALKED ABOUT, LOCAL AGRICULTURE, WILDLIFE, HABITAT, RECREATION, NATURE, TOURISM, IMPROVED WATER AND UM, AIR QUALITY. THEY CAPTURE AND STORE CARBON AND THE WATER THAT GOES OUT OF THE WETLANDS IS CLEANER THAN THE WATER THAT GOES IN. WE THINK WE'RE A RESOURCE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED, A NATURAL RESOURCE AND A NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE [00:35:01] THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE COUNTY OF HARRIS, THE COUNTY OF WALLER, OUGHT TO BE WORKING WITH US TO PROTECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. I'M GONNA APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE BECAUSE I I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME READING YOUR WRITING. I THINK, I THINK IT SAYS CJ LOOK. LOOKS OKAY. VERY GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO US. UM, OUR JOINT FAMILIES, THE LUKE AND WALTER OWN CLOSE TO 2200 ACRES OF LAND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE FOR WILDLIFE. UH, THE WALTERS AND LUKE FAMILY'S BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. MY WIFE AND, AND OUR FAMILIES AND, AND RUSTY WALTER, WE'VE CONTRIBUTED TO THE METHODIST HOSPITAL. WERE BIG, BIG SUPPORTERS OF THIS, THIS TOWN. BEEN HERE, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME NOW. OUR OUR PROPERTY IS SITUATED. IT'S A GREAT PLACE BECAUSE IT'S SITUATED. I'M SURROUNDED ON ONE SIDE BY THE WARREN RANCH, KATY CONSERVATORY, FREMONT AND THE TUCKER'S PROPERTY. AND IN THIS PROPERTY IS CLOSE TO 13,000 ACRES. 12, 600 ACRES. AND EVERYBODY, ALL THE LANDOWNERS OUT THERE IN THIS CONTINUOUS PROPERTY DO NOT WANT ANY ROADS THROUGH THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE YOU HAVE DEER, YOU HAVE QUAIL, YOU HAVE DUCKS. I'VE OUR FAMILY ON THAT 2200 ACRES OF PLANET, CLOSE TO 50,000 OAK TREES, PUT IN LOTS OF HIKING TRAILS FOR ALL DIFFERENT TYPE OF GROUPS TO USE. IT'S USED FOR RECREATION, BOY SCOUTS, CHURCH GROUPS, BUSINESS GROUPS. IT'S SOME PLACE YOU CAN BRING PEOPLE OUT THERE AND SEE NATURE STILL, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. ALL THESE LANDOWNERS IN THAT 12,000, 13,000 ACRES DON'T WANT ROADS THROUGH IT. WE, WE WANT TO CONSERVE IT. UM, HOUSTON, HARRIS AND WATER COUNTY DO NOT NEED TO BE ALL ROADS, FREEWAY SHOPPING CENTERS AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I'LL JUST STOP REAL QUICK AND JUST SAY THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. REMEMBER THEDO ROOSEVELT PROTECTED WILDLIFE AND CARDIAC SANCTUARIES TO A BIGGER SCALE. BUT WE NEED TO SEE SAVE ONE OF THE LAST WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN HARRIS COUNTY BY, BY NOT BUILDING ROADS THROUGH THIS 12,000, 13,000 ON THE WEST OF MAN, THE TUCKER PROPERTY. THEY, THEY PRESERVE EVERYBODY, BUT THEY'VE GOT AN EAGLE NEST ON THERE. THAT WILDLIFE OUT THERE IS, DO NOT DESTROY IT. PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY IT, BUT BY HAVING ROADS GO THROUGH IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN OUR NEXT SPEAKER. LET'S SEE, THAT WAS MARYANNE, UH, JERRY YOUNG. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, AGAIN, I'M JERRY YOUNG. I AM GENERAL COUNSEL FOR WALLER COUNTY LAND AND CATTLE AND THE TUCKER FAMILY, UH, WHO CONTROLS THAT ORGANIZATION. UH, BETWEEN THOSE TWO, WE OWN APPROXIMATELY 7,100 ACRES, UH, THERE THAT'S INSIDE THIS PROPERTY AND THAT YOU SEE ON THAT MAP. UM, WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY OF OUR 7,100 ACRES, APPROXIMATELY HALF OF IT IS IN CONSERVANCY. UH, AT SOME POINT YOU CAN CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT MORE OF IT WILL BE, UM, FOR ANY OF YOU THAT REALLY ARE INTERESTED AND HAVEN'T SEEN IT, WHAT I DO IS I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DRIVE THROUGH IT AND YOU'LL SEE HOW BLESSED A PROPERTY IT ACTUALLY IS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY TO PRESERVE IT. UM, WE FULLY SUPPORT CPCS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED, THANKFULLY BY THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND WE'D LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR THAT. WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO ADOPT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND I CAN ALSO SAY, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE'S HERE FROM HARRIS COUNTY OR WALLER, BUT IF YOU ARE, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO RETHINK YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN TODAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TODD KEELING. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW ARE Y'ALL? THANK YOU FOR, UH, HAVING US TODAY. UH, MY NAME IS TODD KEELING. I'M A FOURTH GENERATION FARMING RANCHER. UH, MY SON WILL BE A FIFTH GENERATION. WE'VE BEEN THERE ON THE PROPERTY THERE PARTNERING WITH THE LUKES, THE RANCH MANAGER, LIKE MR. LUKE SAID, THOSE ROADS AND STUFF WILL DISRUPT ALL THE WILDLIFE THINGS THAT ARE THERE AND HAVE BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS. UH, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE THOSE WILD BALD EAGLES, WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE RAISING YOUNG THERE. AN EAGLE DOESN'T TURN COMPLETELY WHITE ON HIS TAIL FEATHERS OR HIS HEAD UNTIL HE IS SIX YEARS OLD AND MATURE. SO WE HAVE BOTH YOUNG BIRDS [00:40:01] AND OLD BIRDS THERE THAT ARE THERE. I INVITE YOU TO COME OUT AND SEE SOME OF THAT STUFF. UH, THAT EAGLE NEST THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS AS BIG AS THE BED OF A PICKUP TRUCK. SO IT, IT'S SOMETHING TO SEE. THERE'S A LOT OF WILDLIFE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, SOME OF THE YOUTH GROUPS THAT WE HAVE, LIKE THE BOY SCOUTS, THEY CAN COME EARN THEIR MERIT BADGES, GET ALL THEIR STUFF LIKE THAT. UH, WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING INTERNSHIPS THERE THAT ARE WANTING TO PURSUE CAREERS IN LIKE WILDLIFE BIOLOGY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PLACES LIKE THAT LEFT THAT ARE THAT CLOSE TO HOUSTON THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN REALLY COME AND LEARN AND PURSUE THEIR CAREERS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF. THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN TODAY. WE APPRECIATE IT. THE LAST SPEAKER I HAVE SIGNED IS ELISA DONOVAN. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. SO I'M ELISA DONOVAN. I'M VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL COUNSEL AT THE COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY. WE APPRECIATE THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT, UH, AND APPROVE CPCS AMENDMENTS. CPC COASTAL PRAIRIE CONSERVANCY. THESE LANDS HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY CONSERVED AND WILL NEVER BE DEVELOPED. HARRISON WALLER COUNTIES CONTINUE TO GROW AND THEY NEED TO PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. ADOPTING THESE AMENDMENTS DOES NOT PREVENT THEM FROM PLANNING. IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THE FUTURE PLANNING SHOULD RECOGNIZE AND WORK AROUND LANDS THAT ARE ALREADY PERMANENTLY CONSERVED. WHEN THERE'S MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, SOMEONE HAS TO GO FIRST. SO THERE'S URGENCY IN ACTING. NOW EVERY MONTH, MORE LAND IN WESTERN HARRIS AND EASTERN WALLER COUNTIES ARE DEVELOPED. PLATTED COMMITTED TO OTHER USES. AS THAT HAPPENS, POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES FOR FUTURE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS DISAPPEAR. WAITING DOES NOT MAKE, UM, PRESERVING TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS EASIER. IT ACTUALLY REDUCES THE POTENTIAL FOR FINDING OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT RESPECT THE CONSERVED LANDS. EXISTING CORRIDORS SUCH AS KATY HOCKLEY ROAD FM 5 29 FM 360 2 SHOULD BE EVALUATED FOR FUTURE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. WHILE THOSE OPTIONS ARE STILL AVAILABLE, THIS MAY MEAN IDENTIFYING AND PLANNING FOR CORRIDORS AROUND THE KATY PRAIRIE PRESERVE. PULLING TRAFFIC THROUGH THE PRESERVE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. NOT ONLY DOES IT NOT MAKE SENSE BECAUSE IT'S A MASSIVE FLOODWAY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FLOODWAY MAP, IT IS ALL OVER THESE POTENTIAL. UH, THE CENTER OF THE KATY PRAIRIE PRESERVE DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO PLAN FOR THAT FOR ANY SORT OF EMERGENCY, UH, INCREASED ACCESS. THERE'S SIGNIF, THERE'S ALREADY SUBSTANTIAL ACCESS TO, UM, SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY THAT USES THE PRESERVE THROUGH THE SMALLER MINOR COLLECTORS THAT EXIST. AND FRANKLY, IT'S NOT FAIR TO THOSE THAT HAVE PLANNED AND WORKED FOR OVER 30 YEARS TO CREATE THIS CONNECTED CONTIGUOUS HABITAT. YOU GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP, UH, THE KATY PRAIRIE PRESERVE. IT'S A GEM AND WE APPLAUD THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADOPT THE AMENDMENTS AND WE HOPE THAT YOU TOO CAN BE PART OF THAT TO LOOK BACK AT THIS MOMENT WITH PRIDE THAT YOU DID YOUR PART TO CONSERVE THIS LAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO? OKAY. WELL, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT MAKING A MOTION ON ANYTHING TODAY, BUT I KNOW I SPEAK FOR THIS ENTIRE COMMISSION WHEN I SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. UM, WE DO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CONSERVANCY AND, UM, YOU GUYS ARE WORKING HARD AND HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR DECADES AND WE APPRECIATE YOU. OKAY, MOVING ON TO NEXT STEPS. SO NEXT STEPS IN THE MTFP PROCESS. STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH THE APPLICANTS AND AGENCIES IN PREPARATION OF FOR THE NEXT MEETING. UM, PLANNING COMMISSION WILL THEN ACT ON EACH AMENDMENT REQUEST AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING. THAT'S ON SEPTEMBER 3RD. IT'S SCHEDULED AT 1:00 PM HERE AT THE CITY HALL ANNEX, LOCATED AT 900 BAGBY STREET. THE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL THEN BE FORWARDED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ACTION BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHICH WILL THEN CONCLUDE THIS YEAR'S MTFB AMENDMENT PROCESS. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. UH, ROMAN NUMERAL FIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. DO I HAVE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY, THEN WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 1:47 PM THANK YOU EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.