From City Hall Annex, it's the Planning Commission meeting right here on HDB.

Okay, you ready, Wilson?

Okay.

Um, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for your patience.

I'm gonna turn the mic over to Miss Mickelson so she can update you on our technical difficulties.

Who knew this was a legal issue?

Um yeah, we we are or may continue to experience 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.

Though we don't have hard copies, I think we're gonna use one of the tablets.

So I think we can proceed.

This may persist, though, into the 230 meeting, just an alert, and everyone in HTV and HIS 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 do the same.

Very good.

Okay.

So it is 115 p.m.

on Thursday, August 21st.

I'll call this meeting to order.

My name is Lisa Clark.

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 one minute.

New speakers are timed for two.

To establish a quorum of 11.

I'll call the roll.

Chair Clark is here.

Vice Chair Garza.

Present.

Vice Chair, excuse me, Commissioner Baldwin is absent.

Commissioner Colvard.

Present.

Commissioner Heis is absent.

Commissioner Heinz.

Present.

Commissioner Jones.

Jones present.

Commissioner Khalig.

Colleague present.

Commissioner Madez.

Commissioner Porce Pertle.

Poris Purple present.

Commissioner Commissioner Rosenberg.

Present.

Commissioner Siegler.

Sigler present.

Commissioner Tahir.

Commissioner Victor.

Victor President.

Commissioner Viera Bland.

Vierabland present.

Commissioner Montepaca.

Montepaca present.

And Secretary Von Tran.

Tran present.

15.

Okay, we have a quorum.

We have 15 members present.

All right.

I will ask the for the director's report.

Director Tran.

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.

Or you can call Development Services Planner of the Day at 832-393-6624.

Our website is Houston Planning.com.

This concludes my report.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we'll proceed on to the next item, but I want to let you know that um we are going to hear from staff.

I'll call for speakers.

If you haven't signed up, you can come forward and state your name.

Excuse me.

There is no planning commission action today.

We're simply having a work workshop to introduce this year's major thoroughfare and freeway plan items.

Okay.

So we will move along now, Mr.

Wilson, to make sure that's working.

Yes.

Thank you.

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 MTF application update meeting.

Next slide.

Uh this is today's agenda.

We'll see.

We made the computer maybe working now.

Give us a second here.

Okay, we're gonna we'll make it work.

Okay, this is this slide right now.

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.

Next slide.

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.

Next slide.

This is our timeline.

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 will be the recommendation meeting.

And now I'll present the three items on today's agenda.

Next slide.

The first amendment is item C, Cypress North Houston Road West of 1960.

Slide.

This application is located in Northwest Harris County along Highway 249 and includes portions in both our ETJ and within our city limits.

Slide.

The application is broken into 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 as submitted for this specific amendment.

Next slide.

The second amendment is to reclassify Ceylon 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.

Next slide.

This view shows the difficulty of building a bridge to connect Salon and Green's Road over an existing drainage channel.

This level of investment would require a major thoroughfare designation and traffic volumes that would accompany that.

Next slide.

Next slide.

This is a picture of Mills Road at Greens Road.

This is where the MTFP would be deleted starting from here going west.

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 TexAd 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 let's move on then to F.

The next item is F Chimney Rock Road.

Next slide.

Chimney Rock Road is located within city limits near the galleria area.

Next slide.

This request uh regards chimney rock specifically between San Felipe and Westheimer.

Uh the request was submitted in order to uh permit traffic calming measures on this corridor.

Next slide.

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 a city traffic engineer, the traffic volumes are excessive for these trite types of street calming measures.

Um we found that there is uh vehicular 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 Councilmember Huffman's office and uh Houston Public Works to identify what things are possible.

We have pictured uh one option would be a speed limit sign with integrated radar, uh potential painted crosswalks, also increased traffic enforcement in the area.

Uh next slide.

We love that.

Yes, that is done.

Sorry, to go back to the previous slide.

Um I also wanted to state that for the public 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 members' office to identify um you know what is the best treatment for this corridor.

This concludes staff presentation.

Thank you.

Commissioner Rosenberg, did you have questions?

Yeah.

Um the the traffic volume is of what it is is kind of a raise my interest even in more.

I mean, we're basically saying vehicles have a higher priority on this street than people do.

And um, I do think that is um in our purview.

Um public right-of-way, the usage of this space, um, demonstrated safety hazards, history of um uh incidents.

Um agree making too many rock and mogul course isn't obviously the right thing, but um I do think basing the case that there's too many cars um is exactly their point and the reason for the application.

Um 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 anything related to that.

But um, you know.

Thanks.

Thank you, Commissioner Rosenberg.

I'm not sure that he said that we aren't going to do anything.

I think what he said was that the councilmember's office, Mr.

Uh Calvert 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.

Yeah, I agree with you.

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.

Move along to G, East Tidwell.

Thank you.

Item G is East Tidwell Road.

Next slide.

Location is in our ETJ in Eastern Harris County alongside Beltway 8.

Next slide.

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.

Next slide.

The owner of the land is working on developing a commercial site and major thoroughfares of curved radii and reverse curved 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 Pinelander 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 as a new road would be uh installed to the north immediate adjacent edge of their site.

This concludes staff's report.

What precinct of Harris County is that in?

Okay.

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 want to speak specifically to the parks group because they take a uh vehicular access from like a narrow driveway from Pineland, and they would be able to have access directly from the new road that would be constructed.

Very good.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I have no one signed to speak on G East Tidwell.

Is there anyone that wishes to?

Okay.

So let's move along then to our next steps, remember numero three.

Yes.

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.

Thank you.

Yes, that's our next item is public comments, and I do have two speakers.

The first speaker is Marlon Musselman.

Perfect.

Thank you so much.

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 property owner, if the entire 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 Rowan 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 they're only a private road that gets into it.

And uh so that's basically all I have to say about that.

Very good.

We appreciate it.

And I'm sure that uh Mr.

Calvert and his team will work with you and and make sure your comments are heard.

Our next speaker is Danny Wynne.

Good afternoon.

Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak.

And I appreciate your services.

Uh I'm a property owner in this area, and I'm here to support my property neighbors, Mr.

M Muslim uh Musman.

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 that putting that street back not only is helpful for his properties, but for the property in the whole areas.

Property is meaningless, value value less 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 provide 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 Ben towway is crazy with all the traffic and on highway six and an FM521.

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.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

I have no one else signed to speak.

Is there anyone else that wishes to Madam Chair?

Yes.

Removing the major thoroughfare doesn't mean that there won't be roads.

It's just simply the this pattern.

As property would be developed, roads will be connected.

It just did 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.

Land will be developed.

There will be whether local street, uh collector road, whatever the case may be, the intent is simply here to remove the major thoroughfare designation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, Commissioner Risenberg.

And remind me of the justification for removing the Sure.

So uh this site uh along that western portion particular has several uses that are like a large TV antennas that we do not expect to be redeveloped.

Um there are some as 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 to the east side.

Um the applicant is actually here if you would like to hear more about the specific request.

Um I don't believe that we can do that.

Ah, just my apologies.

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.

So I advise you to it will be on the next agenda.

That's correct.

And we'll have a full final report as well.

Yes, any other questions, Commissioners?

Okay.

Then we are adjourned at 1 32 p.m.

Thank you.

Okay.