Houston Planning Commission 2026 MTFP Amendment Workshop (May 14, 2026)
Houston Planning Commission 2026 MTFP Amendment Workshop - May 14, 2026
The Houston Planning Commission held a workshop on May 14, 2026, to review proposed amendments to the 2026 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP). No votes or decisions were made; the meeting served as a public hearing for applicants to present their requests. The meeting was chaired by Lisa Clark and included presentations on seven amendment proposals. The meeting adjourned at 1:46 p.m., though the transcript opens with "It is 11 p.m.", likely a transcription error.
Discussion Items
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Item 1 - Timeline and MTFP Overview: Staff planner Jeff Butler presented the timeline for the amendment process, including a virtual open house on June 10, 2026 (6-7 p.m.), a public hearing on July 23, 2026 (1 p.m.), an update meeting on August 20, 2026 (1 p.m.), and a final vote by the Planning Commission on September 3, 2026. City Council action is expected by September 30, 2026. Butler explained the MTFP map and street classifications (freeways, principal/major thoroughfares, collectors, transit corridors).
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Item 2 - Golfton Connector Busway (Metro): Amak Ovana of METRO requested designation of a transit corridor along Chimney Rock Road, Golfton Street, and Hillcroft Avenue for a 4.1-mile busway with eight stations. The designation would facilitate transit-oriented development and support grant applications.
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Item 3 - Barker Cypress and Proposed North-South Minor Collector: Murtaza Nalwala (Riga Engineering) requested deletion of two MTFP designations: a major thoroughfare (Barker Cypress from Grand Parkway to Grant Road) and a minor collector (north-south segment from Butorax Road to Kidsman Road). Reasons cited include physical infeasibility due to a floodway, conflicts with pipeline and drainage easements, network redundancy, and low traffic projections. The applicant plans a low-impact gated residential community.
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Item 4 - Kermir Road: Jennifer Curtis (Meta Planning and Design) requested deletion of a one-mile segment of Kermir Road (T-4-100 major thoroughfare) between Betka Road and Beatty Road. Rationale: redundant grid spacing (half-mile from Warren Ranch Road), existing collector to the south, and a planned data center development requiring 24/7 security. A traffic impact analysis (TIA) found the data center would contribute at most half the trips of single-family use and only 9% of total area traffic. The developer committed to over $1 million in off-site improvements (two traffic signals, three left-turn lanes).
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Item 5 - Mason Road: Ripley Woodard (Meta Planning and Design) requested realignment of a one-mile unbuilt segment of Mason Road between FM 529 and West Little York Road. The realignment would match approved general plans (GPs) for adjacent tracts, after coordination with Harris County Precinct 4 and developers.
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Item 6 - South Ridge Road: Jacob Guerrero (Meta Planning and Design) requested deletion of a one-mile mapped alignment between Ella Boulevard and Kirkendal Road. The alignment overlaps existing pipeline infrastructure (Copano Field Services/Kinder Morgan) and would require condemnation and relocation. The road offers little benefit as surrounding areas have adequate access via Ella Boulevard.
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Item 7 - Vicksburg Boulevard: Gerald Grissom (BGE) requested deletion of Vicksburg Boulevard (original Hillcroft alignment) from the MTFP. Fort Bend County removed it from their thoroughfare plan in April 2025. Missouri City development has terminated Vicksburg in a roundabout, eliminating any regional connection.
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Item 8 - Coastal Prairie Conservancy (CPC): Mary Ann Piacentini (President and CEO of CPC) requested multiple amendments on behalf of the Katy Prairie Preserve (20,000 acres, 3x larger than Memorial Park). Requests include: downgrading Mound, Sharp, Abear, Jack, and Warren Ranch Roads from major thoroughfare to minor collector (60-ft, two-lane); deleting extensions of Jack Road, Warren Ranch Road, Kickapoo, Schliff, and FM 2855; and realigning portions of Mound Road, Kickapoo, and FM 2855 onto non-conservation lands. CPC argues these lands are permanently conserved and provide ecological, flood mitigation, and community benefits.
Key Outcomes
- No votes or decisions were taken; this was a workshop for informational purposes.
- Staff will notify affected property owners by the end of May 2026.
- Next meetings: Virtual open house on June 10, 2026; public hearing on July 23, 2026; update meeting on August 20, 2026; Planning Commission vote on September 3, 2026; City Council action by September 30, 2026.
Note that the transcript begins with "It is 11 p.m." but the meeting adjourned at 1:46 p.m., indicating a likely transcription error.
Meeting Transcript
It is 11 p.m. on Thursday, May 14th, 2026. My name is Lisa Clark. I'm the chair of the Houston Planning Commission, and I'm calling this meeting to order as 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. I don't think the consent and repeat doesn't count now. To establish a quorum of 11 members, I'll call the roll. Chair Clark is present. Vice Chair Garza. Present. Commissioner Baldwin. Present. Commissioner Ballard. Present. Commissioner Heinz. Heinz present. Commissioner Jones. Commissioner Matez. Commissioner Pierce. Commissioner Shepard. Present. Commissioner Sykes. Commissioner Victor. And Director Von Tran. Present. We have 12 members. So we have a quorum. Now I'll call for the director's report. Director Tran. Commission members, staff, and the public. I am Von Tran, Secretary of this Commission and Director of the Planning and Development Department. Welcome. Thank you all for attending the MTFP. Our first uh presentation to the public. And uh so we really appreciate you taking time uh to be here today and seeing us through the process. Uh just a reminder the meeting rules for today will follow the standard procedures used in the typical planning uh commission meetings uh with one exception. Applicants will have five minutes for their opening statements instead of the th uh the usual three minutes. From members of the public, if you have not yet signed up to speak on an item, uh please uh get with the staff at the front desk. They will assist you with completing the speaker's form. In closing, for assistance uh with the planning department, you can call 832-393-6600. You can also reach the planner of the day by calling 832-393-6624. And of course, our website. Uh, you can visit our website at Houston Planning.com. This concludes my report. Thank you. Thank you. Our next item on the agenda is agenda is item one, our timeline. Um, but I also want to let you all know that after we hear from staff, I'll call for speakers at that time. We're not taking any action today. This is just a workshop.
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