Houston Planning Commission 2026 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Amendments Public Hearing – July 23, 2026

The Houston Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 23, 2026, at the City Hall Annex to receive comments on seven proposed amendments to the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP). Chair Lisa Clark presided with 11 commissioners present, establishing a quorum. No votes were taken; the meeting served as a workshop to gather public input before staff updates on August 20 and commission action on September 3, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Amendment 3B (Barker Cypress Road) – Jerome Butch Egan, a landowner on Grant Road, opposed the proposed deletion, stating that his earlier offer of a 100-foot strip for the road was now being expanded to take additional land and damage his fish pond. Jigmeet Mon, owner of a nearby 15-acre property, requested more time to assess the impact. The applicant, Murzan al Walla (REGA Engineering), stated that the requested deletion would address the property concerns by removing the major thoroughfare designation.
• Amendment 3F (Vicksburg Boulevard) – Perdita Chavez, Chief of Staff for Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex Tatum, noted that the Mayor Pro Tem’s office shared information with neighboring communities (Quail Run, Quail Glen, and Fort Bend Houston Super Neighborhood) and that the Quail Run HOA president intended to meet with the applicant on July 14. Gerald Grissom (BGE) confirmed that the meeting took place on April 14, 2026, with the Quail Run Community Association.
• Amendment 3G (Coastal Prairie Conservancy) – A large group of speakers supported the CPC’s request to delete, realign, or reclassify major thoroughfares across its 20,000-acre protected area:
  • Mary Ann Piacincini (President and CEO of CPC) emphasized that the lands are permanently conserved, not awaiting development, and urged the commission to align the MTFP with conservation goals. She stated, “Lands won’t be developed, so the roadway alignments based on future urbanization do not reflect reality.”
  • Stephen Gast (supported CPC) described the Katy Prairie’s biodiversity and warned that roads would fragment habitat and increase roadkill, citing river otters on the prairie.
  • Jim Luke (Waller and Luke families, landowners of 2,200 acres) asked for no roads through his family’s property, which includes wildlife, hiking trails, and 50,000 planted oak trees.
  • Mark Ely (ranch manager and biologist for Sandhill Farm/Tucker family, 7,400 acres) listed negative impacts of roads: habitat loss, fragmentation, wildlife mortality, and pollution. He supported all CPC amendments.
  • Felicia Zayner (geologist and Texas Master Naturalist) presented spatial and hydraulic analysis showing that 156 acres of land would be impacted, losing 38 million gallons of infiltration and adding 7.3 million gallons of runoff during a six-inch rain event, a 54% increase over native prairie baseline.
  • Kristen Lucas (Houston resident) expressed gratitude for preserved land and supported CPC.
  • Kelly Warren Jewart (co-owner, Warren Ranch, fifth generation) opposed widening Eagle Mound Road and extending Jack Road onto the ranch, citing loss of grazing land, safety concerns for livestock, and disruption of a historic family operation. She noted an abandoned gypsum mine shaft in the area.
  • Juliet Jewart Warren (sixth generation) appealed to preserve the land for future generations.
  • Elisa Donovan (CPC) argued that traffic should be routed around the preserve, not through it, and that keeping quiet country roads benefits nearby development.
  • Jeremy Katusak (general speaker) urged the commission to take a holistic view, noting that small additions can lead to greater expansions.

Discussion Items

Staff presented each proposed amendment as a factual project description; commissioners did not deliberate or ask substantive questions. The amendments are:

• 2A (Gulfton Connector Busway) – Metro proposes reclassifying three streets (Chimney Rock Road, Gulfton Street, Hillcroft Avenue) to transit corridor to support a 4.1-mile dedicated busway with seven stations. Located in city limits.
• 3B (Barker Cypress Road) – Applicant seeks to delete 9,873 ft of Barker Cypress Road (major thoroughfare) and 3,326 ft of a minor collector due to floodplain, utility easements, and parkland constraints. In ETJ.
• 3C (Kerr Myre Road) – Meta proposes deleting 5,200 ft of unimproved major thoroughfare to allow data center expansion, citing low trip generation on alternative routes. In ETJ, rapid development nearby.
• 3D (Mason Road) – Meta requests realignment of Mason Road (major thoroughfare) to correct mapping errors and avoid a 460-foot jog and bridge construction over Bear Creek floodway. In ETJ.
• 3E (South Ridge Road) – Meta proposes deleting a 4,850-foot minor collector (partially constructed) to develop 321 acres for light industrial use, arguing it avoids mixing industrial and school traffic. Near multiple schools. In ETJ.
• 3F (Vicksburg Boulevard) – Applicant seeks deletion of 1,700 ft of major thoroughfare due to two TV antennas and because Fort Bend County removed it from its plan in April 2025. In ETJ.
• 3G (Coastal Prairie Conservancy) – CPC requests reclassification, realignment, or deletion of all major thoroughfares within its ~20,000-acre protected area to align transportation planning with permanent conservation. In ETJ (Harris/Waller counties).

Key Outcomes

• No motions or votes were taken. The public hearing is part of the annual MTFP amendment process.
• Staff will coordinate with applicants and agencies and present updates at a meeting on August 20, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the City Hall Annex.
• The Planning Commission will act on each amendment on September 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the City Hall Annex.
• Final recommendations will be forwarded to City Council for action by September 30, 2026.