The Planning and Development Department recommends City Council approve 115 amendments to the 2019 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP), as submitted in Attachment 1, and authorize publication of the 2020 MTFP map, as submitted in Attachment 2.
The Planning & Development Department (P&D) is responsible for administering an annual public review process for amending the MTFP, which includes multiple opportunities for soliciting and incorporating public comments. This year, P&D reviewed one hundred nineteen (119) proposed amendments. Eleven (11) amendments were submitted by private sector applicants, four (4) by public sector applicants, including one (1) from Harris County, one (1) from Waller County, and two (2) from the City of Houston. The City of Houston grouped their amendments together; the Southeast Houston Mobility Plan incorporated 48 separate amendments and the Downtown/Midtown request incorporated 56 separate amendments, for a total of 104 City proposed Amendments. There were four (4) amendments that were subsequently withdrawn by the applicants: two (2) from the private sector and two (2) from the public sector. Three amendments were deferred for further review and consideration. These amendments are listed below:
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Russell Drive: Staff recommended to delete Russell Drive and designate portions of Vick Drive, Post Oak Lane and Strickland Drive, as minor collector streets on the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan. This was a City proposed alternative to enhance mobility throughout the area.
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Pecan Estates/Street A: Staff recommended to realign the minor collector Street A along Hurta Road on the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan. The City proposed this alternative to reduce the necessity of acquiring property and to address flooding concerns in the area.
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South Wayside: The Planning Commission approved the deletion of the South Wayside Major Thoroughfare from Airport Boulevard to Orem Drive and approved its realignment along the local road from Carson to Martindale as requested by the applicant. However, due to the applicant’s request for a reduced centerline radius from 2000’ to 500’, the Planning Commission modified the applicant’s right-of-way request from 80’ to 100’. This modification was imposed by the Commission to ensure that the alignment was safe and complied with the minimum standard of the overall design.
After careful consideration, the Planning Commission recommends City Council approve one hundred fifteen (115) of the one hundred nineteen (119) proposed amendments. The 2020 MTFP annual amendment review process included the following:
- A pre-application meeting with applicants, a thorough review of all applications by P&D staff, and coordination with agency stakeholders, including Houston Public Works, METRO, Harris County Flood Control District and Harris County Engineering Department (January 13, 2020 – February 28, 2020).
- A workshop with the Planning Commission for preliminary review and discussion about the applications (May 14, 2020).
- A public open house was scheduled for April 29, 2020; however, it was cancelled due to COVID-19 (The Open House is not required by City Ordinance).
- A public hearing before the City of Houston’s Planning Commission (June 4, 2020).
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A Planning Commission discussion and vote on 112 of the 115 amendments (July 16, 2020).
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A Planning Commission discussion and vote on three (3) deferred amendments including, Russell Drive, Street A/Pecan Estates, and South Wayside (August 20, 2020).
Background
The City of Houston Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP) identifies transportation corridor alignments and establishes the required rights-of-way for major roadways in the City and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Chapter 33, Article IX (Section 33-374) of the Code of Ordinances requires that the Planning Commission prepare and submit the MTFP annually to City Council. In developing the annual amendments to the MTFP, the Commission may consider deleting, realigning, reclassifying streets designated on the plan. The Commission may also consider adding one or more streets to the plan. An amendment approved by the Planning Commission is not effective until the MTFP is approved by City Council.
The MTFP was initially adopted in 1942, as a way to plan for and preserve a long-term transportation network that would support the rapidly growing city. In 1966, the plan was expanded to include the ETJ. Today, the MTFP utilizes street classifications identifying the preferred right-of-way (ROW) width dimensions, as well as the rules governing development along the ROW. Classifications include Freeways/Tollways, Major Thoroughfares, Transit Corridor Streets, Collector Streets (Major Collectors and Minor Collectors), and Local Streets. The MTFP is important for the following reasons:
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It identifies long-term roadway needs for Houston and the ETJ;
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It ensures that development and re-development activities dedicate adequate roadway right-of-way to maintain a well-connected street network as the area grows;
- It helps govern development that takes place along each of the specific classifications on the map;
- It provides a coordinated plan that is used by public agencies when making decisions related to transportation within the City of Houston and its ETJ;
- MTFP classifications are used within HPW’s Infrastructure Design Manual (IDM) to define how roads will be designed and constructed; and
- It provides officials and the general public useful information when making land acquisition decisions.
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Margaret Wallace Brown, AICP, CNU-A
Director
Planning and Development Department