April 2024

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All proceedings of the following public commissions, board and committee will be conducted in- person only. This applies to the Historic Preservation Appeals Board starting on May 6, the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission on May 9, and Planning Commission and MTFP meetings on May 16. The Bicycle Advisory Committee began in-person meetings on April 24.

All meetings will adhere to the previously stated schedules and location. For more information, please check the calendar on houstonplanning.com. Anyone wanting to provide comments may continue to do so in person or via email, phone or mail. To watch a live broadcast, please visit www.houstontx.gov/htv.

The Planning & Development Department administers an annual public review process for amending the City's Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP). The process includes multiple opportunities for soliciting and incorporating public comments. 

The first MTFP Workshop will be held in person at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16 at the City Hall Annex, 900 Bagby St. Applicants will present their requests to the Planning Commission. For more information visit the MTFP website.

Neighborhood Resilience Planning engagement efforts for Greater Inwood, Braeburn and Greater Fifth Ward are complete, and the full reports will be available online in the coming weeks. Visit letstalkhouston.org/nrp and subscribe for updates at bit.ly/planning_signup.

Shown at right: Planning and Development Department staff received valuable input from the Braeburn community at a Neighborhood Resilience Planning meeting in March.

You can stay informed about development activity in your community by subscribing to the Plat and Permit Activity Reports. The bi-weekly Plat Report provides information about plats, replats, variances, and special exceptions to be considered by Planning Commission at their next scheduled meeting. The spreadsheet can be sorted in several ways, allowing you to search by subdivision, zip code, Council District and more. The Permit Activity Report uses data from Houston Public Works to inform residents about additional activity in their neighborhoods. It provides information about any new construction, remodeling, or change-of-use permits. Learn more: bit.ly/3RuPYFa

The Historic Preservation team from left to right: Front row: Charles Sadler, Jason Lilienthal, Cara Quigley, Terrance Jackson, Samantha de Leon. Second row: Yasmin Arslan, Taylor Valley, Back row: Roman McAllen. Not Pictured: Nicole Broussard.

For National Historic Preservation Month, we are shining the light on our Houston Office of Preservation, a team of nine planners and department leaders who are committed to safeguarding the stories that make our city unique, honoring the past and shaping the future of Houston's historic landscape. Did you know that Houston has 24 historic districts, 302 landmarks, and 172 protected landmarks. Last year alone, the team collaborated with the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission to designate 12 protected landmarks, advance 233 Certificates of Appropriateness and select 6 Conservation District pilot neighborhoods. Learn more at houstontx.gov/planning/HistoricPres/.

May is Bike Month! We encourage everyone to go experience our high-comfort bike lanes and trails. Look out for changes to houstonbikeplan.org where we’ll share upcoming events and tips to empower Houstonians to organize rides to work, school, and more. 

We are in the process of finalizing our Plat Tracker systems-wide updates and improvements. The new development application portal is expected to go live this summer. Stay tuned at plattracker.houstontx.gov and subscribe for news updates at bit.ly/planning_signup .