During the June 7 Livable Places Action Committee Meeting, the Committee discussed changes to reserves (non-residential land uses) that are typically found within residential subdivisions. Subdivisions can use reserves for guest parking, but there is no current requirement on how that parking is placed to maximize usability. Additional requirements were discussed to make them safer by not interfering with sidewalks and being easier for drivers to enter and back out of.

Planning Department staff also presented a change to a previous recommendation that would allow market-based parking to be extended within a 1/2-mile of METRO bus stops that have bus service at least every 30 minutes for 18 or more hours per day that also are located within an Opportunity Zone. Market-based parking allows property owners to have flexibility on parking requirements.

The Committee is considering greater flexibility when homes are located near the METRO light rail, transit stations, high-comfort bike paths, and high-frequency bus stops.

Please visit LetsTalkHouston.org to review and submit your comments on the Overall Houston Recommendations.

Next month, the Committee will continue to discuss different reserve standards and multifamily requirements. The next meeting will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12. View meeting details at www.letstalkhouston.org/livable-places

Boynton Chapel United Methodist Church, located at 2812 Milby Street in the Third Ward, was recently approved as a protected landmark. The landmark designation research and report were contributed by Walker Shores, a University of Houston graduate student who interned with the Historic Preservation team. The Boynton Chapel Methodist Church is a modernist community-centered chapel located on the corner of Tuam and Milby, just a few blocks north of the University of Houston campus.

The chapel was designed and constructed by renown African American architect John S. Chase in 1957. Chase largely built his career on designing churches for African American communities, and went on to claim numerous "first" honors, including being the first African American licensed to practice architecture in Texas, the first

African American architect from Texas to be elevated to the American Institute of Architecture College of Fellows, and the first African American to serve on the United States Commission on Fine Arts.

Characteristic of Chase’s works, Boynton Chapel makes explicit room for community service functions. The chapel also features a wealth of natural lighting that illuminates wood-framed stained glass rectangular panels. Unique to his work are eight cross-shaped skylights over the altar, providing so much light that until recent renovations, no interior lights were necessary during the daylight hours. These sets of windows and skylights were framed by one final cross-shaped window behind the altar, facing east to catch the rising sunlight during morning service. Read the full landmark designation report. Learn more about protected landmarks.