September 2023

The Planning & Development team celebrated the culmination of three years of research, discussions, community engagement and collaboration after City Council approved the Livable Places-related amendments to portions of the City’s residential development code on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

The changes to Chapters 42 and 26 will expand the types of homes that are built to meet the needs of all Houstonians. They incentivize smaller neighborhood-scale homes such as garage apartments, courtyard style developments and other developments of eight units or less. They also incentivize residential development that improves walkability and creates safer pedestrian spaces.

Over the last three years, the Department has encouraged active public engagement through online and in-person community and development industry-specific meetings, presentations and public hearings. Staff sought feedback through the online forum, multiple surveys, mapping activities, videos and social media outreach. 

“At its heart, the Livable Places initiative was a public engagement process, and it sparked important conversations. My team has met with dozens of neighborhoods over the past months, and we are proud and excited to begin implementing the changes,” said Planning and Development Department Director Margaret Wallace Brown. 

Read the full press release.

Property owners in the market to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) now have access to a free set of design plans courtesy of the Planning and Development Department’s 

ADU|HOU Design Competition. The plans for “Double House,” a detached secondary unit, have gone through preliminary review by Houston Public Works but may require additional steps for permitting and construction. Download the Double House design set for free.

"These plans are the finale to a two-year project that drew talent from the design community to make a difference in Houston's availability of affordable housing options,” said Director Margaret Wallace Brown. “By making these plans freely available, we are giving property owners a jump start in planning their own accessory dwelling unit project."

Additional requirements may include submitting plans for review, obtaining required permits, developing a site plan, paying applicable permitting fees, and scheduling periodic inspections. Additional design work may differ based on site specific conditions. All submissions must abide by current codes and ordinances. You may need to consult with an architect, engineer and/or developer to complete the process.

Funded by a 2021 AARP Community Challenge grant, the Accessory Dwelling Unit book, the ADU|HOU Design Competition and ADU workshops are related to the ongoing Livable Places initiative. The plans were designed by Adam Berman and Siobhan Finlay, Master of Architecture students, who participated in the HOU | ADU competition as part of a graduate studio at Rice Architecture.



Read the full press release.

City Council approved a maximum of $500,000 and authorized the Planning and Development Department to work with Houston Bike Share on a transition plan to prevent a previously announced shut-down of the Houston BCycle Program. As a result of the City's actions, Houston's bike riders can rely on the BCycle program for their transportation needs until METRO rolls out their bike share system. 

A public meeting was held on Tuesday, Sept. 19 to discuss the creation of a Conservation District in Independence Heights. A full room of participants provided feedback on proposed criteria and a proposed map. Letters will be mailed to affected property owners within the boundary in advance of a second public meeting tentatively scheduled for Oct. 17.

View the Sept. 19 presentation slides and visit Let's Talk Houston for future updates.

The Houston Vision Zero High Injury Network (HIN) identifies the 8% of City streets where 58% of our worst crashes occur. One of the top corridors on the HIN is Crosstimbers Street between Yale Street and Hirsch Road (approximately 4.5 miles in length, including 15 signalized intersections). 

The team including staff from Planning & Development, Houston Public Works, Houston Fire Department, as well as District H, METRO, Harris County, Greater Northside Management District, and members of the community. They conducted a Road Safety Audit for Crosstimbers Street, including data analysis, field reviews, and development of safety concepts. The results will be used to apply for funding grants to implement those recommendations.

The Planning & Development Department has completed the process to amend the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP). The Department reviewed 10 proposed MTFP Amendments, three were withdrawn and Planning Commission considered seven. Seven amendments were submitted and approved by City Council and PD has been authorized to publish the 2023 MTFP Map. Next year’s MTFP process will begin in January, keep an eye on our web page for more information.

Congratulations to Alejandra Garcia, a Financial Analyst IV who works in our Planning Finance team. Alex (shown at center above) was among 35 City employees who were recognized during Mayor Turner's State of the City address on Sept. 27. He called out these outstanding municipal workers who have demonstrated dedication and passion for serving the public.

Watch the full State of the City video.