Over the last 18 months, the City of Houston Planning Commission has convened a half dozen working subcommittees. I was recently invited to serve as one of the neighborhood representatives on the Mobility subcommittee. The committees are assigned to
“consider and propose policies that support a sound quality of life and sustainable growth for Houston, and where appropriate, to recommend methods for turning those policies into actionable programs or ordinances.”
Yesterday, we advanced changes that — if adopted — will facilitate more meaningful public involvement in the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP) amendment process. Since the MTFP targets roads for expansion, neighborhoods can be very interested in the process. The plan is amended each year; but until now, citizens had little visibility to the process and limited opportunity to affect the plan.
Key elements of the improved process include new:
- pre-submittal meetings where applicants can consult with Planning & Development staff (January)
- informal workshops for applicants to discuss proposed changes with Planning Commission members (May)
- public open house(s) for citizens to review and discuss applications (June)
These will all be new, earlier opportunities for ordinary Houstonians to learn more about proposed road expansions and affect them. These sessions will be in addition to the formal public hearings held each July and August, prior to Planning Commission and City Council action.
These changes will increase public involvement in road planning, which neighborhoods have been clamoring for. It’s up to the Planning Commission to adopt them. I think they should; let me know what you think in CTC’s forums.