Welcome to the City of Houston's
Planning & Development Department
Monthly Planner Newsletter
Please scroll below to view what's new in the Planning Department.
Please scroll below to view what's new in the Planning Department.
I am deeply honored to tell you that on October 9, the Houston City Council confirmed Mayor Turner’s appointment of me to be the new Director of Houston’s Planning & Development Department.
I am grateful for this opportunity to continue working every day for the city I love. Houston is an amazing gumbo of energy, ideas and passions where anything is possible. I marvel every day at you, who are strong advocates for your communities. Whether you’re a native, someone who like me was brought here as a child or someone who chose to make Houston your home as an adult, you are what makes Houston strong. And, you are great partners for our team in Planning.
I am proud of the work that we have already accomplished. Efforts such as Plan Houston (2015), the Houston Bike Plan (2017), the Heights Historic District Design Guidelines (2018) and the first round of Complete Community Action Plans (2018) are just a few examples of our ability to work collaboratively and improve Houston.
As I look to the future, I am excited about the possibilities before us. We have a lot to do together. We must find better mobility solutions for all Houstonians, regardless of how they traverse our city. We must find a way to increase opportunities for Houstonians of all means to find a safe and attainable home in their choice of neighborhoods. And we must build up, not out in order to maximize the investment we’ve made in our urban core.
Together, we can accomplish all this and more.
Sincerely,
Margaret Wallace Brown
City of Houston
Planning & Development Director
There are many roads, intersections and underpasses across the City of Houston that are prone to flooding in the event of heavy rainfall. The Office of Emergency Management has compiled a list of such roads that are prone to flooding. This list was recently published by ABC 13 News.
Our GIS Group created the featured map from that data, to show where those vulnerable intersections and underpasses are located.
To view this map, click here. To view more maps, click here.
Vision Zero Houston is a commitment to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and improve mobility for all Houstonians who drive, walk, bike, use a wheelchair, and take public transit. The new executive committee met on October 15.
The Vision Zero Executive Committee's role is to provide leadership and direction to City staff and partners on the development and implementation of a Vision Zero Action Plan.
Vision Zero Executive Committee responsibilities include:
· Develop and implement a Vision Zero Action Plan, which will consist of actions to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and improve mobility for all people using Houston roadways and sidewalks, especially our most vulnerable users such as people walking, biking, and using a wheelchair
· Consider and review information and recommendations provided by the Vision Zero Task Force and stakeholders:
· Make executive-level decisions, as well as recommendations to the Mayor and City Council, which will shift the way we think about traffic safety: that no loss of life is acceptable, that traffic deaths are preventable, and that people deserve beautiful streets that are safe and accessible, and
· Suggest changes and necessary adaptations to be made to our city streets and city policies that will ensure that the streets created, designed and reconstructed are safer, for all users, of all ages and all abilities.
The City's goal, to reduce all fatal crashes on roadways by 2030, is underway with the establishment of the Executive Committee of Vision Zero.
Several committees are also being formed to share to planning load. Click here for more details.
Mark your calendars! Join Mayor Sylvester Turner, City staff and community representatives to kick off Complete Communities meetings in Alief, Fort Bend Houston, Kashmere Gardens, Magnolia Park – Manchester, and Sunnyside.
Alief
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Elisk Ninth Grade Center,
6767 S. Dairy Ashford Street, 77072
Fort Bend Houston
Tuesday, October 29, 6 – 7:30 pm
Willowridge High School,
16301 Chimney Rock Rd, 77053
Kashmere Gardens
Tuesday, October 8, 6 - 7:30 pm
Kashmere Gardens Multi-Service Center,
4802 Lockwood Dr, 77026
Magnolia Park – Manchester
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Community Family Centers,
J P McGovern Sports and Recreation Center,
7318 Avenue F, 77011
Sunnyside
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Mt Hebron Baptist Church Main Building - Cafeteria
7817 Calhoun Rd at Teton, 77033
Mayor Turner envisions a city where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive where they live. To facilitate this vision, the Complete Communities initiative aims to improve neighborhoods so that all of Houston's residents and business owners can have access to quality services and amenities.
Attend your neighborhood meeting to share the vision of what you want to see in your community! Your input and plans will help define what makes your neighborhood a Complete Community. For more information, click here.
Have you begun noticing census workers in your neighborhood?
It's a normal part of preparations for the 2020 Census.Visit www.2020census.gov for more information.
This new census web site has information including:
· How you can verify someone is a census worker.
· Why census workers are out in communities.
· How you can avoid repeat visits from census takers.
In Houston, the United States Census Bureau recently promoted a local media event to create awareness of the importance of a complete census count for the City and the County.
The U.S. Census Bureau's regional office hosted its 2020 Census Area Census Office Kickoff and Recruiting Fair on October 19 at The African Library of the Gregory School. The guest speakers were Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Cathy Lacy U.S. Census Bureau Regional Director, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Shannon Cobb-Evans, Chairwoman of the Board, Houston Association of Realtors.
Be counted as part of the Community. Participating in the Census 2020 is a way to be recognized. For more information, click here.
