[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6270100,"mediaKeyId","3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0","parentId",3039596,"title","Sugar Land council approves land-use and zoning changes for Imperial Highway 6 Tract H over resident objections","audioSeconds",2660,"startMs",3741000,"endMs",6401000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0&start=3741&end=6401","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0/thumbnail_3741000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6270100/Sugar-Land/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Sugar-Land-council-approves-land-use-and-zoning-changes-for-Imperial-Highway-6-Tract-H-over-resident-objections","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270100-b4573599a3fcecedfc93c6b9d20eab2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111829&Signature=joKu65Qhwx4mvn9mX81OzuOZce66liITwjq5VxeuX6REL4vTqx3DctaNq9jgKx5PG0wJyW7bnW9W3-TV~DkpXXAaDX2O8A084LH1FwiVPSo0y9qubSZypd-4YOtqB3G0R3bQMWoL6Bv4sh0y6EoJeJtQ7zknArqkuw~Ca1Ai8o1aOaa1C~VpzwBrSIGJV4YRv6nA2hNme4DRneOnfGOfcc-Xr1HofMIkoeCobj~Fk9niWWXjixsr5V91Orho0wNxtA8d~eO0LeX1jRYg5TZupSCWb19GKVjE5ohcP97AsQpxqA8YdyYnmnlhxD12Hh2DR3gxdG3OqyOwch~TE6bZBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Sugar Land TX","date","2025-04-17T16:06:25.56Z","article","The Sugar Land City Council voted in first consideration to amend the city’s future land use map and to adopt a planned-development general development plan for roughly 30 acres east of Highway 6 (Tract H), enabling compact residential uses such as townhomes and live-work units alongside commercial space.

Redevelopment planning manager Ruth Lohmer told the council the amendment is a staff-initiated step to allow “compact residential uses” in the Imperial Highway 6 area and to prepare the site in case market demand for housing emerges. She told councilors the city’s housing stock is heavily weighted toward single-family homes and that adding medium-density housing can increase taxable value per acre; she cited an Urban3 analysis that showed medium-density residential producing roughly $4,200,000 in value per acre compared with lower-density uses.

The amendment reallocates the Future Land Use Map designation from Regional Commercial and Services to Neighborhood Activity Center for the tract, which staff said is intended to permit a mix of retail, commercial and compact residential forms. Ruth Lohmer and staff emphasized the process is the policy step; any developer would still need to return with a final development plan and go through public hearings before construction could begin.

Resident Kathy Cortez Richter, who said she lives on a lake that backs the tract, urged the council to delay approval and widen outreach. “When we moved into the neighborhood, that was the community plan… And now all of the sudden, because the city needs more residential, they want to rezone this to make it residential,” she said, adding that the 200-foot notice radius used for the public hearing reached only about 20 homes and did not capture broader neighborhood opinion.

Council members asked staff about outreach and the file history. Ruth Lohmer said staff sent mailed notices to property owners within 200 feet in compliance with state statute, posted a flyer, placed a sign at the location, put materials on Nextdoor and contacted the neighborhood HOA; she also described a March community meeting that drew about 15 attendees. Several council members urged broader outreach in future land-use and zoning items, and one suggested changing the notification radius in the code, noting the state minimum is 200 feet but the city could choose a larger circle for transparency.

The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the matter twice. After an initial 4-4 vote on the general development plan, P&Z sent staff back to the neighborhood; staff removed duplexes and multiplexes from the permitted uses and returned with revised language. The commission ultimately recommended approval with conditions, including a requirement that a minimum of 25% of Tract H be reserved for commercial uses. Staff told the council those P&Z changes were incorporated into the ordinance before first consideration.

Council action: the council approved first consideration of the Future Land Use Map amendment (Ordinance No. 23‑66) by a 5–1 vote and approved first consideration of the Planned Development general development plan for Highway 6, Tract H (Ordinance No. 23‑68) by a 5–1 vote. Councilors and staff repeatedly noted that these are policy and zoning steps and that any specific project still must return to P&Z and council as a final development plan, which will include additional public hearings and project-level details.

Why it matters: Staff said adding compact residential is intended to provide housing variety (for empty nesters, small households and young families), support local businesses and restore a development cycle that feeds property and sales taxes back into city services. Opponents said the change risks breaking earlier expectations made to Imperial area residents and that notification and specific commercial commitments warrant more outreach before final approvals.

The council’s first-consideration votes mean the city has adopted policy and zoning changes that permit a future mix of commercial and compact residential uses on Tract H; the next step for any developer will be a final development plan with site-specific uses, design and a new round of public hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Sugar Land: City Council Meeting - April 15th 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Sugar Land City Council voted in first consideration to amend the future land use map and a planned-development general development plan for roughly 30 acres east of Highway 6 (Tract H), enabling compact residential uses alongside commercial space.","taxTitle","Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, Texas","taxId",2793,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6270090,"Sugar Land approves $1.31 million design contract for new animal shelter and accepts $8,594.62 in donations",4134,3516000,7650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0&start=3516&end=7650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0/thumbnail_3516000.jpg","/articles/6270090/Sugar-Land/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Sugar-Land-approves-131-million-design-contract-for-new-animal-shelter-and-accepts-859462-in-donations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270090-d5a44402e7825526ecebe1822381fa5a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111829&Signature=PskRcTI5TOIUVuIT4txoqsehC~NHwiEYl42MwAKN-6wCL09JqyhKBEYXTJyrQ~GoyTetc237JxASLqBT7sZUot~1TZVvreXuV9272eVPRN1QA2aN7fIx4iny9XMsWPqsrRZx5QQf4T-yx73oLRYDDrDhbaiuDj~z-9TvMRIXIfWlwCvRXEMfhnXgrNF~PqUROYbjgHHfXayPwqXxMm9SQjSnEJbMrBUEqK9fcJlGoSn6wEV5C4g54ZtXzyp~R2ZN-edrN2D5zLoDq24hefJK9V8srbq9aGEJaffJqQwxm20BySbIS14HqVIosobpYXH6ll3Ash1f-9ZUtHqcacdQrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sugar Land City Council authorized a professional services contract for design and construction administration of a new animal shelter and accepted $8,594.62 in monetary donations to support animal services programs.

City staff recommended selection of PGAL Inc. (the design firm listed in the agenda) to provide full design services and construction administration for the planned shelter. Lane Wolf, senior manager of vertical construction, said the team and stakeholder work to date produced a sample program for a 26,000-square-foot facility located at Imperial Park along Highway 90A. The draft program that has guided early design work calls for capacity on the order of 80 dog kennels and 122 cat enclosures, plus associated support spaces. Staff estimated design work through 2025, construction beginning in early 2026 and about a year for construction.

Wolf described the team’s earlier work on programming and said the contract covers schematic design through construction administration; the requested design contract amount presented to council was $1,310,000. Wolf said any remaining design funds will roll into construction as needed.

Separately, Animal Services administrative manager Sandra Stroud presented a list of 37 individual donations totaling $8,594.62 to the shelter donation fund and asked the council to accept the funds formally. Stroud listed donors that included anonymous contributions ($500 and $1,000), donations of $1,000 from Missy's Pet Grooming and Donna Hammond, $750 from Best Friends Animal Society and $681.50 from Attorney Brian Wright, among others. Two donors attended the meeting for recognition: Douglas Kane and Ajit Thakar. Douglas Kane spoke briefly to thank staff and encourage continued support for animal services.

Council members asked whether the new shelter design will include a surgical suite for veterinary procedures. Wolf said an independent veterinary surgical suite was discussed early in planning and was treated as a “want” rather than a “need” and is not included in the current contract; staff said the design phase could reopen that conversation. Wolf also said the city will include stakeholders such as staff and volunteers in the design process.

Council action: the council approved the professional services contract with PGAL Inc. (agenda item 7a) by unanimous vote (6–0) and accepted the donations to the shelter fund (agenda item 5a) by unanimous vote (6–0).

Why it matters: The contract moves the city from program planning to design document preparation; siting at Imperial Park and the stated capacity numbers create an early expectation for the scale of facilities and when the project could reach construction. The donations provide modest near-term operating support for adoption and education programs.","The council authorized a professional design contract for a new City of Sugar Land animal shelter sited at Imperial Park and accepted $8,594.62 in public donations for shelter operations and community education. Staff expects design to proceed in 2025 and construction in 2026.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6270095,"Sugar Land awards sidewalk replacement contract, plans arborist assessments and pilot asphalt trail to address tree-root damage",1136,7596000,8732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0&start=7596&end=8732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3039596-9c7e9db45778bf5da6dabe41074514a0/thumbnail_7596000.jpg","/articles/6270095/Sugar-Land/Fort-Bend-County/Texas/Sugar-Land-awards-sidewalk-replacement-contract-plans-arborist-assessments-and-pilot-asphalt-trail-to-address-tree-root-damage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6270095-9ac2e36e2a3398cbc6cbf3f1847e4616/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111829&Signature=ZnLCxMB1LsN6vGrtDq9WQgOUEMliVkVEqZ~S5kT88Nkref3G0N2WPuMxDD8hwYOenI~OguOiHY1xibD5wBltUb0pKtTdjjZvxGD9DZTytBiZYi2CALgaV8XLqr42wMQdEHyGKP0hvCiIPy17mI9FxBN-aM37LW9~gnOFeVm3Ca7uW~JeWmg0sh04ry-EcpDg7cj0XJnFfXjee2HwUYGr6cu~XoYD9EppFrmbqCLNL~zI~B52Ik9~7f3ayKQZuCo7-eG-mwjJZWey~5ZESJVVxkMmzlwP0BjIZSehFjTfvtAv-ZQtCrWj~Y1FAt7CnjudBB~ZemHbwjjN2LLRbDAtaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Sugar Land authorized a construction contract for sidewalk rehabilitation and replacement and directed staff to begin an expanded program to identify tree-root impacts, hire an arborist, and test alternative temporary materials where mature tree roots cause recurring sidewalk damage.

Assistant Director of Public Works Keisha Seals told the council the city maintains more than 850 miles of sidewalk and has a backlog of roughly 1,700 service requests; after a 2024 assessment staff found about 74 percent of inspected sidewalk panels showed some impact from tree roots. Seals said the council’s Proposition B streets and sidewalks funding will pay for an accelerated program to reduce the backlog and to stand up a formal sidewalk management plan that includes a multi-year prioritization strategy.

The contract award was to Cedrus Paving Services LLC (low bidder). The agenda listed a contract amount of $1,415,825; in the presentation staff described a per-year funding authorization and a renewable multi-year contract structure for up to four additional years. Staff said work would begin in May and that the first round of backlog removals is expected to be completed within about 240 calendar days, weather permitting.

To reduce repeat repairs where roots are the cause, staff will retain an arborist to evaluate trees that are impacting sidewalks and advise whether a tree can be root‑grounded or should be removed. Seals told the council the city will not unilaterally remove private trees; the arborist’s recommendations will guide staff discussions with homeowners and HOAs. For cases where a homeowner or HOA elects not to remove a tree, staff proposed installing temporary surfacing—either asphalt or decomposed granite (DG)—as a short-term walking surface until a permanent solution is decided.

Council members pressed staff on aesthetics and consistency, noting an asphalt overlay may contrast with adjacent concrete driveways and sidewalks. Seals said the pilot will start on a major roadway (Settlers Way) for community feedback and the city will convene neighborhood associations, HOA meetings and block-level outreach. Engineering staff said additional work will be posted on the GO Bond project website and that residents will see marked panels where crews plan repairs.

Council action: the council authorized the construction contract and related program by unanimous vote (6–0). Staff said the contract is renewable and the total multi-year program funding will be managed through the CIP sidewalk project and Proposition B allocations.

Why it matters: City staff described this as a move from a reactive, per-request repairs approach to a proactive management program that pairs sidewalk repairs with arborist guidance to limit repeated repairs caused by tree roots. The pilot materials and an arborist-driven policy are intended to balance resident safety, fiscal stewardship and street-tree preservation.","The council authorized a contract for sidewalk rehabilitation and replacement and approved a program to assess tree impacts, hire an arborist and pilot temporary asphalt or decomposed-granite repairs in locations where mature tree roots repeatedly damage concrete sidewalks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sugar Land council approves land-use and zoning changes for Imperial Highway 6 Tract H over resident objections

Sugar Land approves $1.31 million design contract for new animal shelter and accepts $8,594.62 in donations

Sugar Land awards sidewalk replacement contract, plans arborist assessments and pilot asphalt trail to address tree-root damage