Council approves two light‑industrial rezoning requests along South Persimmon Street

TOMBALL, Texas — The Tomball City Council on July 21 approved first‑reading zoning changes for two separate properties on South Persimmon Street, each rezoned from Single‑Family‑20 to Light Industrial. The zoning changes follow recommendations from the Planning & Zoning Commission and staff analysis that the Light Industrial district conforms to the city’s business‑park and industrial future land‑use designation along the corridor.

What the council considered Two separate applicants requested rezoning: (1) Paul and Brenda Molodenka sought to rezone roughly 9.565 acres at 1811 South Persimmon Street; (2) James and Patricia Case, represented by Sean Ballard of Landmark Development, requested rezoning of about 8.07 acres at 1514 South Persimmon Street. In both cases staff told council that the properties sit adjacent to existing and planned warehouse/office‑warehouse development in the Tomball Business and Technology Park; South Persimmon Street and Medical Complex Drive are arterial/minor arterial streets judged able to accommodate industrial traffic.

Developers’ presentations and buffering Developers and their representatives described plans for concrete tilt‑wall office‑warehouse buildings, typically marketed to light manufacturing, contractor showrooms and businesses that need a small office plus shop/warehouse space. Both applicants emphasized that their buildings are not expected to generate high distribution traffic and that existing buffering standards and masonry wall requirements in the zoning code can protect nearby single‑family parcels. Planning staff indicated that if a property will be replatted, tree preservation and buffering standards may apply; if not, other supplemental standards such as masonry walls and planting requirements will be used.

Public comment and neighborhood outreach Staff reported public notification within the 300‑foot radius and said the city received three comment forms in favor of the Molodenka rezoning and seven comment forms in favor of the Case rezoning. At the council meeting the principal developer and a representative from Landmark Development addressed council, described recent local projects and asked for approval.

Council action Planning & Zoning recommended approval of both rezoning requests by unanimous votes at their July hearing. Council moved to adopt each rezoning on first reading, with no substantive conditions added at first reading. Both first‑reading ordinances moved forward; typical next steps include second reading, possible platting/site‑plan review and supplemental standards to address tree preservation and masonry buffering where applicable.

Why it matters The rezonings explicitly align under the city’s Comprehensive Plan designation of business park/industrial for this corridor. Council and staff discussed how the changes complement the nearby Tomball Business & Technology Park and noted recent similar rezonings in the vicinity. For residents near the parcels, the changes could mean more commercial and light industrial development in place of lower‑density residential zoning.

Quotes "We hope to build 3 more such buildings on this tract … our tenants are generally in light manufacturing," developer Matthew Nixon said during public comment on the Molodenka case. Landmark Development's Sean Ballard said the proposed buildings will be "small format" tilt‑wall office‑warehouse product suitable for local businesses.

Ending Council approved first readings on both rezoning cases. Additional regulatory steps — including any required platting, site‑plan review, and compliance with buffering/tree‑preservation standards — will be addressed as each development moves through the city’s land‑development process.