The City of Friendswood Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 9 voted to recommend that City Council change the zoning classification for a 2.29-acre tract at 311 Laurel from multifamily residential medium density (MFR-M) to Downtown District (DD).

The zoning change is a recommendation only; site plans, drainage, parking and other design details will be reviewed later and must comply with city codes and other agency approvals. Planning staff said the property lies inside the downtown district boundary established in 2008 and that the city’s long-range plan envisions gradually bringing parcels within that boundary into the downtown zoning designation.

Neighbors who live adjacent to the property urged the commission to deny the change. Tracy Pody said she and her family oppose the rezoning and fear damage to the neighborhood during construction: "We are extremely against this proposed change. The LLC who purchased this property knew it was a multi dwelling property, and it should stay that way." She raised concerns about power and water outages, yard damage from construction traffic and the accuracy of submitted drawings.

Richard Wolf told commissioners there was "no information at all about what the intent is to be done with this property," and asked for more detail on parking, traffic, sidewalks and drainage before a rezoning is approved.

Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that the hearing before them was limited to the zoning classification and not to approval of a site plan. Commissioner Rose said the downtown district zoning contains design and pedestrian-oriented requirements — including sidewalks, parking and drainage standards — and that those elements cannot be approved until detailed site plans are submitted and reviewed. "So right now, just changing it from multifamily residential to downtown district fits within all the city's criteria," the commissioner said.

Planning staff confirmed several reviews would follow a recommendation to council, including flood control and fire department review, and that City Council would hold the final vote. Commissioners voted to recommend approval; the motion passed by majority (no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes). The item will be scheduled for City Council consideration on Feb. 3, 2025.

Neighbors were told that for project-level concerns — drainage, parking layouts and construction impacts — those items would be addressed when a site plan is submitted and reviewed under applicable city ordinances and regulations.

The commission’s approval sends the request on to City Council, which will consider the zoning map amendment at a future meeting.