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Conroe residents press council over Collier Point clearing, drainage and tree-canopy rules
Summary
Residents from Forest Estates and neighboring subdivisions told the Conroe City Council they oppose traffic cut-throughs and objected to clear‑cutting at the Collier Point site. Staff said development is on hold pending design changes and potential tree‑permit noncompliance; council members pressed for better notice and tighter process controls.
Dozens of residents urged the Conroe City Council on Sept. 25 to stop further clearing and to require stronger drainage and tree‑preservation measures for the Collier Point subdivision.
Residents said the proposed 200‑home development is landlocked, that an older, narrow country road is the only planned access, and that neighborhood streets could become unintended cut‑throughs. "Any such connected access would forever diminish the quality of life that exists in our neighborhoods," resident Buddy Smith told the council, presenting a stack of neighbors' signatures opposing use of Brockston and Forest Estates streets.
The issue surfaced again when several speakers — including homeowners in Forest Estates, Roxton and Broken Bow — described erosion and repeated flooding near their properties and said the recent clear‑cutting on the Collier Point site has worsened runoff and heat‑island effects. "Since the tree canopy and vegetation have been totally removed ... air temperature will increase substantially," Swanette Smith said.
City staff told the council the development currently has a clearing permit and a development permit under the city's 2018 tree ordinance but that operations are on hold. "There is no public access through Rockston, and for or Forest Estates. It is a fire access easement only with a gate, a crash gate, knockbox," Ms. McGuire, city staff, said, adding that the primary vehicular access is planned off Old Country Club Road. She said the city has authorized only limited cleanup and storm‑water controls while it works through design and permit questions.
Staff and the city's forester also told the council they have identified potential noncompliance with the site's tree permit and have stopped further clearing pending revisions. The forester said some lots encroach into an 18‑foot buffer recognized under later rules and that drainage improvements will require straightening a ditch that benefits neighboring homes.
Council members from across the dais said they were surprised the project continued under the older 2018 ordinance after the 2022 tree ordinance returned the city to a stronger preservation standard. "I'm tired of being informed by citizens before I hear from the city," Councilwoman Marsha Porter said. Several council members asked staff to produce a list of other projects still operating under the 2018 ordinance and to return with options for tighter process controls and a regular update on Collier Point.
City staff said they will meet with the developer next week to develop an action plan and that any concessions, variances or formal changes would be brought to council for consideration. Staff also said section‑by‑section compliance and drainage work are being incorporated into the developer's civil plans.
The council discussion was strictly informational; no policy or permit change was approved on Sept. 25. Councilmembers repeatedly asked for earlier notice of large clear‑cutting and for clearer rules so staff and developers cannot rely on discretionary exceptions.
Residents who testified said they will continue to press the city for stricter enforcement and for project changes that protect adjacent properties, tree canopy and neighborhood safety.
