Houston Planning Commission approves eight amendments to 2025 MTFP, denies Chimney Rock downgrade

The Houston Planning Commission on Sept. 18 approved a set of nine proposed changes to the city’s 2025 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP), granting eight amendments and denying one, and said it will forward its recommendations to City Council for final action.

The package addressed alignments, deletions and reclassifications across Harris County, the city of Houston’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and parts of Fort Bend County. Planning Department staff recommended approval of most requests, citing construction feasibility, existing network capacity and interagency agreement; the commission voted largely along staff recommendations except for a Chimney Rock Road downgrade requested by the Briarcroft Homeowners Association, which the commission declined.

Wilson Calvert, a Planning Department staffer who presented the amendments, told the commission this was the commission’s final action on the 2025 MTFP amendments and that “after this, we will be sending your recommendations to city council.” Calvert summarized staff findings and recommendations for each application and described technical and right-of-way constraints behind staff decisions.

Votes at a glance (each item was acted on individually and the commission forwarded the results to City Council):

- Northpointe Boulevard (Harris County ETJ): Request to realign Northpointe Boulevard and reclassify a 700-foot section from major collector to major thoroughfare. Staff recommended approval; the commission approved the amendment (motion seconded by Vice Chair Garza).