Fulshear planning commission recommends zoning text amendments and updates major thoroughfare plan

The Fulshear Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of two ordinances on Sept. 5, 2025, forwarding proposed zoning text changes and an updated major thoroughfare plan to city council. The commission voted to recommend Ordinance No. 2025-15-O2, which amends the Coordinated Development Ordinance (Chapter 28) — moving cell-tower regulations into Chapter 28, tightening setback, landscaping and screening requirements, clarifying architectural standards for downtown and general commercial districts, and formalizing rules for electronic board signs — and to recommend Ordinance No. 2025-15-10, which replaces the major thoroughfare plan in the city’s comprehensive plan.

The recommended CDO amendments consolidate technical language previously located in Chapter 8 into Chapter 28 to avoid contradictory provisions. City staff said the cell-tower update preserves required public notices and adds clearer standards for setbacks from residential units, required landscaping and screening, and security measures. The architectural update adds more-concise guidance for nonresidential and residential buildings in the downtown and general commercial districts and includes example images intended to illustrate the city’s preferred character.

A notable change in the sign rules addresses electronic display boards. The staff draft adopted earlier by council was returned with a last-minute addition requiring an electronic display to use a solid black background and a single text color. Commissioners discussed whether restricting the background to strictly black — and limiting text to a single color at any one time — is overly prescriptive. Supporters said the limitation reduces glare and distraction; others raised concerns that strictly black backgrounds could be unduly restrictive and suggested allowing dark backgrounds or specifying luminance limits instead.

The updated major thoroughfare plan in Appendix B downgrades McKinnon Road from a major thoroughfare to a major collector and removes a proposed North Fulshear Drive connection across from Rogers Road. Staff said the reclassification reflects development patterns that have arisen since the earlier plan and that required roadway improvements tied to zoning approvals (for example, traffic impact analysis recommendations such as turn lanes) will still be required at time of development. Staff told the commission the reduced right-of-way (from 100 feet to 70 feet in the example discussed) should still accommodate needed turn lanes but would generally slow traffic and reduce potential lane widths compared with a major thoroughfare.

Commissioners also discussed whether other mapped thoroughfares should be reconsidered in light of existing construction and constrained rights-of-way. Staff said the updated exhibit will be used both in the Fulshear code and as a replacement exhibit in the comprehensive plan; no other text in the comprehensive plan is being changed by Ordinance No. 2025-15-10.

At the close of discussion, Commissioner Dowdall moved to recommend approval of Ordinance No. 2025-15-O2 with the civic-space requirement removed pending further legal review; Commissioner Amen seconded the motion. The commission voted in favor and the motion carried. Commissioner Dowdall then moved, and Commissioner Amen seconded, the recommendation to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-15-10 to replace the major thoroughfare plan; that motion also carried. Both ordinances will be considered at a future city council public hearing (staff noted council will hold a second public hearing on Sept. 16, 2025, at 6 p.m.).

What’s next: staff will transmit the commission’s recommendations and the ordinances to council; the commission asked staff and legal to revisit the electronic-sign language (color/background and luminance) and the civic-space provisions before council consideration.