Pearland planning commissioners recommend rezoning 3302–3306 Dixie Farm Road to Neighborhood Services after contested hearing

The Pearland Planning & Zoning Commission on Oct. 6 held a public hearing and recommended approval of a rezoning request (ZON2025-0387) to change roughly 9.2281 acres at 3302 and 3306 Dixie Farm Road from single-family residential (R‑1) to Neighborhood Services. The commission heard hours of testimony from applicants, neighbors and staff before the vote to forward the recommendation to City Council.

Patrick Bauer, presenting the staff report, summarized that the request would allow low-intensity, neighborhood-oriented commercial uses and noted staff found the proposal met three of the four zoning-approval criteria but is not consistent with the Future Land Use Plan’s Traditional Residential designation. "Staff does find that the subject land could be appropriate for limited commercial uses due to the adjacency to a major thoroughfare and the existing commercial zoning to the northeast," Bauer said, and recommended approval while noting future redevelopment would have to meet Unified Development Code and corridor-overlay requirements.

Applicant representatives Julia Wen and Alex Wen said the parcels are difficult to use for single-family homes because of their size and proximity to existing big-box development. Julia Wen said neighborhood-service zoning would permit services that serve nearby, aging residents and create a buffer between heavier commercial uses and existing homes. "Neighborhood service zoning is low intensity and community serving," she said, adding the applicants would comply with buffering and landscaping requirements.

Several nearby residents urged the commission to deny the rezoning. Greg Nelson (1617 Pinecrest Drive) said the area already contains numerous businesses and warned the NS district authorizes many uses, including some late-hour operations. "We don't need any more businesses in this area," Nelson said, adding he feared commercial 'creep' down Dixie Farm Road. Randall Tackett (3303 Windcrest Court), who lives inside the 200‑foot notice zone, and Diane Leverton (2310 Buckholt Street) each said they oppose the change, citing traffic, noise and the number of vacant commercial spaces nearby.

Commission members pressed the applicants and staff on intent and detail. Commissioners asked whether the owners plan to develop the site or sell after rezoning; the applicants said they were not certain but intended to make the property workable under Neighborhood Services. Commissioners also noted the lack of a site plan or drainage plan presented at the hearing. One commissioner cautioned against approving a rezoning without seeing a development plan and drainage measures, calling for more concrete information before a final project is proposed.

The commission then voted to recommend approval of the rezoning application; the transcript records the call for hands and an indistinct tally notation and does not show a complete roll-call tally by name in the provided record. The recommendation advances the request to Pearland City Council, which the staff said will consider the item at its Oct. 27, 2025 meeting.

If City Council approves the rezoning, any future development would need to meet the UDC and corridor-overlay District requirements, including buffering and landscaping to shield adjacent residences and meet utility, platting and drainage standards. The applicants and staff said water and sewer are available at Dixie Farm Road, but specific site plans and drainage solutions were not submitted at this hearing.