Friendswood council rejects rezoning of 29-acre FM 2351 site after hours of testimony

Friendswood — The City Council on Feb. 2 rejected a developer’s request to change the future land‑use designation and zoning of roughly 29.37 acres at the 4700 block of FM 2351, following a night of public comment focused on traffic, noise and neighborhood compatibility.

The council voted 6–0 to deny the proposed planned unit development after hearing residents who said the site — currently designated industrial and retail in the city’s future land‑use map — is ill‑suited for residential density. Several speakers warned about children crossing FM 2351 to reach nearby schools and questioned whether the neighborhood could support new multifamily housing.

Why it mattered: Residents and some council members said the proposal risked piecemeal rezoning of a narrow “panhandle” of industrial land before the city completes an ongoing comprehensive‑plan update for the same area. Opponents argued the change could worsen existing traffic and safety issues near Timber Creek High School and surrounding neighborhoods.

What developers and supporters said: Jeff Boutte, an EHRA Engineering representative for the applicant, told council the PUD text now includes a requirement that a site‑specific sound study show a projected 70‑decibel level at the subject property line would attenuate to 58 decibels or less at the residential structures. Boutte said the PUD also phases development, tying commercial permits and construction to the issuance of certificates of occupancy for residential buildings.

Opponents pressed the city and the developer for more analysis. Resident Kenneth Cruz said he worried the city was ‘patchworking’ rezonings to fit developers’ plans and flagged school‑crossing and traffic risks on FM 2351. Another resident, Connie Radiceau, asked whether new residents would force students to cross busy roads without additional school transportation or crossing guards.

Nick Deutsch, who represents Garage Ultimate and spoke in defense of industrial uses in the area, criticized the noise calculations. He said the materials provided were not a full noise investigation and called it “a math equation, not a study” and urged council to insist on more robust technical work before changing the map.

Council reaction and vote: Multiple council members echoed resident concerns about traffic, noise and the absence of nearby amenities. One council member said the proposed combination of residential next to industrial uses was “incompatible” for that location. After debate, a motion to approve the rezoning failed 6–0.

What’s next: Because the rezoning was denied, the property remains under its existing industrial/retail designation. The city’s comprehensive‑plan process — which staff said will produce an updated future land‑use map this summer — remains the primary vehicle for broader land‑use changes in the panhandle area.

Reporting note: This article draws on testimony and remarks made during the Feb. 2 Friendswood City Council meeting, including public comment by Kenneth Cruz, Connie Radiceau, Mark Bessler and developer representatives Jeff Boutte and Nick Deutsch.