HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd. 1633 2024-09-09ORDIN ANCE NO. 1633
An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Pearland, Texas, adopting a
Comprehensive Plan to act as a guide for regulating land use within the
incorporated limits of Pearland; containing a savings clause, a severability
clause and a repealer clause; and providing an effective date.
WHEREAS, Local Government Code §211.004 requires a municipality desiring to
regulate the use of land within its corporate limits to adopt a comprehensive plan for future
development; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to set goals, objectives, policies, and criteria for
Pearland’s physical growth; and
WHEREAS, it is within the context of the Comprehensive Plan that zoning
ordinances and other development regulations are enacted and have legal standing; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on October 2, 2023, to provide citizen input
regarding the proposed comprehensive plan; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS:
Section 1. That City Council hereby adopts the Comprehensive Plan attached
hereto as Exhibit “A” as a guide for regulating land use within the incorporated limits of the
City.
Section 2. Savings. All rights and remedies which have accrued in favor of the
City under this Ordinance shall be and are preserved for the benefit of the City.
Section 3. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or
portion of this Ordinance is for any reason held invalid, unconstitutional or otherwise
unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a
separate, distinct, and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity
of the remaining portions thereof.
Section 4. Repealer. City of Pearland Ordinance No. 943 and all subsequent
amendments thereto are hereby repealed.
Docusign Envelope ID: 09131D47-7895-4B3D-8260-49D0257849F7
ORDINANCE NO. 1633
2
Section 5. Effective Date. The Ordinance shall become effective immediately
upon approval of its second and final reading.
PASSED and APPROVED ON FIRST READING this the 24th day of June, A. D., 2024.
________________________________
J. KEVIN COLE
MAYOR
ATTEST:
______________________________
FRANCES AGUILAR, TRMC, MMC
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
DARRIN M. COKER
CITY ATTORNEY
Docusign Envelope ID: 09131D47-7895-4B3D-8260-49D0257849F7
ORDINANCE NO. 1633
3
PASSED and APPROVED ON SECOND and FINAL READING this the 9th day of
September, A. D., 2024
________________________________
J. KEVIN COLE
MAYOR
ATTEST:
______________________________
FRANCES AGUILAR, TRMC, MMC
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________
DARRIN M. COKER
CITY ATTORNEY
Docusign Envelope ID: 09131D47-7895-4B3D-8260-49D0257849F7
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
PREPARED FOR
CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS
SEPTEMBER 2024
PREPARED BY
ii iiiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Letter
from
the
Mayor
Pearland invests in great planning to gain great results.
Those investments in time and money for planning make
Pearland a great place to live, work, and play. Our
city-wide planning processes range from the City Council’s
Strategic Planning Retreat to our Economic Development
Corporation’s Pearland Prosperity initiative, and from this
Comprehensive Plan to dozens of other planning studies
engaging citizens and staff. Each plan builds from our six
strategic priorities and allows us to live up to our new tagline
“Pearland: The Community of Choice.”
The overall Comprehensive Plan presents thoughts
on one of our limited resources: land. You will see
in Chapter 2 that, as of 2022, 77% of the land within
the city limits is developed. At our current rate of
development, the chapter explains how the remaining
23% will likely be fully built out by 2040.
Land use choices matter—we didn’t make these choices in a
vacuum. The public engagement process engaged landowners
and business owners over six months of deep conversation.
Î Based on stakeholder input, the future land use plan
in Chapter 4 protects allowed uses for the remaining
undeveloped parcels based on market demands to
achieve resilient finances by protecting our tax base.
Î Based on this land use plan, the city can maintain our safe
community with sustainable infrastructure for our current
residents and businesses.
Î It is important that, as a whole community, we are ready to
receive future residents and businesses so they can grow,
flourish, and hire our citizens, thus building a stronger
economy.
The implementation chapter concludes with key
performance indicators as metrics to allow citizens to know
our progress against the plan goals. These transparent
metrics will contribute to trusted government.
We are going to make big things happen in our city.
Let’s continue to work together to make Pearland
"The Community of Choice.”
___
Kevin Cole
MAYOR, CITY OF PEARLAND
Acknowledgements
STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES
Î Trusted
Government
Î Strong
Economy
Î Safe
Community
Î Sustainable
Infrastructure
Î Resilient
Finances
Î Connected
Community
Mayor and City Council
Kevin Cole, Mayor
Joseph Koza, Mayor Pro Tem – Position 1
Tony Carbone – Position 2
Alex Kamkar – Position 3
Adrian Hernandez – Position 4
Layni Cade – Position 5
Jeffrey Barry – Position 6
Rushi Patel – Position 7
Planning and Zoning Commission
Brandon Dansby | Chairperson
Henry Fuertes | Vice Chairperson
Ashlee Boswell
Jennifer Henrichs
Derrell Isenberg
Brad Kuhn
Angela McCathran
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee
Antonio Johnson, PT, DPT, CDP, CDE | Pearland
Economic Development Corporation Board Member
Ashlee Boswell | Attorney
Phillips Kaiser | Planning and Zoning Commissioner
Donald Glenn | Vice President, RS&H, Zoning Board
of Adjustments Member
Henry Fuertes | Planning and Zoning Commission
Member
Jai Daggett | Executive Director, Street Grace
Jim Johnson | President/CEO, Pearland Chamber of
Commerce
Kathleen Robbins | Care Coordinator, Traditions
Hospice
Larry Berger | Superintendent, Pearland ISD
Lata Krisnarao, AICP | Previous Community
Development Director, City of Pearland
Rory Gesch | Assistant Superintendent, Alvin ISD
Meetings with the Community
Shadow Creek Ranch Homeowners Association
Pearland Parks, Recreation & Beautification Board
Pearland Chamber of Commerce
Keep Pearland Beautiful
Lions Club of Pearland
City Staff
Trent Epperson | City Manager
Matt Buchanan | President of Pearland Economic
Development Corporation
Vance Wyly | Director of Community Development
Martin Griggs, AICP, CNU-a | Deputy Director of
Community Development
Florence Buaku, AICP | Senior Planner
Mohamed Bireima, AICP | Senior Planner
Patrick Bauer | Planner 1
Samin Bazargan | Planner 1
Shelby Lowe | Office Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Danley | Executive Assistant
John McDonald | Former Director of Community
Development
Consultant Team
Michael Shelton, P.E., AICP | Project Manager,
Kimley-Horn
Mark Bowers, AICP, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP |
Planning Lead, Kimley-Horn
Josie Ortiz, AICP | Planner, Kimley-Horn
Jessica Rossi, AICP | Planner, Kimley-Horn
Andi Vickers, AICP | Planner, Kimley-Horn
Jenny Lai, AICP | Planner, Kimley-Horn
Jenny Abrego | Graphic Designer, Kimley-Horn
Traci Donatto | Principal Consultant, Anthem, LLC
Citizens of Pearland
This plan was made for the Pearland community, with
the help of the Pearland community. The continual
dedication of time and effort by members of the
community–not only in the comprehensive planning
process, but in their daily interests– is what makes
Pearland "The Community of Choice."
iv vPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Executive
Summary
Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan
A comprehensive plan guides land use and
development in a city. We use the term
“comprehensive” because it is just that—a
thorough and overarching plan for what Pearland
will look like in the future in terms of where
neighborhoods, retail, parks, and all the important
places of a city are located.
This Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan is both
an update to the 2015 Comprehensive Plan and
a map for the future of Pearland. This document
is to be used as planning strategy and not a
budgeting plan. As “The Community of Choice,”
the City made sure to engage members of the
community in the process and create a Future
Land Use Plan (FLUP) that considers their wishes
for the future of the community. A FLUP does
not constitute zoning regulations or establish
zoning district boundaries, only serves as a visual
guide for future decision making in terms of land
development.
The City’s six strategic priorities (listed below)
provide a background of what would eventually
become the priorities for this comprehensive plan.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW
The Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan was created through a process that combined input from
Pearland’s community, vetted with professional expertise, with decisions by a Comprehensive Plan
Advisory Committee (CPAC) and Pearland’s elected and appointed leaders.
MEETINGS INCLUDED:
Î Four CPAC meetings and two CPAC workshops
Î Nine stakeholder meetings
Î Seven community input sessions
INTERNET-BASED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Online public engagement was sourced via a Social Pinpoint website that was active from October
2021-May 2022. Over the course of the project, there were 7,730 visits to the website from 2,194 users.
The website received 295 comments and 73 survey responses. After the initial public engagement
efforts, City staff was directed by City Council to gather additional feedback between November 2023 to
January 2024. A web survey that contained six open-ended question received 8,079 responses. Please
see Appendix B for the survey responses and word clouds.
STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES
Î Trusted Government
Î Strong Economy
Î Safe Community
Î Sustainable
Infrastructure
Î Resilient Finances
Î Connected
Community
COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN
SOCIAL PINPOINT MAP OF SURVEY RESPONSES
vi viiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
51.1%
WHITE
Community Profile
9.3%
OTHER
3.4%
TWO OR MORE RACES
15.1%
ASIAN/
PACIFIC
ISLANDER
20.4%
BLACK
0.5%
AMERICAN
INDIAN
SHARE OF
RESIDENTS
BY ETHNICITY,
PEARLAND
CITY AND ETJ,
2021
PEARLAND'S POPULATION PROJECTIONS
198019601940 2000 2020 2040 2060
50M
45M
40M
35M
30M
25M
20M
15M
10M
5M
0
Census Population HGAC Growth Forecast
Pearland City Limits Population TWDB Population Projection
HOUSING UNITS
Source: US Census Bureau
2000 2010 2020
45,40345,403
33,16933,169
13,89513,895
PEARLAND
STUDY AREA
GREATER
HOUSTON
35.335.3
Median Age
34.934.9
Median Age
163,522163,522
2021 Estimated
Population
7.24M7.24M
2021 Estimated
Population
74.0%74.0%
% Owner
Households
56.9%56.9%
% Owner
Households
48.0%48.0%
Households
with Children
40.9%40.9%
Households
with Children
3.003.00
Avg. Household
Size
2.852.85
Avg. Household
Size
80.480.4
Diversity Index
81.281.2
Diversity Index
1.6%1.6%
% Household
with no access
to vehicle
5.2%5.2%
% Household
with no access
to vehicle
+3.0%+3.0%
Annual Growth
Rate since 2010
+1.9%+1.9%
Annual Growth
Rate since 2010
These concepts are defined throughout the chapter
Major Themes
Î Recent population boom
Î Recent development boom
Î Young median age, but trending
toward aging population
Î Racially/ethnically diverse
Î Limited developable areas
remaining
PERCENT OF TOTAL TOTAL
PERCENTCITY LIMIT ETJ
DEVELOPED 76.4%79.7%77.4%
POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT 8%12.6%9.4%
UNDEVELOPED 15.6%7.7%13.2%
GRAND TOTAL 100.00%100.00%100.00%
NEW COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS PER YEAR
2021
2424
2022
4646
2020
4444
2019
2020
DEVELOPED
AREA
viii ixPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Strategic Direction
Vis ion Statement
Pearland is "The Community of Choice," providing its diverse
population with a strong economy balanced by a mix of uses;
places of value where people desire to live, work and play; and
making smart investments in existing and future assets.ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
PREFERRED SCENARIO
GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
x xiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
A
B
F
C
E
D
A LOWER KIRBY
B HUGHES RANCH/STONE
C GREATER OLD TOWN
D OLD MASSEY RANCH
E SH 35/BAILEY
F BROADWAY/CULLEN
Catalyst Sites
Established Residential Estate (ERE)
Traditional Residential (TR)
Compact Residential (CR)
Urban Living (UL)
Mixed-Use Center (MU)
Town Center (TC)
Commercial Center (COM)
Business Park (BP)
Professional Services & Industrial (PRO)
Manufacturing & Warehouse (MW)
Public Use (PUB)
Parks and Open Space (PRK)
Natural Areas & Outdoor Tourism (NAT)
A Lower Kirby
B Hughes Ranch / Stone
C Greater Old Town
D Old Massey Ranch
E SH 35 / Bailey
F Broadway / Cullen
ID Catalyst Site
Land Use
The City of Pearland and its ETJ are
largely developed. It is imperative that
there be a plan for future development
for this remaining developable land.
The FLUP will help the City continue
to provide a high quality of life for its
residents by securing a healthy future
tax base. As these remaining parcels
develop, the FLUP will ensure that
the uses being implemented are in
accordance with Pearland’s vision and
community values.
Catalyst Sites
As part of the planning process, the project team identified six areas that have the potential to continue
developing in the near future. Catalyst sites are areas within the City that have a conglomeration of
vacant land and land that has potential for development that can accommodate future development.
Each site is unique given its location, existing character, and surrounding uses. These factors, in
combination with the types of uses the community would like to see in the future, make for a potential
“catalyst” of change for each site.
The land use percentages listed in the figure above are within both Pearland city limits and the extra-
territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) zone. Areas only within the city limits (as mentioned in the Mayor's letter)
would indicate 77% developed and 23% undeveloped.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 4.1 CUP and ZC Criteria: Review FLUP showing catalyst sites and the Conditional Use Permit and
zone change criteria to determine if projects are incorporating the values of the comprehensive plan.
Î 4.2 Develop Checklist: Develop a comprehensive plan checklist to be used as a tool
for determining the consistency of development proposals and zoning applications with the
comprehensive plan vision and principles and to assist City staff in making recommendations to the
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
Î 4.3 Detention Opportunity Costs: Examine lost development opportunity from required
detention and provide credit towards additional units/density within designated areas.
13%13%
10%10%
77%77%DEVELOPED
PEARLAND
LAND USE
UNDEVELOPED
POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT
FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWING CATALYST SITES
xii xiiiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Infrastructure and Public Services
This chapter considers how
infrastructure master plans and Public
Services impact future development
patterns, density, and other elements
of the City. This chapter considers how
these plans interact with and influence
the goals and objectives of the City:
Î Water Master Plan
Î Wastewater Master Plan
Î Master Drainage Plan Update
Î Thoroughfare Plan
Î Multi-modal Master Plan
Î Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Î Pearland Prosperity Plans
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 5.1 Update Utility Plans: The water,
wastewater, and drainage master plans should
be updated to account for increased densities in
specific locations related to this new FLUP.
Î 5.2 Capital Planning: Continue the five-
year Capital Improvement Program (CIP),
including rehabilitation of existing lift stations
and expansion of water reclamation facilities to
provide capacity for future projected flow.
Î 5.3 Detention Ponds: Create a policy/
provide development incentives to encourage
wet-bottom detention ponds, as Non-point
Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO)
considers a wet detention ponds as stormwater
quality best practice.
PUBLIC FACILITIES IN PEARLAND
WATER SERVICES IN PEARLAND
xiv xvPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
This chapter provides an overview
of existing housing stock, describes
alternative housing types, compares
the current housing policies for tax
revenue against infrastructure, and
recommends policies to increase the
diversity of housing choices within the
City. Key takeaways include:
Î Rental vacancy is low in Pearland,
and younger people are less likely
to begin the process of home
ownership due to barriers of entry for
the Pearland market.
Î The average home price is higher
in Pearland than in the surrounding
Houston market. More affordable
rental units are in high demand, but
few of these are being constructed.
Î Pearland does not have a diversified
housing stock; over 92% of housing
in Pearland is either single-family
residential or large apartment
complexes.
Î The majority of people who work in
Pearland do not live in Pearland.
Housing
Source: ACS 2021 Census Data
OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS BY TYPE, 2019
PEARLAND
BRAZORIA
COUNTY
HOUSTON MSA
UNITED STATES
1, detached 1, attached 2 apartments 3 or 4 apartments
5 to 9 apartments 10 or more apartments Mobile home or other type of housing
81%81%11.4%11.4%
73.9%73.9%10.1%10.1%
63.9%63.9%20.8%20.8%
62.4%62.4%13.8%13.8%
0 20%40%60%80%100%
MEDIAN CLOSING PRICE,
OCTOBER 2021
Source: www.moveto.com; Houston Association of Realtors
$357,490
PEARLAND GREATER
HOUSTON
$305,000
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 6.2 Update UDC: Update the UDC to allow a more diverse housing stock. This should include
a combination of allowing smaller lot sizes and related development standards, allowing certain
types by right in specific zoning districts (mixed-use and multifamily development in retail and office
zones and ADUs within certain zoning districts), and providing applicants with tools for more efficient
implementation.
Î 6.7 Utility Impact Fees: Continue to regularly update the City's water and wastewater impact
fees, specifically when new capacity is brought on to areas that were not a part of a previous fee
adjustment or in alignment with future annexation policies.
Î 6.8 Focus Group: Create a focus group as the City is developing new regulations for middle
market housing; City Council appointed focus group with each Councilmember appointing one
appointee to develop recommendations for Middle Market housing. Middle Market housing consists
of a range housing options that is not a single-family home or a large apartment complex, examples
include multiplexes, carriage houses, townhouses, and courtyard apartments.
COMMUTE IN
32,133
COMMUTE OUT
58,783
STAY AND WORK
6,787
COMMUTE INFLOW
AND OUTFLOW
INTERIOR (UPPER FLOOR) ADU
ATTACHED (ABOVE GARAGE) ADU
DETACHED ADU ATTACHED ADU
EXAMPLES OF ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNITS (ADUS)
xvi xviiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Pearland Prosperity Community Strategic Plan
In February 2024, and update to the
Pearland Prosperity Strategic Plan
was adopted by City Council, the
Pearland Chamber of Commerce, and
the Pearland Economic Development
Corporation (PEDC) Board of
Directors. At the center of the Pearland
Prosperity Update framework, the core
goal is:
Î Pearland will be the
community of choice for
PEOPLE and BUSINESS in
our region. Partners in Pearland
can pursue this Core Goal by
advancing 11 Key Initiatives that
correspond to specific programs
and/or investments.
Economic Development
CONCENTRATION OF JOBS
Examining the exhibit below, the darker purple concentrations show areas of a higher number of jobs
per square mile.
MAJOR EMPLOYERS
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 7.3 Site Development: Position the Lower Kirby District and SH 35 Corridor as priority areas for
development.
Î 7.5 Infrastructure and Mobility: Advance the planning, design, and construction of priority road
and highway projects; pursue federal, state, and local funding for transportation projects and advance
drainage and stormwater management in Pearland.
Î 7.6 Quality of Life and Quality of Place: Pursue the development of dynamic, walkable
mixed-use districts, including development of a new plan for invigorating Old Townsite and continue
to invest in Pearland Town Center as an important catalyst site and expand the urban uses for a
walkable mixed-use center.
PEARLAND
EMPLOYER DESCRIPTION
ESTIMATED
EMPLOYEES
Pearland ISD Education 2,700
Kelsey Seybold Healthcare 1,413
Lonza BioTech 850
Alvin ISD Education 753
City of Pearland Government 768
Memorial Hermann Healthcare 520
HCA (Pearland
Medical Center)Healthcare 450
Dover Energy Manufacturer 255
Merit Medical Manufacturer 240
Kemlon Manufacturer 228
Source: City of Pearland, 2022 (does not include retail employers)
xviii xixPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Placemaking
Placemaking is the collaborative process of planning,
designing, and managing public space in order
to promote high-quality living and evoke a “sense
of place.” This process helps establish a city as a
desirable place to live and guides the selection of site
amenities that support its vision. It is placemaking
that will distinguish Pearland from other communities
within the Greater Houston area.
Ì
The best way to achieve
placemaking is not just with
signage, banners or entry
monuments, but also with the
design of streets and trails, the
siting and design of buildings
and the use of streetscaping
and strategically located open
space.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 8.1 Placemaking Guidelines: Develop or update design guidelines that require the
implementation of established placemaking practices in key place type areas and incentivize the use
of natural areas and sustainable resources in the design of Pearland neighborhoods and amenity
areas.
Î 8.2 Lifestyle Amenities: Create design guidelines that ensure employment centers are
developed with lifestyle amenities (walkability, green space, on-site or nearby retail, etc.) that attract
highly skilled, high-income workers.
Î 8.7 Tourism Ads: Increase advertising efforts for existing ecotourism, sports tourism, the Pearland
GeoTour, Pearland Mural Tour, the Pear-Scape Trail, and other local attractions.
xx xxiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Thoroughfare Planning and Mobility
Mobility planning combines both engineering and planning principles to help move
people and goods to and from their destinations. The Thoroughfare Planning and Mobility
component establishes the City’s transportation policy direction and provides a long-term
overview of major transportation improvements that will be necessary to support the
FLUP and the other goals of the Comprehensive Plan.
Î There are multiple barriers, including railroads, freeways, and waterways, that limit mobility,
specifically in the east and west directions.
Î Multiple access points and curb cuts along major corridors introduce safety and efficiency issues.
Î With the recent history of growth in the city, there are numerous intersections at or nearing capacity.
Î A majority of trips are made by automobile. Pearland has developed a strong set of individual trails
for non-motorized mobility; however, gaps exist and transitions from off-street to on-street network
need improvement.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 9.1 Update Thoroughfare Plan: Update the Pearland Thoroughfare Plan to include definitions
and descriptions of the roadway classifications, cross sections, and access management standards.
The Pearland Engineering Design Criteria Manual should be updated to incorporate all changes.
Î 9.5 Multi-Modal Master Plan: Continue to implement the recommendations from the City of
Pearland Multi-Modal Master Plan to provide a well-designed and continuous pedestrian and bicycle
network.
Î 9.9 Pedestrian Realm: Update the UDC with specific pedestrian realm requirements in areas with
middle market housing, including shade, wider sidewalks, refuge, benches, trash receptacles, etc.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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288
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PEARLANDPEARLANDHUGHES RANCH
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SMITHRANCHFRUGE
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JOHN LIZER
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HILLHOUSEBROOKSIDE
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SOUTHBELTINDUSTRIAL
AMIE
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BR
O
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A
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³±521
Thoroughfare Plan
City Limit
ETJ
Freeway
Major Thoroughfare - 120' Minimum ROW
Proposed Frontage Road
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
Secondary Thoroughfare - 100' Minimum ROW
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
Major Collector - 80' Minimum ROW
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
Minor Collector - 60' Minimum ROW
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
¯0 1 2 30.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
May 2023
SHARED ACCESS
PROPERTY LINES
PROPOSED THOROUGHFARE PLAN
xxii xxiiiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Parks, Trails, and Open Space
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Î 10.3: Provide more programming at parks throughout the City and the recreation center, including
outdoor adventure programs, family-oriented programs, and outdoor educational programs.
Î 10.5: Complete feasibility studies for each major facility described in the 2020 Parks Master Plan, as
well as a recreation center for the west side of town and a shared-use facility along Hughes Ranch
Road across SH 288.
Î 10.6: PP E-1: Continue to implement the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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Existing
Bodies of Water
Parks
Golf Courses
Trails
Restricted Parks
Fees Required
Restricted Access
Planned Parks
City Buildings
Delores Fenwick Nature Center
Parks & Rec Activity Centers/Complexes
Recycle Center - Keep Pearland Beautiful
City Boundaries
City Limit
ETJ
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Existing Thoroughfares
Proposed Thoroughfares
¯01230.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
September 2021
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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Restricted Parks
Fees Required
Restricted Access
Planned Parks
City Buildings
Delores Fenwick Nature Center
Parks & Rec Activity Centers/Complexes
Recycle Center - Keep Pearland Beautiful
City Boundaries
City Limit
ETJ
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Existing Thoroughfares
Proposed Thoroughfares
¯01230.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
September 2021
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
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Existing
Bodies of Water
Parks
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Trails
Restricted Parks
Fees Required
Restricted Access
Planned Parks
City Buildings
Delores Fenwick Nature Center
Parks & Rec Activity Centers/Complexes
Recycle Center - Keep Pearland Beautiful
City Boundaries
City Limit
ETJ
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Existing Thoroughfares
Proposed Thoroughfares
¯01230.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
September 2021
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
³±1128
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Parks and Trails -
Existing
Bodies of Water
Parks
Golf Courses
Trails
Restricted Parks
Fees Required
Restricted Access
Planned Parks
City Buildings
Delores Fenwick Nature Center
Parks & Rec Activity Centers/Complexes
Recycle Center - Keep Pearland Beautiful
City Boundaries
City Limit
ETJ
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Existing Thoroughfares
Proposed Thoroughfares
¯01230.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
September 2021
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
³±1128
³±528³±2234
³±2351
6
35
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288
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M C H A RD
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Parks and Trails -
Existing
Bodies of Water
Parks
Golf Courses
Trails
Restricted Parks
Fees Required
Restricted Access
Planned Parks
City Buildings
Delores Fenwick Nature Center
Parks & Rec Activity Centers/Complexes
Recycle Center - Keep Pearland Beautiful
City Boundaries
City Limit
ETJ
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Existing Thoroughfares
Proposed Thoroughfares
¯01230.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
September 2021
FIGURE 10.3: EXISTING PARKS AND TRAILS
PARKLAND
OWNERSHIP CITY-OWNED
546.9 ACRES
SUBDIVISIONS-OWNED
1,418.3 ACRES
ISD-OWNED
968.5 ACRES
Parks, recreation, open space, and natural
amenities are all part of a network of services
and facilities that significantly enhance
the quality of life in Pearland and set the
community apart from adjacent communities.
EXISTING PARKS AND TRAILS
Related Planning Efforts
On January 11,
2021, City Council
adopted the award-
winning 2020
Parks, Recreation,
Open Spaces &
Trails (Parks Master
Plan) Master Plan.
xxiv xxvPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
KEY PLAYERS
Î Bicycling groups
Î Homeowners Associations (HOAs)
Î Keep Pearland Beautiful
Î Pearland Historical Society
Î Pearland Alliance for Art and Culture
Î Lower Kirby Pearland Management
District
Î Pearland Chamber of Commerce
Î Pearland Economic Development
Corporation
Î Independent School Districts (ISDs)
Î City of Pearland (includes staff,
Planning and Zoning Commission,
City Council, and the Mayor)
Î Adjacent municipalities (includes
adjacent counties and cities where
appropriate)
Î Bay Area Houston Economic
Partnership (BAHEP)
Î METRO
Î Houston-Galveston Area Council
(H-GAC)
Î TxDOT
Î Railroads
Implementation Strategy
CHAPTER AND RECOMMENDATION
"Where"
ACTION ITEMS
"What"
KEY PLAYERS
"Who"
TIMEFRAME
"When"
These columns
identify the name of
the chapter where
the recommendation
is stated and its
corresponding
recommendation
number in that
chapter.
This column
recommends a
course of action
to begin achieving
the goals from this
comprehensive plan.
This column includes
a list of public and
private organizations
that will be the
key to furthering
implementation of
the action items.
This column specifies
the recommended
start time of
implementation.
Ongoing action items
are activities that
the City and other
key players should
perform on a regular
basis.
Short-Term
0-1 year
Long-Term
7-15+ years
Mid-Term
2-7 years
Ongoing
Continual
HOW THE IMPLEMENTATION
TABLE IS ORGANIZED
The three main strategies from this comprehensive plan are:
1 Encourage middle market housing
2 Update the UDC
3 Planned development of the
Lower Kirby District
Recommendations for each of these strategies
can be found on the next pages; a full list of
recommendations is provided in the Appendix.
xxvi xxviiPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Strategy 1: Encourage Middle Market Housing
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Housing 6.1 Implement cluster development to provide
additional density, with incentives for
providing middle market housing types and
additional neighborhood amenities.
City of
Pearland,
Chamber of
Commerce
Ongoing
Housing 6.2 Update the UDC to allow a more diverse
housing stock. This should include a
combination of allowing smaller lot sizes
and related development standards,
allowing certain types by right in specific
zoning districts (mixed-use and multifamily
development in retail and office zones and
ADUs within certain zoning districts), and
providing applicants with tools for more
efficient implementation.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Housing 6.3 Establish a database to evaluate if middle
market housing units that are being
developed are accomplishing the City's goals
City of
Pearland
Mid-Term
Housing 6.4 Establish pre-approved patterns for building
type where appropriate, using the City
of Bryan’s Midtown Pattern Zoning as a
reference; add to the OpenCounter or
Zoning Check tools and inform applicants in
pre-development meetings.
City of
Pearland
Mid-Term
Housing 6.6 Expand the City’s Zoning Portal with an online
interactive map that contains a database that
allows the users to see if a specific parcel of
land can develop middle market housing.
City of
Pearland
Mid-Term
Housing 6.8 Create a focus group as the City is
developing new regulations for middle
market housing; City Council appointed focus
group with each Councilmember appointing
one appointee to develop recommendations
for Middle Market housing. Middle Market
housing consists of a range housing options
that is not a single-family home or a large
apartment complex, examples include
multiplexes, carriage houses, townhouses,
and courtyard apartments.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Placemaking 8.1 Develop or update design guidelines that
require the implementation of established
placemaking in key place type areas and
the use of natural areas and sustainable
resources in the design of Pearland
neighborhoods and amenity areas.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Mobility 9.9 Update the UDC with specific pedestrian
realm requirements in areas with middle
market housing, including shade, wider
sidewalks, refuge, benches, trash
receptacles, etc.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Strategy 2: Update the UDC
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Land Use 4.1 Review the Conditional Use Permit and
zone change criteria to determine if
projects are incorporating the values of the
comprehensive plan.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Land Use 4.3 Examine lost development opportunity
from required detention and provide credit
toward additional units and density within
designated areas.
Required detention = Y
Y/minimum lot size = X
X = incentive within BP-288, town center,
etc. for live-work, non-garden style
multifamily, etc."
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Land Use 4.4 Update the City’s UDC to align the
development-related ordinances with the
vision expressed in this comprehensive
plan, accommodate the FLUP, include more
flexibility for development standards, and
make the document more reader-friendly.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
xxviii xxixPEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Housing 6.2 Update the UDC to allow a more diverse
housing stock. This should include a
combination of allowing smaller lot sizes
and related development standards,
allowing certain types by right in specific
zoning districts (mixed-use and multifamily
development in retail and office zones and
ADUs within certain zoning districts), and
providing applicants with tools for more
efficient implementation.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Housing 6.7 Continue to regularly update the City’s
water and wastewater impact fees,
specifically when new capacity is brought on
to areas that were not a part of a previous
fee adjustment or in alignment with future
annexation policies.
City of
Pearland,
Brazoria
County,
WCID
Short-
Term
Economic
Development
7.12
RR
1.5
Update the UDC to allow for authentic
commercial districts through appropriate
façade massing, increased walking, storefront
visibility, and reserved corners for retail
instead of office or residential lobbies.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Economic
Development
7.13
RR
1.6
Update the UDC to allow for shared parking,
structured parking incentives, and complete
sidewalk design.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Placemaking 8.2 Create design guidelines that ensure that
employment centers are developed with
lifestyle amenities (walkability, greenspace,
on-site or nearby retail, etc.) that attract
highly skilled, high-income workers.
City of
Pearland,
PEDC
Short-
Term
Placemaking 8.8 Provide UDC amendments to clarify and
allow murals on a variety of buildings,
fences, and structures.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Mobility 9.9 Update the UDC with specific pedestrian
realm requirements in areas with middle
market housing, including shade, wider
sidewalks, refuge, benches, trash
receptacles, etc.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Strategy 3: Planned Development of the Lower Kirby District
Chapter ID Action Item Key Players
Time
Frame
Placemaking 8.5 Identify opportunities to host
performing arts events in publicly
owned spaces, including parks,
street rights-of-way, and public
buildings.
City of Pearland,
Keep Pearland
Beautiful
Ongoing
Land Use 4.9 Continue to partner with the
Pearland EDC to coordinate
public- and private-sector
investments in catalyst site areas
to spur future development.
City of Pearland,
PEDC
Ongoing
Economic
Development
7.3 Position the Lower Kirby District
and SH 35 Corridor as priority
areas for development.
PEDC, Lower
Kirby Pearland
Management District,
Pearland Chamber of
Commerce, BAHEP
Short-
Term
Economic
Development
7.11
RR
1.4
Develop destination retail
that doesn’t compete with
SH 288/Broadway retail or
Pearland Town Center with
entertainment, food, and
beverage. Complement the
biotechnology industry through
creation of a community devoted
to advancing the development
and implementation of medical
devices to support the aging
population.
PEDC, Lower
Kirby Pearland
Management District,
Pearland Chamber of
Commerce, BAHEP
Short-
Term
Placemaking 8.11
PP
A-2
Actively pursue a vibrant mixed-
use entertainment district in the
Lower Kirby District.
City of Pearland,
PEDC
Mid-Term
xxx 1PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Table of
Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
Introduction ���������������������������������������������������3
Community Profile ��������������������������������������11
Strategic Direction ��������������������������������������29
Land Use �����������������������������������������������������35
Infrastructure and Public Services ������������63
Housing ��������������������������������������������������������83
Economic Development �������������������������������97
Placemaking ����������������������������������������������119
Thoroughfare Planning and Mobility ������129
Parks, Trails, and Open Space �����������������147
Implementation Strategy �������������������������159
Appendices
A: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
B: PUBLIC FEEDBACK
C: HOUSING
D: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
E: FUTURE LAND USE PLAN (FLUP)
3PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
CHAPTER 14 5PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan
A comprehensive plan guides land use
and development in a city. We use the
term “comprehensive” because it is
just that—a thorough and overarching
plan for what Pearland will look
like in the future in terms of where
neighborhoods, retail, parks, and
all the important places of a city are
located.
GUIDING GROWTH
This Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan is
both an update to the 2015 Comprehensive
Plan and a map for the future of Pearland. As
“The Community of Choice,” the City made sure
to engage members of the community in the
process and create a Future Land Use Plan
(FLUP) that considers their wishes for the future
of the community.
The City’s six strategic priorities provide a
background of what would eventually become
the priorities for this comprehensive plan. These
strategic priorities are:
Î Trusted Government – Delivering
transparent, high-quality, and accessible city
services by developing cutting edge solutions,
engaging with the community, and continually
improving our capabilities
Î Strong Economy – Developing and investing
in an attractive community that allows talent,
entrepreneurs, and businesses to thrive for
generations to come by supporting stable,
steady growth, and unending opportunities
Î Safe Community – Making Pearland
a welcoming place by ensuring a safe
environment and providing efficient and
effective Public Safety services for residents,
businesses, and visitors
Î Sustainable Infrastructure – Building
quality of life on a well-planned and maintained
foundation of essential water, transportation,
and flooding infrastructure; appealing amenities;
and long-term value
Î Resilient Finances – Providing long-term
community value through trusted stewardship
and responsible financial management
Î Connected Community – Fostering a
diverse and unified community with events,
amenities, and public and private spaces that
bring people together
These strategic priorities and responses from
stakeholders guided this plan and, therefore,
guide the recommended growth for the City.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN (FLUP)
77% of the land in Pearland’s city limits is
currently built out and developed, and the rest
is quickly on its way to being so. Based on
responses from public engagement, a FLUP
with updated place types was created. Chapter
8: Placemaking provides a detailed account
of what recommendations are suggested for
the FLUP. Based on the needs of Pearland’s
citizens, the FLUP represents a generalized
projection of the future development pattern
for the City. It contains general categories and
is not intended to be as specific as the zoning
map; therefore, the two should not be confused.
According to the Texas Local Government Code
(TX LGC) (§ 211.004), “zoning regulations must
be adopted in accordance with a comprehensive
plan…” Further, a comprehensive plan does
not constitute zoning regulations or establish
zoning district boundaries. Implementing zoning
is the responsibility of the Planning & Zoning
Commission and the City Council.
The place types designated on the FLUP will help
to guide growth in a sustainable manner seeking to
maximize the quality of life for those who live, work,
and play in the City of Pearland. “Place types”
describe the potential character of an area. The
FLUP is comprised of 13 distinct place types:
Î Business Park
Î Town Center
Î Commercial Center
Î Mixed-Use Center
Î Professional Services and Industrial
Î Manufacturing and Warehouse
Î Urban Living
Î Compact Residential
Î Traditional Residential
Î Established Residential Estate
Î Natural Areas and Outdoor Tourism
Î Parks and Open Spaces
Î Public Use
CHAPTER 16 7PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
PLANNING AUTHORITY
The City of Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan has been prepared in accordance with the provisions
outlined in Section 213 of the TX LGC. The administrative framework for the comprehensive plan is
included in the sections that follow.
The TX LGC (§ 213.002) states in part that, “The governing body of a municipality may adopt a
comprehensive plan for the long-range development of the municipality.” The basis for the adoption of a
comprehensive plan is also identified in the TX LGC (§ 213.001) by providing that, “The powers granted
under this chapter are for the purpose of promoting sound development of municipalities and promoting
public health, safety, and welfare.” Further, the Plan serves as a basis for zoning policy. The TX LGC
(§ 211.004) states “zoning regulations must be adopted in accordance with a comprehensive plan…”
The TX LGC (§ 213.002) offers municipalities a certain autonomy over content of the Plan by stating, “A
municipality may define the content and design of a comprehensive plan.” The TX LGC (§ 213.002) further
details the following components and provisions to potentially be included in a comprehensive plan:
1. "include but is not limited to provisions on land use, transportation, and public facilities;
2. consist of a single plan or a coordinated set of plans organized by subject and geographic area;
3. be used to coordinate and guide the establishment of development regulations."
Further, TX LGC (§211.004) states “Zoning regulations must be adopted in accordance with a
comprehensive plan and must be designed to:
1. lessen congestion in the streets;
2. secure safety from fire, panic, and other dangers;
3. promote health and the general welfare;
4. provide adequate light and air;
5. prevent the overcrowding of land;
6. avoid undue concentration of population; or
7. facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewers, schools, parks, and other public
requirements.”
By abiding by the aforementioned provisions included in Sections 211 and 213 of the TX LGC, the
City of Pearland endeavors to provide a Plan that will serve as an overall framework to ensure that
development and redevelopment within the City occur in a sustainable manner.
The Plan serves as a basis for all regulatory aspects of development and redevelopment and should
be consistent with other development regulations adopted by the City. To this end, the TX LGC (§
213.002) offers that, “A municipality may define, in its charter or by ordinance, the relationship between
a comprehensive plan and development regulations and may provide standards for determining the
consistency required between a plan and development regulations.”
Development of the Comprehensive Plan
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW
The Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan was created through a process that combined input from
Pearland’s community, vetted with professional expertise, with decisions by a Comprehensive Plan
Advisory Committee (CPAC) and Pearland’s elected and appointed leaders.
Meetings included:
Î Four CPAC meetings and two CPAC workshops
Î Nine stakeholder meetings (e.g., Pearland Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Chamber of
Commerce, Lions Club, Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory Board, etc.)
Î Seven community input sessions
Please see Appendix A for specific information.
INTERNET-BASED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Online public engagement was sourced via a Social Pinpoint website that was active from October
2021-May 2022. Over the course of the project, there were 7,730 visits to the website from 2,194 users.
The website received 295 comments and 73 survey responses. After the initial public engagement
efforts, City staff was directed by City Council to gather additional feedback between November 2023 to
January 2024. A web survey that contained six open-ended question received 8,079 responses. Please
see Appendix B for the survey responses and word clouds.
From the survey, Pearland residents recognize the fast growth the City is experiencing and they want
to ensure that sufficient funding is spent on maintaining public infrastructures and amenities. The best
kept secret of living in Pearland revolves around the sought after public schools that continue to be
inviting to young families. Moving forward, residents want to ensure that housing affordability is taken
into account as the city prepares for future developments.
Please see Appendix B for specific information.
SOCIAL PINPOINT
MAP OF SURVEY
RESPONSES
CHAPTER 18 9PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Popular Opinion
Quotes provided below represent ideas that were
expressed or upvoted most often through the
public engagement process. Appendix B provides
all comments received.
LAND USE
HOUSING
INFRASTRUCTURE THOROUGHFARE PLANNING AND MOBILITY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
PLACEMAKING
“We need a family recreation center of some
type on the west side.”
“Something like the Baybrook area with green
area for people to just hang out but also
restaurants, coffee shops, for people to sit or
just grab a bite.”
“It would be nice to have a family fun event
place like Main Event with bowling, video
games, food, etc.”
“I would suggest Pearland include sections
in this planning effort addressing resilience,
climate action, and sustainability…”
“A bakery...breakfast brunch area or an 85
degree bakery... We need more options for
the Asian Community.”
“Old town can be a great location for mixed
use area.”
“An additional Senior Center should be placed
on the west end of the city since this facility is
overbooked and our community is growing in
seniors!”
“Need additional roof tops to support existing
retail center. High density housing here would
have excellent proximity to other uses as well
as major thoroughfares.”
“I would like to see the City of Pearland
bury power lines and get rid of the utility
poles. This would go a long way toward
beautification of the area, and add resistance
to extreme weather conditions.”
“Need sidewalks so kids can safely get to the school. Currently have to walk in the road.”
“Pedestrian bridge connecting west and east Pearland. Access to mall and into neighborhoods
without cross traffic.”
“Connecting these multi-use pathways would be ideal for walkers and joggers, cyclists and general
pedestrian use.”
“The new library is beautiful, but not very accessible as it is cutoff from the neighborhood by
the busy road [sic]. A walking path from the new trail from the north and need to make a safe
pedestrian crossing for people to get across without the use of a car. Need to widen and make
safer the walking path from Kirby to the new library. Turn the large shoulders of shadow creek into a
protected bike path.”“Urban area close to town center will bring
many people, and address residential need
without creating traffic due to accessibility to
freeway.”
“Shopping centers with same businesses,
most have the same nail, hair, urgent care,
dentist, pizza etc several on pearland pkwy
mirror. So many crammed into a few miles.
Would like to see a museum like Sugar Land
or splash pad something fun with the land.
Event center.”
“Need a “walkable area” with shops,
breweries, boutiques, tea rooms, etc.”
“Make the sidewalk around the lake wider for people that just want to walk around; add sitting areas
for people watching”
“Many residents would benefit with the development of a skate park at Centennial Park.”
“With the new residential areas planned for this area it is important for parks and trail connections to
be consistent throughout.”
“The trails are such an asset to the community. The overall trail experience could be enhanced
through habitat restoration and tree planting efforts of native species along the trail and adjacent
detention areas.”
“Small town/old town feel-retail and restaurant.”
“Potential public space that utilizes a train depot theme. Could include public space for concerts and
events, food trucks, shops, restaurants.”
“Please reconsider the layout for the “Gateway to Pearland” So much concrete. Needs to blend in
with the ivy district concept. We need to get out of the 90s sprawl mindset.”
“Pearland - PEDC- have done a fantastic job at this entrance with the monument signs and
landscaping down Main St./HWY 35. Beautiful Entrance to Pearland. We appreciate your hard
work. This has made a big difference on Hwy 35.”
CHAPTER 210 11PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 2
Community Profile
CHAPTER 212 13PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 2
Community
Profile
A community profile starts with the
basic facts—who lives in an area, the
history of the area, and what currently
exists there. These components
help build the community’s collective
identity. In this chapter, the past and
current demographics will provide
the baseline framework of the future
community that this comprehensive
plan seeks to plan for. Specifically,
this chapter explores the existing
conditions of Pearland and the
surrounding area.
Community Snapshot
Figure 2.1 summarizes some of the key metrics
for both the Pearland study area and the Greater
Houston area. The figure shows that Pearland is
slightly older, with a larger share of households
with children than the region as a whole.
When the last comprehensive plan was adopted by City Council in 2015,
the City had a population of 101,725. From 2015-2021, Pearland added
an estimated 28,000 people according to ESRI Business Analyst Online
(BAO) data. For context, Pearland city limits contain 48.8 square miles,
which indicates that the City added an average of roughly 590 people
per square mile. A population change can correspond with a change
in demographics and result in a shift in the community’s preferences
and needs. It is essential to proactively plan for a community in order
to accommodate new and existing residents. Population growth will not
only affect the infrastructure demands such as school capacity and water usage, but very likely shape
Pearland's future. The City of Pearland has provided data (see Figure 2.2) that shows the number of
building permits for new commercial construction from 2019 to 2022. During this time period, the City
issued 134 commercial permits for the construction of new buildings.
Historic Development Patterns
The historic development pattern of Pearland has been focused on traditional single-family residential,
based on Euclidean zoning and development policies encouraging single-family subdivisions. Euclidean
zoning organizes a city into specific districts where certain land uses are allowed or prohibited. In
Texas, Chapter 211 of the Texas Local Government Code (TX LGC) provides municipal zoning authority
that was based on the Standard State Zoning Enabling Act. As is common throughout the United
States, housing options such as duplexes, townhomes, bungalows, garden homes, and courtyard
apartments have not been as widely constructed as single-family subdivisions. Figure 2.12 shows the
year that each area was annexed into Pearland’s city boundaries; this land was constructed with new,
detached single-family developments.
FIGURE 2.2:
NEW COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS PER YEAR
2019 2020 2021 2022
2424
46464444
2020
PEARLAND
STUDY AREA
GREATER
HOUSTON
35.335.3
Median Age
34.934.9
Median Age
163,522163,522
2021 Estimated
Population
7.24M7.24M
2021 Estimated
Population
74.0%74.0%
% Owner
Households
56.9%56.9%
% Owner
Households
48.0%48.0%
Households
with Children
40.9%40.9%
Households
with Children
3.003.00
Avg. Household
Size
2.852.85
Avg. Household
Size
80.480.4
Diversity Index
81.281.2
Diversity Index
1.6%1.6%
% Households
with no access
to vehicle
5.2%5.2%
% Households
with no access
to vehicle
+3.0%+3.0%
Annual Growth
Rate since 2010
+1.9%+1.9%
Annual Growth
Rate since 2010
These concepts are defined throughout the chapter.
FIGURE 2.1: COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT
CHAPTER 214 15PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Housing Units
Figure 2.3 shows an incremental increase in
housing units through the decades that appears to
be consistent with population growth. However, it is
important to examine the specific demographics of
the added population, as that can lead to a change
in the actual number of housing units required. For
example, an influx of young, single professionals will
have different housing needs and preferences than
that of a family of four with young children. Therefore,
it cannot be assumed that the number of housing units has a linear relationship to population change.
In the ongoing sections, the demographics will be examined to more accurately provide the City’s
planning needs for the next 30 years.
Population
From its early days as a rural farming community to its current status as a thriving suburban city,
Pearland has undergone significant changes in terms of its demographics and population size. This
section explores the key events and factors that have shaped the population of Pearland over time,
highlighting the key trends and patterns that have emerged.
HISTORIC POPULATION
Texas continues to lead the United States in terms of net migration, additional residents, and corporate
relocations. According to the US Census July 1, 2021 population estimates, there are more than 29
million residents in Texas. In the past decade, Texas led the United States in numeric growth among
states, with an addition of 3,999,944 residents between the 2010 and 2020 census. According to the
Texas Demographic Center, state total population will likely exceed the 40 million population threshold
by the year 2040. Table 2.4 shows the growth curve of Brazoria, Harris, and Fort Bend Counties, as
well as Texas as a whole.
One of the most significant factors that has contributed to Pearland’s population growth is its historical
development as a rural farming community. In the early days of the City's history, the majority of
residents were farmers who made their livelihoods by growing crops and raising livestock on the land.
This rural, agricultural way of life slowly attracted people to the area, and the population of Pearland
grew over time. As the city developed and modernized, however, the population began to shift away
from its agricultural roots and toward a more suburban way of life. This transition was fueled in part by
the growth of the Greater Houston area, which brought new job opportunities and an influx of people to
the region. As a result, the population of Pearland continued to increase, and by the mid-20th century,
the city had become a thriving suburban community.
FIGURE 2.3:
HOUSING UNITS
Source: US Census Bureau
2000 2010 2020
45,40345,403
33,16933,169
13,89513,895
HISTORIC STATE POPULATION
HISTORIC HARRIS COUNTY POPULATION
PROJECTED STATE POPULATION
PROJECTED HARRIS COUNTY POPULATION
HISTORIC FORT BEND COUNTY POPULATION
HISTORIC BRAZORIA COUNTY POPULATION
PROJECTED FORT BEND COUNTY POPULATION
PROJECTED BRAZORIA COUNTY POPULATION
FIGURE 2.4: TEXAS POPULATION GRAPH
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
50M
45M
40M
35M
30M
25M
20M
15M
10M
5M
0
10M
9M
8M
7M
6M
5M
4M
3M
2M
1M
0 Fort Bend and Brazoria County PopulationsState and Harris County Populations
CHAPTER 216 17PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Today, Pearland is a thriving suburban city with a
diverse and growing population. The city's close
proximity to Houston is attractive to people who
want the amenities of the big city without living
in it. As of the most recent census estimate from
July 1, 2021, Pearland’s population within the
City limits is approximately 126,000 people—
making it the third-largest city by population in
the Greater Houston area. The city has a diverse
population, with people from a variety of racial
and ethnic backgrounds. In recent years, the city
has seen an influx of Hispanic and Asian residents, which has diversified the population. In terms of
age, the population of Pearland is relatively young, with a median age of 35.3 years. This is significantly
younger than the median age in the US as a whole, which is 38.2 years. This youthful population should
be the focus for Pearland's future growth, as young families and professionals are searching for new
opportunities and a high quality of life.
As the next section describes, however, Pearland has a smaller share of Brazoria County's younger
population, indicating that young people in the area are finding their needs met in neighboring
communities.
POPULATION
PROJECTIONS
Looking ahead, it is clear that
the population of Pearland will
continue to grow and evolve
in the coming years. As the
city continues to develop, it
is imperative that Pearland
continues to attract new
residents to maintain its tax
base and quality of life.
Figure 2.5 shows the historic
population growth in green. It
also depicts multiple different
population projections for future
years. Given the uncertainty of
projections, multiple methods
are presented in the chart to
account for different possible
scenarios. The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), which uses a regional demographic model
for projections based on future land uses and economic activity, has a forecast for the general area
of Pearland that indicates the city may be reaching the height of its growth spurt. The Texas Water
Development Board (TWDB) uses a more linear projection method and does not show a decline in
growth rate.
Demographics
An understanding of demographic trends plays an important role in the comprehensive planning
process. This section reports the existing age distribution, ethnic diversity, education attainment,
household income, and public safety indicators. This demographic data provides a baseline for
community planning and policy decisions in subsequent chapters. The demographics described in this
section are further summarized in the Psychographics section in Chapter 7: Economic Development.
That section helps by putting a face on the numbers and summarizing the character of the community.
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Figure 2.6 shows the number of residents per age cohort over a decade in Pearland. The 0-19 age
cohort show young children/adults that are generally still of school age. The 20-34 age cohort can
represent multiple life stages, including obtaining higher education, young families, and the beginning
work force. Age 35-64 represent most prominent group in the workforce and families. Age 65+
represent the senior citizens that may be retired from the work force.
This Census Bureau population data shows that as the population has increased, the ratios of the age
cohorts are relatively stable. The 65+ cohort has incrementally increased 4% over the last decade,
while the 0-19 cohort and the 20-34 cohort both decreased 2% incrementally. In summary, Pearland
has more retirees and less school-aged children with young parents over the last decade. A solution
to address the decreasing cohort of school aged-children and the young workforce is to implement a
policy that encourages Pearland to provide more housing that is attainable. For more information see
Chapter 6: Housing.
FIGURE 2.4: POPULATION
City limits only, not including ETJ
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
125,828125,828
91,25291,252
37,64037,640
18,69718,69713,20013,200
FIGURE 2.6: AGE COHORTS
YEAR 2021
37,909 (31%)37,909 (31%)
22,796 (19%)22,796 (19%)
48,499 (40%)48,499 (40%)
13,405 (11%)13,405 (11%)
YEAR 2015
30,924 (30%)30,924 (30%)
20,345 (20%)20,345 (20%)
41,402 (41%)41,402 (41%)
9,053 (9%)9,053 (9%)
YEAR 2010
27,141 (33%)27,141 (33%)
16,963 (21%)16,963 (21%)
32,519 (39%)32,519 (39%)
5,957 (7%)5,957 (7%)
AGE 65+
AGE 35-64
AGE 20-34
AGE 0-19
FIGURE 2.5: PEARLAND'S POPULATION PROJECTIONS
198019601940 2000 2020 2040 2060
50M
45M
40M
35M
30M
25M
20M
15M
10M
5M
0
Census Population H-GAC Growth Forecast
Pearland City Limits Population TWDB Population Projection
CHAPTER 218 19PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
One feature about the current demographics of Pearland is that like the Greater Houston area, it
is remarkably diverse. In fact, as of 2021, Pearland is one of the top five most diverse cities (with a
population greater than 100,000) in the United States.
ETHNIC DIVERSITY
Examining the circular chart
to the right, it is evident
that the City of Pearland
(including its extraterritorial
jurisdiction (ETJ)) is
ethnically diverse.
Source: ESRI BAO
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Î Approximately 51.1% of Pearland residents identify as White
Î Based on US Census reporting, people of Hispanic origin may identify with any race and may select
one or more categories; 27.8% of residents in Pearland have Hispanic origin
Î The Diversity Index provides a score between 0 (all residents belong to one racial/ethnic group) and
100 (many racial/ethnic groups represented)
Î The US Census Bureau defines the Diversity Index as the probability that two people chosen at
random will be from different race and ethnic groups
Î Pearland's Diversity Index of 80.4 is higher than Brazoria County's (76.1) and lower than the region's
(81.2)
*Pearland and its ETJ have a Diversity Index of 80.4
85 YEARS AND OVER
80 TO 84 YEARS
75 TO 79 YEARS
70 TO 74 YEARS
65 TO 69 YEARS
60 TO 64 YEARS
55 TO 59 YEARS
50 TO 54 YEARS
45 TO 49 YEARS
40 TO 44 YEARS
35 TO 39 YEARS
30 TO 34 YEARS
25 TO 29 YEARS
20 TO 24 YEARS
15 TO 19 YEARS
10 TO 14 YEARS
5 TO 9 YEARS
UNDER 5 YEARS
10%10%10%
10%10%10%
5%5%5%
5%5%5%
0 0 0
0 0 0
5%5%5%
5%5%5%
10%10%10%
10%10%10%
FIGURE 2.7: AGE DISTRIBUTION
CITY OF PEARLAND BRAZORIA COUNTY HARRIS COUNTY
MALE POPULATION FEMALE POPULATION
The City of Pearland’s overall population seen in Figure 2.7 shows that it presents a smaller percentage
of 20- to 24- and 25- to 29-year-olds compared to that of the overall Brazoria County. In addition, when
examining a few age brackets above and below the 20-24, 25-29 bracket, there appear to be larger
percentages within the City of Pearland than of Brazoria County overall. This data supports the current
trend of Pearland being a community that is appealing to families with children.
51.1%
WHITE9.3%
OTHER
3.4%
TWO OR MORE RACES
15.1%
ASIAN/PACIFIC
ISLANDER
20.4%
BLACK
0.5%
AMERICAN
INDIAN
SHARE OF
RESIDENTS,
BY ETHNICITY,
PEARLAND CITY
AND ETJ, 2021
DIVERSITY
INDEX*80.4
CHAPTER 220 21PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
In Figure 2.8 below, it is evident that Pearland’s residents comprise a highly educated workforce along
with a high-income earner population. It is important to distinguish that this section is not stating that
higher education attainment is a direct and singular correlation to higher earning, but rather that this
community has residents that have the capacity to obtain employment and income that is associated
with job sectors/career developments that require higher education. Later, in Chapter 6: Housing and
Chapter 7: Economic Development, the employment demographics of the residents and the City’s
businesses will be further explored. This facet of the social demographics plays a major role in how
Pearland became the City it is today–a City largely led by its business opportunities and convenient
distance from other major employment sectors around the Greater Houston area.
FIGURE 2.8: COMPARISON OF SHARE OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, 2021
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Î Educational attainment is for residents 25 years and older
Î The Pearland study area has higher shares of residents holding bachelor's and graduate's degrees
when compared to the region
Î Approximately 47.3% of residents in the study area have at least a bachelor's degree, compared to
34.4% in the Greater Houston region
HOUSEHOLD
SIZE
From the 2021 Census,
Pearland had 41,548
households. This is
a change of 12,965
additional homes since
the 2010 Census, which
represents a 45.4%
increase. The average
household size is 2.94
people per household.
The household size
increased by 1.73%
per household since
the 2010 Census
household size of 2.89.
FIGURE 2.10: MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, 2021
Source: ESRI BAO
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
The median household income in
Pearland was $107,941 according
to 2020 U.S. Census data. ESRI
Business Analyst Online (BAO)
data indicates it was $108,252
in 2021. In terms of this metric,
Pearland is one of the highest-
income communities in the Houston
metropolitan region. PEARLAND
STUDY AREA
BRAZORIA
COUNTY
GREATER
HOUSTON
$108,252$108,252 $89,065$89,065 $76,779$76,779
LESS THAN
HIGH
SCHOOL
DIPLOMA
HIGH
SCHOOL
DIPLOMA
SOME
COLLEGE,
NO
DEGREE
GRADUATE/
PROFESSIONAL
DEGREE
ASSOCIATE
DEGREE
BACHELOR'S
DEGREE
6.8%6.8%
14.8%14.8%
17.1%17.1%
23.4%23.4%
19.8%19.8%20.0%20.0%
8.8%8.8%7.4%7.4%
29.2%29.2%
18.1%18.1%
12.6%12.6%
21.8%21.8%
PEARLAND STUDY AREA GREATER HOUSTON
FIGURE 2.9: HOUSEHOLDS
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
2010
2010
2014
2014
2011
2011
2015
2015
2012
2012
2016
2016
2013
2013
2017
2017
2018
2018
2019
2019
2020
2020
2021
2021
41,54841,548
45.4% INCREASE 45.4% INCREASE
1.73% INCREASE 1.73% INCREASE
41,54841,548
2.942.94
28,58328,583
2.892.89
Source: 2021 US Census
CHAPTER 222 23PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
PUBLIC SAFETY
Pearland achieved a 31%
reduction in the rate of violent
crimes from 1.54 incidents
per 1,000 residents in 2000 to
1.07 in 2021. These positive
trends during a very rapid
growth period are attractive to
current and future residents.
This is reassuring given
resident perception (expressed
during small-group discussion
sessions) that increasing
crime can be a by-product of a
growing city.
Regional Context
A city is not an island—it is impacted by the cities, counties, and regional sites surrounding it. Situated
in the northernmost portion of Brazoria County and within easy access to Houston, Pearland’s growth is
impacted by and impacts these neighbors.
FIGURE 2.12 SHOWS PEARLAND’S PROXIMITY TO NEARBY MAJOR LANDMARKS
TEXAS AND HOUSTON AREA GROWTH
At the time this update was being prepared, the State of Texas was approaching the 29 million
population mark. By 2022, Texas surpassed the 28 million mark, making it the second highest-
populated US state after California at 39 million. As Pearland embarked on this current plan update in
2022, both Texas and the Houston area were widely and regularly recognized in the national media and
elsewhere as remarkable engines of economic growth, leading to a renewed population surge between
2010-2020, adding almost 4 million residents to the state within the decade.
As the entire state grew by more than 35% from 2002 to 2022, from 21.7 million to 29.7 million people,
the Greater Houston area grew by nearly 88%, adding more than 2.5 million new residents (from 4.7
million in Census 2000 to roughly 7.2 million as of the last US Census Bureau estimate in 2021). Taking
advantage of its location within the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, Pearland grew markedly
faster, increasing its population by 235% between 2000 and 2022, from 37,640 to an estimated 126,000
residents. Referring to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan update (adopted in 2013), Pearland’s population
has already exceeded the projected growth in 2022.
SOUTH HOUSTON AND BRAZORIA GROWTH
Brazoria County had approximately 243,000 residents as of Census 2000. In the years since the
County has added roughly 126,000 persons, growing by about one-third to nearly 369,000 residents
according to a US Census Bureau estimate in 2021. Pearland has accounted for a good share of
this Brazoria County growth as the most populated community in the County, and with most of its
incorporated territory within the northernmost area of the County.
It is important to mention that even during uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pearland’s
Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) worked proactively to attract businesses in 2020-2021.
Examining business trends, it is worthwhile to mention that 92 new commercial building permits were
issued between 2019–October 20211. Additionally, there has been a recent surge in industrial buildings
near Beltway 8. More generally, the entire south side of Houston has seen an uptick in growth in
recent years. This is partly due to market dynamics and the availability of land as other suburban areas
especially to the north and west have been developed more—to the point of buildout in some directions.
Growth drivers for Pearland highlighted later in this section also apply here, including Texas Medical
Center (TMC) expansion and development induced by the Sam Houston Tollway. This development
includes recent multifamily and retail activity along the north side of the Tollway corridor and near major
intersections such as Cullen and Monroe (north connection to Pearland Parkway) and near the Tollway-
SH 288 interchange.
In 2019, the PEDC worked alongside local stakeholders to develop the later adopted Pearland 20/20
Prosperity Strategic Plan. The two community goals from this plan included Pearland’s economic
growth and diversification and to be a community of choice in the Greater Houston region2.
1 https://communityimpact.com/houston/pearland-friendswood/development/2021/11/05/choosing-pearland-businesses-drawn-to-citys-location-population/
2 https://www.pearlandedc.com/about-us/strategic-plan/
VIOLENT CRIMES PER 1,000 TOTAL CRIMES PER 1,000
CRIME REPORTS25
20
15
10
5
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 20222021
FIGURE 2.11: UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS
CHAPTER 224 25PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
SAM HOUSTON TOLLWAY AND STATE HIGHWAY 288
In the portion parallel to Pearland, the Sam Houston Tollway spans east-west and provides relief
from the IH-610 loop. In 2021, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported that the
Tollway was carrying, at a point just east of Cullen Parkway/FM 865, some 67,000 vehicles per day
on average3. SH 288 spans north-south and serves as the main road to the corridor between the Sam
Houston Tollway and County Road 59. At a point slightly north of Hughes Rand Road, it was carrying
nearly 84,000 vehicles per day on average4. Since 2014, the City of Pearland, PEDC, and the Pearland
Management District No. 2 are funding the ongoing SH 288 Corridor Master Plan improvements
that aim to beatify the infrastructure and to further support future economic development and growth
along the corridor. The hope is that this improvement will provide Pearland with a competitive edge in
attracting the community’s future businesses and residents4.
TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER
The TMC remains the largest medical complex in the world, with more than 50 member institutions
occupying a campus of 2.1 square miles and a current expansion as part of Helix Park. The TMC
has about 120,000 employees, including numerous residents of Pearland, who chose to live in the
community for this proximity, among other benefits. The TMC is the 8th largest business district in the
US and has $3 billion in construction projects underway. The TMC estimates that the “City of Medicine”
has about 10 million patient encounters and provides 180,000+ surgeries per year6. The TMC has 50
million developed square feet, which would rank as the 4th largest medical campus nationally, well
ahead of San Francisco and behind only New York City; Chicago; Washington, DC; and Boston.
In tangent to Houston’s plan to become a medical tourism destination, Pearland also has the capacity
to expand parts of the city as an emerging medical hub. With the proximity to the TMC campus and the
ongoing improvements to SH 288, this proximity lends to Pearland a regional partnership.
HOBBY AIRPORT PROXIMITY AND OUTLOOK
Among the locational advantages of living in Pearland, many residents cite the proximity of Hobby Airport
as another benefit for both business and leisure travel. After almost 100 years of service, Hobby is the first
airport in North America to earn Skytrax’s 5-star rating, and ranks as the 36th busiest US airport and 43rd
in North America in terms of enplanements, with more than 13 million passengers (1/4 of the Houston
Airport System’s 60 million total passengers) flying to 76+ US destinations and six countries. The airport
also supports roughly 7,100 jobs and is a hub for corporate and private aviation. In 2022, Hobby Airport
received $3 million in grants to improve gates, baggage systems, energy efficiency to its lighting and
insulation, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access.
A 15-minute drive north of Pearland, Hobby Airport provides a gateway to Houston and other domestic
and international destinations. In addition to local business parks and the TMC, this amenity boosts
the international appeal of the Greater Houston culture and truly reflects the live, work, and play urban
model of Pearland.
Existing Land Area
CITY LIMITS AND EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION
Pearland City limits cover 49 square miles and the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) covers an additional
20 square miles.
Figure 2.11 shows the City limits, ETJ boundaries, and county boundaries. Pearland’s City limits
overlap three Texas counties—Brazoria, Harris, and Fort Bend. Most of the city is in Brazoria County
(87%), 10% is in Harris County, and the remaining 3% is in Fort Bend County. Figure 2.13 shows that
the City limits are bordered on the north by City of Houston and Brookside Village, on the east by
Friendswood, on the south by Manvel, and on the west by Almeda Road/FM 521.
3 https://txdot.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=06fea0307dda42c1976194bf5a98b3a1
4 https://www.pearlandedc.com/developments/state-highway-288-corridor-master-improvements/
5 https://www.tmc.edu/about-tmc/
6 https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/travel/2022/09/13/432917/gate-additions-at-bush-hobby-airports-planned-with-43-million-in-new-federal-
funding/
FIGURE 2.13: CITY OF PEARLAND AND ETJ
CHAPTER 226 27PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CURRENT DEVELOPED LAND
Figure 2.15 shows the land areas within the City limits and ETJ, that are developed, undeveloped, and
have the potential for future development. A green dot was placed in the center of the parcel and does
not represent the entire land area. The white spaces represent areas that are undeveloped or have the
potential for future development.
Developed: the current structures are not likely to change within a 50- to 100-year timeframe
Potential for Development: the existing structures are not consistent with the anticipated future
land use pattern
Undeveloped: zero or few permanent structures on a parcel of land
The following table summarizes
the areas within the City limit
boundary and the ETJ in terms of
development status. 77.4% of the
areas are currently developed and
22.6% have potential for future
development or redevelopment.
As available land continues to
be developed, smart land-use
decisions are necessary for the
continued success of Pearland and residents.
PERCENT OF TOTAL TOTAL PERCENTCITY LIMIT ETJ
DEVELOPED 76.4%79.7%77.4%
POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT
8%12.6%9.4%
UNDEVELOPED 15.6%7.7%13.2%
GRAND TOTAL 100.00%100.00%100.00%
FIGURE 2.14: HISTORICAL ANNEXATIONS
FIGURE 2.15: DEVELOPED AREAS
On September 24, 1894, Witold von Zychlinski filed the original plat of "Pear-Land" at the Brazoria
County courthouse, which included 520 acres bounded by the current Orange Street, Walnut Street,
Galveston Street, and Austin Street. Figure 2.14 shows the areas of Pearland that were annexed into
the City limits from the 1960s through today. The ETJ was established with the intent of providing
opportunities for feasible, realistic, and timely balancing of service extensions with incorporation,
ensuring that Pearland does not inadvertently cause its taxpaying residents to subsidize the costs of
serving those outside Pearland’s City limits. On May 24, 2019, Texas House Bill 347 became effective
and changed municipal annexation. The bill requires landowner or voter approval of most annexations
by any city in Texas. Since the law changed, Pearland has only annexed approximately 104 acres in
two voluntary annexations, highlighted in green in Figure 2.14.
The annexations have implications on land use patterns in the City. It will change a focus to infill and
redevelopment. Figure 2.14 shows the pattern of annexations from the 1960s to present day.
This map shows the areas of annexation, ranging from 1959 to today. The lightest to darkest green
color spectrum reflects the oldest to the most recent annexations. The City’s current drainage master
plan has identified acreages required for new detention ponds, which will reduce the areas with
potential for development. Refer to Chapter 4: Land Use for further discussion on Infrastructure.
CHAPTER 328 29PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 3
Strategic Direction
CHAPTER 330 31PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Vis ion Statement
Pearland is "The Community of Choice,"
providing its diverse population with a
strong economy balanced by a mix of
uses; places of value where people desire
to live, work and play; and making smart
investments in existing and future assets.
Guiding Principles
In early 2023, as part of a process separate
from the comprehensive plan, the Pearland
City Council and City staff established six
Strategic Priorities to provide a framework
that focuses direction of future growth. These
priorities are accompanied by City Values.
Together, the Strategic Priorities and City
Values are meant to guide all efforts and
decisions made within the City Government.
While the Strategic Priorities and City Values
are general enough to provide direction for
all efforts within City, the Guiding Principles
for the comprehensive plan are meant to be
specific to the components that are being
recommended within the comprehensive
plan. Therefore, the Strategic Priorities
and City Values were used as the basis for
creating Guiding Principles specific to the
comprehensive plan.
Figure 3.1 on the following page indicates
how each of the Guiding Principles for
the comprehensive plan relate to both the
Strategic Priorities and the City Values.
CHAPTER 3
Strategic
Direction
The strategic direction provides the
overarching policy direction that
should be considered in implementing
the comprehensive plan. The planning
process itself and all resulting
recommendations should relate back
to the strategic direction. The strategic
direction includes:
Î A Vision Statement that
describes the future of Pearland,
as envisioned by the community.
It should be a short aspirational
statement that describes where the
community wants to go.
Î A set of Guiding Principles
that provide direction for
recommendations for all
components of the comprehensive
plan. These principles are the basis
for all recommendations that will
help the community achieve the
desired vision.
Î A Preferred Scenario that
represents the future land uses,
employment, and built community
in Pearland if the Vision Statement
is realized.
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
2021 COMMUNITY SURVEY
respondents positively rated the City as a place to live
and the overall quality of life in the community9/10
CHAPTER 332 33PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
THE COMMUNITY
OF CHOICE
These priorities and
values guided the
overall vision for the
comprehensive plan and
ultimately informed the
recommendations for
the next 20 years.
Preferred Scenario
A Preferred Scenario represents the future land uses, employment, and built community in Pearland if
the Vision Statement is realized.
This comprehensive plan considered the following three development patterns:
Î Single-family pattern: a scenario in which the remaining developable areas are entirely built out
as single-family developments—this forms a baseline for population and density analysis
Î Dense multifamily pattern: a scenario in which the remaining developable areas are entirely
built out as multifamily apartment complexes
Î Future Land Use Plan (FLUP) pattern (preferred scenario): based on public input, the
FLUP assigns place types to the remaining developable areas of the city, as shown on the future land
use map
These scenarios represent potential populations if full build-out and full occupancy of homes are achieved.
SINGLE-FAMILY PATTERN
The density of the Shadow Creek neighborhood was used as a template for the single-family pattern.
Considering 3.0 people per household, based on the ESRI Business Analyst Online (BAO) data, the
density calculated was 11.4 people per acre. This means the remaining 15.5 square miles developed at
a single-family density would add an additional 114,000 people to Pearland’s population.
MULTIFAMILY PATTERN
The density of the Cortland Avion Apartment off Shadow Creek Parkway was used as the template for
this multifamily pattern. This complex has 279 units, and considering 3.0 people per household, it would
yield 33.08 people per acre. This means the remaining 15.5 square miles developed at a multifamily
density would add an additional 330,000 people to Pearland’s population. While this scenario is
unrealistic, it is useful for comparison purposes to understand the maximum density, which could
theoretically develop in the remaining areas.
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN PATTERN
This scenario considered the following place types: Traditional Residential (TR), Compact Residential
(CR), Estate Residential (ERE), Urban Living (UL), Town Center (TC), and Mixed-Use Center (MUC).
Based on these residential place types, the projected land use areas would add approximately 216,000
people to Pearland’s population.
When comparing the three development patterns, the single-family pattern represents an estimate
of Pearland’s growth under the previous land use policies. This scenario would cause strain on the
infrastructure and stagnate diverse housing options. The preferred scenario (the FLUP) represents
a denser development pattern, but does not cause the burden on infrastructure that comes from the
population growth of the multifamily pattern scenario.
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
DIVERSE POPULATION
Pearland is known for the diversity of its people,
with a variety of housing options to satisfy
multiple needs, top-rated schools to provide
future leaders, employment opportunities in
every sector, and entertainment options that
keep people coming back.
STRONG ECONOMY
Pearland takes pride in its strong economy with a
full range of business and housing types to support
a diversified sales tax base, providing long-term
financial success. Pearland is developing and
investing in an attractive community that allows
talent, entrepreneurs, and businesses to thrive for
generations to come by supporting stable, steady
growth, and unending opportunities.
PLACES OF VALUE
Pearland provides attractive places and
high-quality services that make Pearland a
competitive regional destination for its visitors
and a lifelong home for its residents and
businesses.
SMART INVESTMENTS
Pearland maintains and provides new
infrastructure to support its population. Efficient,
cost-effective, and state-of-the-art water;
wastewater; roadway; and municipal facilities are
provided in all corners of the city.
ASSETS
Pearland celebrates its existing natural and
cultural resources and is constantly looking
for opportunities to highlight new ones. These
spaces are viewed as assets within the
community and provide a high quality of life for
residents and visitors alike.
DEVELOPMENT PATTERN DWELLING UNITS
APPROXIMATE ADDITIONAL POPULATION
TOTAL POPULATION
SINGLE-FAMILY 37,795 114,000 240,000
MULTIFAMILY 109,587 330,000 455,000
FLUP 71,984 216,000 342,000
FIGURE 3.1: GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
CHAPTER 434 35PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 4
Land Use
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 436 37PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
UNDEVELOPED 13%13%
10%10%
77%77%DEVELOPED
PEARLAND
LAND USE
UNDEVELOPED
POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 4 Policies
The following Land Use and Development Policies are intended to work in conjunction with the FLUP
to establish the community Pearland residents hope to see in 2040. These policies were used to help
guide the development of the place types and determine the appropriate locations for each within the
FLUP. They are intended to inform decisions related to new development, redevelopment, adaptive
reuse of existing buildings, design of the public realm, and the public investments that support the
desired character of each part of Pearland.
Î LU-1: The City of Pearland will use this FLUP as its primary policy document for decisions related
to the physical development and desired future character of communities in Pearland.
Î LU-2: Decisions on rezoning, the subdivision of land, project design, the provision of incentives,
and other aspects of development should be made consistent with the FLUP.
Î LU-3: Public-sector infrastructure investments will be made in accordance with this plan to facilitate
the desired supporting private-sector investment.
Î LU-4: Investments by the private sector should be consistent with the FLUP's direction in terms of
the scale, mix of land uses, and development character.
Î LU-5: New development and redevelopment in Pearland will create a diverse mix of housing
opportunities for people so that they can reside in Pearland at all stages of their lives.
Î LU-6: New development and redevelopment in Pearland should create a range of locations for
businesses that provide jobs for Pearland residents, opportunities for business growth and success,
long-term economic viability, and the goods and services desired by Pearland’s residents and
residents of surrounding communities who choose to shop in Pearland.
Î LU-7: Reinvestment by the City, property owners, and developers will be encouraged to support
the continued vitality of existing Pearland neighborhoods so that they continue to appeal to new
generations of residents.
Î LU-8: Pearland property owners and developers will be encouraged to retain, protect, and enhance
existing cultural and historic assets to maintain Pearland’s unique sense of place as the community
continues to grow.
Î LU-9: The City will discourage development in areas where flooding, exposure to toxins or
pollutants, or other hazards pose a threat to the people who will live or work in the area.
Î LU-10: The City will coordinate with the Independent School Districts (ISDs) in planning for new
residential development and new educational facilities so that future facilities and developments are
well connected, mutually supportive, and available at the appropriate time.
Î LU-11: The City will participate in regional programs and initiatives that result in a more successful
future development pattern for the Greater Houston area and will use its FLUP to position Pearland
to contribute, thrive, and succeed within the region.
Î LU-12: If zoning decisions by City Council show a consistent pattern of not being in alignment with
this FLUP, the City should conduct a review of the plan to determine if community values, market
conditions, or other factors warrant a change to the plan’s Vision, Guiding Principles, and Policies.
It is important to note that Chapter
212 of the Texas Local Government
Code (TX LGC) states that a
“Comprehensive Plan shall not
constitute zoning regulations or
establish zoning boundaries.” The
FLUP Map, therefore, should not be regarded
as a zoning map, which provides specific
development requirements on individual
parcels. Instead, it is intended to guide City staff
in assessing development proposals related
to the appropriateness of land uses at specific
locations within the community and to help the
Planning and Zoning Commission and City
Council in decision-making related to specific
zoning proposals.
While a property owner may choose to develop
under existing zoning regulations regardless
of the recommendations of the chapter, if that
owner makes an application for rezoning, this
chapter should provide important guidance
related to the City’s approval or disapproval
of the zoning proposal. Observance of the
recommendations in this Future Land Use
strategy will be important to achieving the
desired future development pattern the
community’s stakeholders desire in Pearland.
Significant deviation from this strategy could
negatively impact the City’s infrastructure
investments, municipal services, and economic
resiliency. This chapter lays out the land use
and development policies that should be
considered as decisions are made related to
zoning applications.
Land Use
The Future Land Use component is a
critical tool that will help guide the City
in providing a predictable development
pattern, fiscal stability, and a high quality
of life for residents. This component
includes descriptions of place types,
which define the future character of
the area, as well as a map that shows
place type allocations for each parcel. It
provides parcel-level detail of the physical
development pattern that will be a key
factor in achieving the Strategic Direction
established in Chapter 2: Community
Profile. It is intended to inform and
assist City leaders in making important
decisions regarding future land use,
zoning, capital improvements, and other
significant investments that will contribute
to Pearland’s long-term success.
The City of Pearland and its
extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) are
largely developed; 77% of the 70 square
miles is currently developed. Of the
23% remaining land, 13% remains
undeveloped, while 10% is considered
potential for development. This land that
has potential for development largely
consists of parcels that are categorized
as residential homes on large lots
that are not part of an existing platted
subdivision.
It is imperative that there be a plan for
future development for this remaining
developable land. The Future Land Use
Plan (FLUP) will help the City continue
to provide a high quality of life for its
residents by securing a healthy future
tax base. As these remaining parcels
develop, the FLUP will ensure that
the uses being implemented are in
accordance with Pearland’s vision and
community values.
CHAPTER 438 39PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Catalyst Sites
As part of the planning process, the project team identified six areas, as displayed in Figure 4.1, within
the city that have the potential to continue developing in the near future. Catalyst sites are areas within
the city that have a conglomeration of vacant land and land that has potential for development that
can accommodate future development. Each site is unique given its location, existing character, and
surrounding uses. These factors, in combination with the types of uses the community would like to see
in the future, make for a potential “catalyst” of change for each site. These catalyst sites were the focus
of changes to the previous Land Use Plan. As previously discussed, Pearland is largely built-out. Given
the availability of developable land within these catalyst sites, they will likely be the focus of future
development. By planning the land uses now, the City can proactively shape the future of these areas.
A LOWER KIRBY
The Lower Kirby area is generally defined by Beltway
8 to the north, SH 288 to the east, Farm-to-Market
521/Almeda Road to the west, and Clear Creek to the
south. It is in a prime location within Pearland—it is
easily accessible from major roadways and has larger
portions of contiguous available land for development,
giving it the potential to be a regional destination and
major employment center. Its accessibility to these
regional roadways also makes it an attraction for mixed-
use, office, manufacturing, warehouse, and industrial
businesses. The area has already begun to develop with
these land uses. Adjacent to SH 288 on the west, existing
development includes the Bass Pro Shops building
on the north as well as the Ivy District on the south,
which is planning to include residential, retail, office,
and other mixed-use developments. Between these
two developments, there is a large portion of land that
has the potential to shape the future of the Lower Kirby
area. Future uses should complement the existing and
currently developing land uses, while taking advantage of
the regional nature of the site.
In 2011, the Pearland Economic Development
Corporation (PEDC), together with the City of Pearland,
completed the Lower Kirby Urban Center Master Plan
and Implementation Strategy. This document should be
referenced for specific planning opportunities, design,
and implementation strategies.
MIXED LAND USES
Mixing land uses means building homes, offices, schools, parks, shops, restaurants,
and other types of development near one another—on the same block or even within
the same building.
Mixed land uses bring more people to a neighborhood at a variety of times of day, which can
support businesses, improve safety, and enhance the vitality of an area. Mixing land uses
also makes it possible for people to live closer to where they work or run errands and means
they don’t need to drive a car to get there. Mixed-use neighborhoods are in-demand, meaning
this approach can boost property values and keep them stable, protecting the investment of
homeowners as well as tax revenues for municipalities.
Source: Smart Growth America
A
B
F
C
E
D
A LOWER KIRBY
B HUGHES RANCH/STONE
C GREATER OLD TOWN
D OLD MASSEY RANCH
E SH 35/BAILEY
F BROADWAY/CULLEN
Catalyst Sites
Established Residential Estate (ERE)
Traditional Residential (TR)
Compact Residential (CR)
Urban Living (UL)
Mixed-Use Center (MU)
Town Center (TC)
Commercial Center (COM)
Business Park (BP)
Professional Services & Industrial (PRO)
Manufacturing & Warehouse (MW)
Public Use (PUB)
Parks and Open Space (PRK)
Natural Areas & Outdoor Tourism (NAT)
A Lower Kirby
B Hughes Ranch / Stone
C Greater Old Town
D Old Massey Ranch
E SH 35 / Bailey
F Broadway / Cullen
ID Catalyst Site
FIGURE 4.1: FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWING CATALYST SITES
CHAPTER 440 41PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
B HUGHES RANCH/STONE
This area is generally defined as one mile west of Cullen Boulevard, Garden Road to the east, Clear
Creek/Brookside Village to the north, and ¼ mile south of Hughes Ranch Road. There is currently a
mix of large-lot single-family residential and public land uses. This area is home to the Glenda Dawson
High School, the Hickory Slough Sportsplex, and a portion of the Tom Bass Regional Park, as well as
Clear Creek. With direct access to Cullen Boulevard (which is the nearest north-south thoroughfare that
has access across Beltway 8) and close access to SH 288, this area provides a quick connection to
the City of Houston. This site was selected for its proximity to existing amenities and assets, as well as
undeveloped land and land that has potential for development that can accommodate infill development
and compact design; there are many lots that create a patchwork of development. A floodway borders
the southern portion of the site, and the majority of the area is within the 500-year floodplain. Future
uses should complement and support the existing residential and public uses, while furthering the
overarching vision and guiding principles of the comprehensive plan.
C GREATER OLD TOWN
Greater Old Town is generally defined as ¼ mile west of O’Day Road, Old Alvin Road on the east,
Walnut Street/Broadway Street to the south, and 2/3 mile north of Orange Street. This area contains
a mix between single-family residential on the west, commercial along Broadway, and warehouse
and industrial on the north. Along Broadway near SH 35, there are many small businesses mixed
with single-family residential on a gridded street network. The PEDC and City of Pearland created
the SH 35 Corridor Redevelopment Strategy to encourage investment along the corridor. The PEDC
and City of Pearland also completed the Broadway Street Corridor Development Plan in 2020 to take
a comprehensive look at the impact of TxDOT’s planned reconstruction and widening of Broadway
Street. This plan has additional information on existing and potential future economic impacts for the
area. Future uses should complement the existing residential, commercial, and industrial uses while
integrating a defining character of Old Town that is walkable and inviting.
ADVANTAGE OF COMPACT DESIGN
Compact design means making more efficient use of land that has already been developed.
Encouraging development to grow up, rather than out, is one way to do this. Infill
development—building on empty or underutilized lots—is another. Building within an existing
neighborhood can attract more people to the jobs, homes, and businesses already there while
also making the most of public investments in things like water and sewer lines, roads, and
emergency services.
Source: Smart Growth America
THE INTERSECTION OF LAND USES, ROADWAYS, AND PLACEMAKING
The character of an area is closely linked to, and somewhat defined by, the land uses and roadway
classifications within that area. Given the dependence on its transportation network and land uses,
it is extremely difficult to change the character of an area; doing so requires major physical and
economic changes.
Old Town Pearland, is a great example of character defined by transportation features and land use.
Old Town is characterized by the wide and busy SH 35 and SH 518 (Main Street and Broadway
Street), as well as the railroad. These major transportation corridors are difficult to cross, and they
converge at the heart of Old Town, dividing the area into multiple sections. However, within each of
these sections, the area is also characterized by narrow, quiet streets that were formed on a grid.
Within these areas, and along the busier corridors, Old Town is home to many small, locally owned
businesses. Among the existing bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants, salons, and medical offices,
public outreach has indicated that people are also looking for event space, compact housing, and
gathering spaces to make Old Town a walkable destination area.
The existing roadway pattern, combined with a thoughtful FLUP, additional crossings of major
barriers, and additions to the existing Development Regulations, means that Old Town has the
potential to be a unique, walkable, and lively area, offering the nearby residents and visitors an
exclusive user experience.
CHAPTER 442 43PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
D OLD MASSEY RANCH
Also referred to as Business Park South, this area is generally defined by the ETJ limits to the west,
Old Massey Ranch Road to the north, Pearland Sites Road to the east, and Hastings Cannon Road to
the south. This area is largely vacant at the current time, with some existing single-family residential.
There are some large drainageways and utility easements throughout the catalyst site, adding some
restrictions to development. Single-family residential is planned for the southwest corner of the site.
Future uses should complement the surrounding single-family residential, take advantage of the
existing utility easements, and help to create a sense of place within the site.
E SH 35/BAILEY
This area is generally defined by the BNSF Railway on the west, SH 35 on the east, 1/3 mile north of
Bailey Road, and the planned extension of Dixie Farm Road. This area largely exists as professional
services/light industrial, with some planned single-family residential along Bailey Road. Pearland High
School is in the northeast corner of the site. In 2016, The City of Pearland and the PEDC created the
SH 35 Corridor Redevelopment Strategy, which recommends a business park within this catalyst site.
This plan was adopted by the City as part of the previous comprehensive plan. Future uses should
be compatible to the high school and the incoming single-family development, but should also allow
business, light industrial, and manufacturing to thrive. The area’s proximity to the railroad and SH 35, a
designated truck route, allows for ease of transportation for some of these larger-scale businesses.
F BROADWAY/CULLEN
This area is generally defined by Silverlake Parkway to the west, Roy Road to the east, and is bisected
by FM 518/Broadway Street by ½ mile to the north and one mile to the south. The City of Pearland
has multiple facilities in the area, including the Public Safety Building, the Hillhouse Public Works
Annex, and the Shari D. Coleman Animal Shelter, making it an important hub for the City. Broadway
Street is currently lined on both sides by commercial development. Single-family residential and some
multifamily residential lie on either side of the commercial development, north and south of Broadway
Street. There are two main north-south thoroughfares through the site—Cullen Boulevard and Manvel
Road/Reid Boulevard. West of both thoroughfares are contiguous tracts of undeveloped land. Future
uses should complement the existing commercial businesses along Broadway, while beginning to
incorporate non-commercial uses to provide a live/work/play environment.
Place Types
The existing land uses within Pearland’s Code of Ordinances were translated into new place types.
Land use designations differ from place types in that land uses often prescribe a single land use to
an area. Instead, place types describe the potential character of the area, as well as their future land
uses and general design parameters. Place types provide decision-makers with a range of design and
development requirements, allowing development to be more flexible and creating a unique sense of
place rather than being prescriptive and creating a result that does not always fit with the surrounding
area. It should be noted that each place type is also assigned secondary land uses that could be
compatible with the primary use and can be considered for development.
These place types were applied to the City’s FLUP. A diagram has been included to depict how the
land use categories were translated to place types. This diagram only depicts how they were changed
from the previous category to the new category. Once this process was finished, the place types were
evaluated to see if the general land use category overall should be changed (i.e. from commercial to
mixed-use). While the entire City was evaluated, special attention was directed toward the catalyst
sites.
GENERAL CATEGORIES EXISTING LAND USES NEW PLACE TYPES
CHAPTER 444 45PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Business Park
Tow n Center
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Business parks will provide a major
employment base for Pearland and the
region, in addition to a higher level of in-town
employment options for Pearland residents.
They should allow for walkability within the
site, as well as greenspace and amenities
that include, but are not limited to, benches,
shaded areas, water features, outdoor meeting
spaces, lighting, and trash receptacles. Typical
uses will include professional offices and
limited supporting retail and restaurant uses to
support a range of professional activities
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Pearland’s existing Town Center will
continue to evolve as a locally serving
economic, entertainment, and community
activity hub. Other locations have been
designated as future Town Centers to
provide employment centers and shopping
destinations for surrounding mixed-use or
urban neighborhoods and will provide civic
components where the community can “come
together.” The Town Center is meant to
create a unique identity that sets it apart as
a well-known destination. It may serve as an
employment center and retail destination for
the broader area. Buildings are typically one or
more stories with urban residential units over
storefronts. The development will encourage
active living with a network of walkable streets.
Local Example: Springwood Village
Local Example: Pearland Town Center, Sugar Land Town Square, City Centre
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Professional office
Î Corporate office
Î Medical buildings/hospitals
Î Supporting retail
Î Restaurants
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Retail
Î Restaurants
Î Hotels
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Commercial
Î Parks
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Retail
Î Townhomes
Î Senior housing
Î Restaurants
Î Community-serving commercial
Î Professional office
Î Live/work units
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Hotels
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Parks
Î Community buildings
Rated #3 MOST-PREFERRED place type by public opinion
CHAPTER 446 47PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Commercial Center
Mixed-Use Center
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Commercial centers are characterized by
single- or multi-tenant commercial centers
located at major intersections. They are
typically adjacent to traditional residential
neighborhoods and provide for the everyday
goods and service needed by the residents
in these neighborhoods. While these
centers are typically automobile-oriented,
there will be a continued focus on providing
street connections to/from the surrounding
neighborhoods.
CHARACTER AND INTENT
The mixed-use place type offers the ability to
live and work in a unified, interconnected area
with a higher intensity of uses and a mixture
of housing options, employment, and/or retail
services in the same structure. This place
type lends toward more of a form-based code
rather than focusing on the use of a building.
This will allow for more flexibility of use
within an area, while ensuring a predictable
public realm and design standards. Vertical
mixed-use buildings typically stand at least
two-stories tall, with multiple uses within the
building. The design encourages active living
through a network of complete, walkable
streets.
Local Example: Silverlake Village, Shadow Creek Ranch Town Center, The Center at Pearland Parkway
Local Example: La Centerra
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Retail
Î Restaurants
Î Multi-tenant commercial
Î Junior anchor commercial
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Hotels
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Parks
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Retail
Î Commercial
Î Apartments and condominiums
Î Senior housing
Î Hotels
Î Entertainment centers
Î Personal and business services
Î Office
Î Live/work units
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Schools
Î Parks
Î Community buildings
CHAPTER 448 49PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Professional Services and Industrial
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Professional Services and Industrial place types
will round out the employment-oriented place
types in Pearland. These developments will
focus on light industrial uses, including clean
manufacturing centers, technology/data centers,
and other uses that would typically occupy flex
space in commercial buildings. These uses may
have a trucking component at the back, but the
street frontage of the businesses is appealing
and has an increased level of aesthetics and
landscaping, unlike typical industrial uses.
Local Example: Lonza, Endress + Hauser
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Manufacturing centers
Î Medical offices
Î Technology/data centers
Î Flex offices
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Commercial
(serving primarily industrial buildings)
Î Parks
Rated #2 LEAST-preferred place type by public opinion
Manufacturing and Warehouse
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Manufacturing and Warehouse areas are
characterized by free-standing structures
that provide primarily service-oriented jobs.
The employee-per-square-foot ratio is
usually low due to the large buildings that
are typically needed for storage and logistics.
This place type is generally found near major
transportation corridors (e.g., highways and
railways) with high-impact areas located
behind lots adjacent to primary corridors and
intersections. The buildings may be large or
small, but are typically set back from the road
considerably, and their uses do not serve a
significant amount of pedestrian traffic. Uses
in this place type may not be compatible with
residential uses and may require screening
or a transitional area from the surrounding
community.
Local Example: SH 35/Mykawa Road
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Manufacturing centers
Î Warehouses
Î Logistics hub
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Supporting office and commercial
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Parks
Rated #1 LEAST-preferred place type by public opinion
CHAPTER 450 51PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Compact Residential
CHARACTER AND INTENT
This place type can support a variety of
housing types, including small-lot, single-
family detached homes, patio homes,
townhomes, and duplexes in a compact
network of complete, walkable streets that
are navigable by car, bicycle, or foot. It
may contain a small number of commercial
businesses to support the neighborhood.
Compact Residential lots range in size, but are
typically less than 1/10 acre.
Local Example: Silverlake Townhomes
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Single-family detached homes
Î Duplexes
Î Townhomes
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Schools
Î Parks
Î Neighborhood-serving commercialUrban Living
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Urban Living provides a range of housing choices,
including higher density options for young
professionals attracted to the jobs created in the
city’s business parks and urban centers, as well
as empty nesters who want to downsize while
maintaining an attachment to the community where
they have lived for many years. The design and
scale of the development in these neighborhoods
will encourage active living with a network of
walkable streets and connections to open space.
Local Example: Kolbe Farms
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Townhomes
Î Duplexes
Î Patio homes
Î Apartments
Î Live/work units
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Schools
Î Parks
Î Neighborhood-serving commercial
Rated #1 HOUSING place type preference by public opinion
CHAPTER 452 53PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Established Residential Estate Category added later; was not part of the preference survey
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Characterized by expansive views and a
high degree of separation between buildings,
Established Residential Estate place types
typically included minimal residential density.
Home sites are typically already constructed
and are not likely to change in scale and will
maintain the rural character, scale, and scenic
value of the surrounding area. Agricultural
uses and local food production may occur
within this place type. Established Residential
Estate lots are typically larger than 1/4 acre.
Local Example: Ryan Acres, Shadycrest, West Lea
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Single-family detached homes
Î Agricultural land
Î Local food production
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Schools
Î Churches
Î Parks
Î Open spaceTraditional Residential
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Traditional residential neighborhoods are found
near neighborhood commercial centers and provide
rooftops necessary to support the commercial
and professional office uses within the corridors.
These neighborhoods are generally formed as
subdivisions. Residential uses oriented interior
to the site are typically buffered from surrounding
development by transitional uses or landscaped
areas. Traditional Residential lots range in size, but
are typically less than 1/4 acre.
Local Example: Green Tee Terrace, Shadow Creek Ranch
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Single-family detached homes
Î Duplexes
Î Townhomes
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Parks
Rated #2 HOUSING place type preference by public opinion
CHAPTER 454 55PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Natural Areas and Outdoor Tourism
CHARACTER AND INTENT
Natural Areas and Outdoor Tourism areas are
characterized by very large tracts of undeveloped
land primarily used for natural preservation/
education, hiking, and general outdoor tourism.
These tracts provide much of the environmental
and open space character in the community and
its border regions. Natural Areas and Outdoor
Tourism includes opportunities for additional uses
and low-intensity developments that support the
character and economic viability of the broader,
primary land use.
Local Example: Pearland Nature Center
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
PRIMARY LAND USES
Î Outdoor tourism
Î Preservation
Î Education
Î Trail heads
SECONDARY LAND USES
Î Civic and institutional uses
Î Schools
Î Parks
Parks and Open Spaces
CHARACTER AND INTENT
This category encompasses the public open
spaces and park sites throughout Pearland.
As Pearland continues to develop, regional,
community, and neighborhood parks should be
provided so that there is a park or open space
located within a half-mile of every residential unit.
Local Example: Centennial Park, Shadow Creek Ranch Nature Trail
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
Parks and Open Spaces place types are
compatible with every use.
Rated #1 OVERALL place type preference by public opinion
Rated #2 OVERALL
place type preference
by public opinion
CHAPTER 456 57PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Public Use
CHARACTER AND INTENT
These properties include civic and institutional
uses such as schools, police and fire stations,
libraries, college campuses, and cemeteries.
Local Example: City Hall, schools, libraries
LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS
Public Use place types are compatible with
every use.
PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
CHAPTER 458 59PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Future Land Use Plan Map
Using the defined place types, the catalyst sites, and feedback from the public engagement process,
the FLUP map was created to serve as the guiding land use document for Pearland’s future. This map
is meant to be a living document and should continue to be updated to stay relevant to current market
demands and evolving with the city. This map serves to provide physical form to the City’s vision.
Development Regulations
In addition to the place types, the City has existing development regulations that moderate the appearance,
function, and character of development. For example, developments that are required to provide
landscaping elements have specific setbacks from the roadway and are limited to provide services defined
by their permitted use. All of these regulations also help to define the character of an area.
The Unified Development Code (UDC) is the City’s regulatory document that guides all development
within the City of Pearland. The UDC will need to be updated to align the development-related
ordinances with the comprehensive plan vision and the FLUP. Given the feedback from the public
during the planning process, it is recommended that the UDC update include more flexibility for
development standards. For example, businesses are required to provide a certain amount of parking
depending on the type of business. Within the Old Town area, there is limited available space for
redevelopment and there are many commercial
businesses that have on-street parking. One flexible
option would be to allow no minimum parking
requirements for the Old Town area for re-use and new
development applications. For existing businesses
with concreted areas, public discussion has stated
that the City should allow outdoor eating space in
exchange for reduced parking requirements. This
would help to create a sense of place that would be
attractive to residents and tourists, while reducing the
burden on the business owner. This type of flexible
option should be used in areas where the goal is
increased walkability. Other options for flexibility
could include the incorporation of other public space,
green space, art, or alternative landscape buffers in
exchange for other relatable incentives.
In addition, the update of the UDC should include
hyperlinks to referenced material, graphic illustrations
to depict what is being described, and other charts. The document should be easily understood by
residents, developers, staff, and public officials to increase transparency about what is being required.
These changes will help to streamline the development process and will reduce staff time in trying to
explain the requirements.
Sustainable Development
Sustainability, in the context of this plan, refers specifically to development-related aspects. These
include things like using sustainable building products, renewable energy, and solutions including Low
Impact Development (LID) standards, incorporating local native plants, and erosion control.
It also refers to development patterns within Pearland, specifically livable urban centers and infill
development. In general, these developments decrease sprawl and centralize development so that
fewer resources are used to maintain, service, and utilize them.
One method of encouraging developers to take extra steps to ensure their products serve Pearland
long-term is to incentivize sustainable development solutions.
Ò Example Graphic Illustration in the UDC;
Source: San Antonio, TX Unified Development CodePlace Type Acres % of Study Area
Established Residential Estate 1,202 3%
Traditional Residential 17,242 39%
Compact Residential 6,822 15%
Urban Living 1,037 2%
Mixed-Use Center 1,134 3%
Town Center 308 1%
Commercial Center 3,331 7%
Business Park 817 2%
Public Use 2,307 5%
Professional Services and Industrial 4,198 9%
Manufacturing and Warehouse 1,663 4%
Parks and Open Space 2,201 5%
Natural Areas and Outdoor Tourism 2,347 5%
Grand Total 44,608 100%
This mix of uses provides:
Î Options for middle market
housing, while preserving
existing single-family and
established rural residential
Î Additional parks and natural
areas for future expansion
Î Future vision for catalyst
areas that are aligned with
the established vision and
community input
Î A defined vision for the
planning districts
CHAPTER 460 61PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Incentives
Constructing sustainable development can be marginally more expensive and require more
coordination on the part of developers. Providing incentives can offset the negative barriers for
sustainable development.
Potential incentives for sustainable projects that meet specific criteria could include:
Î Expedited permitting process
Î Reduced submittal fee
Î Increased density allowance
Î Reduced parking requirements
Î Reduced setback requirements
Î Resources to attract local businesses
Î Opportunities for public/private partnerships
that would share the cost of major
improvements
Infill Development
The concept of infill development is similar to a livable urban center in that the objective is to centralize
development. Infill development, however, is typically done at a smaller scale, as the infill development
occurs on parcels between already developed parcels, whereas an urban center is typically built on a
larger undeveloped area.
As Pearland continues to develop its few remaining greenfield areas, infill development will become
increasingly important. The remaining undeveloped land includes the catalyst sites, which are suitable
areas for large-scale planned developments that create a sense of place and encourage mixed-use
sustainable development.
The other undeveloped land within Pearland includes undeveloped parcels that are between developed
parcels. Old Town is a good example of this type of development. These parcels in between are
considered infill opportunities and should be capitalized as change-agents for the area. As developers
come to the City with new, denser housing products or small businesses, these infill sites are the prime
locations to help set the stage for the desired character of future redevelopment opportunities.
Land that has potential for development also exists within Pearland. These areas can also be
considered infill development, as the opportunity for future economic and sustainable benefits outweigh
the current use. This can be considered a complete redevelopment, or even the construction of
additional residential units on existing parcels, such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), as described
in Chapter 6: Housing.
Actions
The following action items are recommended steps to achieve the land use vision. Items in green
indicate a recommendation that is also included in the existing Pearland Prosperity (PP) framework.
Î 4.1 CUP and ZC Criteria: Review the Conditional Use Permit and zone change criteria to
determine if projects are incorporating the values of the comprehensive plan.
Î 4.2 Develop Checklist: Develop a comprehensive plan checklist to be used as a tool
for determining the consistency of development proposals and zoning applications with the
comprehensive plan vision and principles and to assist City staff in making recommendations to the
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
Î 4.3 Detention Opportunity Costs: Examine lost development opportunity from required
detention and provide credit towards additional units/density within designated areas.
Required detention = Y
Y / minimum lot size = X
X = incentive within BP-288, town center, etc. for live-work, non-garden style multifamily, etc.
Î 4.4 Update UDC: Update the City’s UDC to align the development-related ordinances with the
vision expressed in this comprehensive plan, accommodate the FLUP, include more flexibility for
development standards, and to make the document more reader-friendly.
Î 4.5 Mixed-Use Policies: Establish policies to guide the appropriate mix, intensity, and design
of mixed-use projects to help City staff evaluate the implication of these types of development
proposals.
Î 4.6 Fiscal Impact: Establish and use a fiscal impact analysis process for major new
development and redevelopment so decision-makers can consider the costs and benefits to the City
and the community when they make determinations on proposed projects.
Î 4.7 PEDC Stakeholder Communication: Continue to partner with the Pearland Economic
Development Corporation (PEDC) to communicate with the development community, property owners,
realtors, and brokers to inform these stakeholders about the new opportunities resulting from the
comprehensive plan vision and development policies.
Î 4.8 PEDC Developer Incentives: Continue to partner with the PEDC to establish realistic
incentives for developers to provide more sustainable products.
Î 4.9 PEDC PPP: Continue to partner with the PEDC to coordinate public- and private-sector
investments in catalyst site areas to spur future development.
Î 4.10 Strategic Rezoning: Conduct City-initiated rezoning of areas where such rezoning will
remove an important barrier to development or revitalization.
Î 4.11 FLUP in GIS: Update the City’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platform and
databases to incorporate the future land use pattern reflected in this plan and develop supporting
themes to assist in the day-to-day implementation of the plan.
Î 4.12 Recruit Developments: PP C-5: Actively recruit residential developments and supportive
amenities that will allow Pearland’s residents to “age in place”.
Î 4.13 Position Amenities: PP A-4: Position additional sites around Pearland as potential locations
for new quality of place amenities.
CHAPTER 562 63PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 5
Infrastructure
and Public Services
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 564 65PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Relation to other Master Plans
Pearland has invested in documents that
serve as planning tools that City staff use to
coordinate with residents, developers, and
regional organizations. The following published
master plans serve as foundational references
incorporated into this comprehensive plan:
Î Water Master Plan: completed by KIT
Professionals, Inc. in 2019, the water master
plan examines the existing water supply and
distribution system, estimates future water
demands based on growth determined by land
use patterns, and defines a capital improvement
plan on a 5-year and a 10-year horizon.
Î Wastewater Master Plan: completed by
Freese and Nichols, Inc. in 2020, the wastewater
master plan examines the existing wastewater
collection system, projects wastewater
contributions based on land use patterns, and
defines a capital improvement plan on 5-year
and buildout horizons (2026 to 2042).
Î Master Drainage Plan Update: completed
by HALFF Associates, Inc. in 2019, the Master
Drainage Plan updated the hydraulic and
hydrologic models, estimated impervious
surface areas based on existing and future
land uses, and also recommended high-level
projects for flood risk reduction, including
channel widening, bridge replacement, and
detention.
Î The Thoroughfare Plan, Multi-modal
Master Plan, Parks, Recreation,
Open Spaces and Trail Master Plan,
and Pearland Prosperity Plan, while
not specifically covered in this chapter,
are referenced elsewhere throughout this
comprehensive plan.
CHAPTER 5
Infrastructure
and Public
Services
This chapter describes how
infrastructure master plans (water,
wastewater, and drainage) and Public
Services elements (police, fire, library,
etc.) for the City of Pearland impact
the future development patterns,
density, and other elements of the
City. The intent of this section is not
to re-state those plans, but instead
to consider how these plans interact
with and influence the goals and
objectives of the City and to provide
guidance related to potential future
updates to those plans to establish
the best alignment with the new city-
wide vision. This section builds upon
Pearland’s development strategies
and identifies new policies and
implementation steps aimed at further
protecting the health, safety, welfare,
and quality of life of existing and future
residents and businesses.
Wat er Distribution System
Pearland’s robust water supply and distribution system provides potable water to residents and
businesses throughout the City. Pearland’s water distribution system serves approximately 40,000
water connections. The system’s total capacity is 34.4 million gallons per day (MGD). In 2020, the
average daily demand for the water system was 10.6 MGD, leaving an excess available capacity of
23.8 MGD. The historic peak day demand of the potable water system is 25.7 MGD. The City's water
system includes 13 water plants, 12 groundwater wells, and two surface water re-pump stations.
The system service area mostly covers the city limit boundaries except for a few areas. The Pearland
Municipal Utility District (MUD) 1 is not served by the City system. Additionally, an area of the
extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) between Stone Road and Max Road is not served by the system.
Figure 5.1 shows the boundaries of the City and ETJ limits, water service area, and the MUD
boundaries. This exhibit demonstrates that the water distribution system provides coverage for the
majority of the developable land area in Pearland.
FIGURE 5.1 WATER SERVICES IN PEARLAND
CHAPTER 566 67PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Land Use and Population Assumptions
The Water Master Plan projects population growth through 2030 based on a 3.68% annual growth rate.
The plan projects ultimate buildout at a population of 190,000. The water plan uses this growth projection
to determine the need for additional source water. The Water Master Plan assumed future demands and
growth based on the 2015 Future Land Use Plan (FLUP). Upon adoption of this comprehensive plan and
the revised FLUP, the Water Master Plan should be updated to account for increased densities in specific
locations related to this new FLUP. Also, the new place types in the FLUP allow for potential multi-story
structures; the revised Water Master Plan should provide capital improvements designed to serve these
structures with adequate pressure and flow.
WATER DEMAND PROJECTIONS
The Water Master Plan describes hydraulic modeling analysis comparing the local system demands to
the available supply. Figure 5.2 from the master plan shows the need for the construction of additional
supply sources to maintain pressure, storage, and flow through the system in normal, peak, and fire-
flow scenarios.
The Water Master Plan includes an analysis of the historical Average Day Demand (ADD) and
Maximum Day Demand (MDD). The plan uses these historical and population projections to project
overall water demand. The plan projects an ADD of 24 MGD when the population reaches 190,000.
Wat er Supply Sources
Pearland’s water system is served by both surface
water and groundwater sources. The Water
Master Plan lists groundwater supply capacities
of 18.40 MGD and 16.0 MGD of surface water
supply capacity. Currently, Pearland receives
treated surface water of 10 MGD from the Gulf
Coast Water Authority (GCWA) at Alice Water
Plant and 6 MGD from the City of Houston at the
Shadow Creek Plant.
The Water Master Plan projects demands across
the city and identifies required additional water
sources such as the new 10 MGD capacity
Surface Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) located
at 3720 County Road 48 (Airline Road) and
expanding the Alice Water Plant by 5 MGD to
provide a total supply excess over the planning
period. At the time of this comprehensive plan
report, Pearland had designed the SWTP
and engaged a Construction Manager at Risk
(CMAR). The CMAR team was on schedule for
completing the construction of the SWTP and
related transmission system by summer 2023.
The City of Pearland Wastewater Master
Plan describes a program for reuse of treated
wastewater effluent for beneficial uses such as
irrigation, process water, or other applications.
The reuse study identified 2025 projected
average daily flows of 12 MGD and 16.31 MGD
of potential irrigation water users who could
potentially make use of the treated effluent. From
a land use planning view, the comprehensive
plan recommends promoting the use of
reclaimed water and allocating space in the right-
of-way for related infrastructure.
Distribution System Coverage
The existing water distribution system has been
constructed largely between 1960 and 2010. The
distribution system includes more than 540 miles
of pipe ranging from 2-inch to 30-inch diameter.
The majority (54%) of the water piping is 8-inch
diameter. The primary pipe materials include
approximately 87% polyvinyl chloride (PVC), 12%
transite, and 1% ductile iron. The City actively
manages an ongoing pipe replacement program
to replace the transite and ductile iron with PVC.
Wat er Capacity and Storage
Water storage is critical to the function of
maintaining pressures in the water system.
Pearland water system operates and maintains
14 ground storage tanks (GSTs) for a total GST
capacity of 14.4 million gallons (MG). The system
operates and maintains six elevated storage
tanks (ESTs) for a total EST capacity of 4.5 MG.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(TCEQ) requires Pearland, under the alternative
capacity requirement letter from February 15,
2019, to maintain the following production
capacities:
Î Total production capacity:
0.44 gallons per minute (gpm) per connection
Î Total storage capacity:
148 gallons per connection
Î EST capacity:
74 gallons per connection
The Water Master Plan projected 62,420 connections
at build out, which means TCEQ requires:
Î Total production capacity:
27,464 gpm
Î Total storage capacity: 9.24 MG
Î EST capacity: 4.62 MG
The existing water system includes 18.9 MG
of water storage. Prior to the 2030 buildout,
the water plan recommends construction of an
additional 2.8 MG storage to meet the TCEQ
requirements.
Capital Improvements
The Water Master Plan includes a five-year
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) describing
projects that will maintain the service level of
the water distribution system.
FIGURE 5.2: SYSTEM WIDE SUPPLY AND DEMAND (2018-2030)
18 18 18
10 10 10
1.3 1.3 1.3
10 10
5 5
4.7
4.7 4.7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2018 2023 2030Supply / Demand (MGD)Planning Year
Systemwide Potable Water Supply and Demand
Existing Groundwater Supply Existing Surface Water @ Alice WP
Existing Take or Pay Surface Water @ Shadow Creek WP Planned Surface Water @ New SWTP
Planned Surface Water @ Alice WP Existing Additional Available Surface Water @ Shadow Creek WP
Maximum Potable Water Demand (Based on 225 GPCD)
Source: August 2019 Pearland Water Master Plan
CHAPTER 568 69PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Wastewater Collection System
Pearland’s wastewater collection system protects public health by providing wastewater collection
services to all businesses and residents inside the City limits. The collection system includes five
wastewater treatment plants or reclamation facilities with a total capacity of 16.45 MGD. In 2020, the
average utilization for the wastewater system was 9.8 MGD, leaving an excess available capacity of 6.7
MGD. The historic peak day of the wastewater system is 13.2 MGD.
Service Area Coverage
Due to Pearland’s relatively flat topography, the City operates and maintains approximately 70 lift
stations throughout the five basins or service areas.
Î Barry Rose: 19 lift stations
Î JHEC: 27 lift stations
Î Longwood: 12 lift stations
Î Reflection Bay: 5 lift stations
Î Southdown: 7 lift stations
The collection system services the entire City limits, with the exception of the Country Place subdivision.
The Silverlake subdivision, which is in the ETJ, is not included in the service area. The system also serves
approximately 590 connections outside the current City limits near Max Road. Figure 5.3 shows the
collection system service area and the location of the five water reclamation facilities.
Was tewater Collection System
The Wastewater Master Plan documents that the collection system includes approximately 400 miles of
gravity sewer pipe ranging from 4-inch to 54-inch diameter, with the majority at 8-inches diameter. Over
82% of the pipes are PVC material, with the remainder mostly cured-in-place or vitrified clay pipe.
Each of the approximately 70 lift stations discharges to a force main pipe. The master plan documents
approximately 35 miles of force main with diameters ranging from 4 inches to 20 inches. Most of the lift
stations include Flygt pumps and controls.
The system also includes 32 flow meters and six rain gauges to provide operators with real-time data
describing the flows within the collection system.
Land Use and Population Assumptions
The Wastewater Master Plan determined the average day and peak two-hour flows for the system
based on analysis of historical population and flow data. The plan determined 80 gallons per capita per
day (gpcd) for future residential flows, and 950 gallons per acre per day (gpad) for future commercial
flows. These quantities include allowance for infiltration and inflow as the collection system ages.
The Wastewater Master Plan considered population and flow projections for the following planning
periods:
Î Existing (2020): population of 123,040 and 1,547 acres of commercial
Î Five-year (2025): population of 128,495 and 2,762 acres of commercial
Î Buildout (2042): 147,040 population and 6,887 acres of commercial
These population projections yield the following average day flow projections:
Î Existing (2020): 10.4 MGD
Î Five-year (2025): 12.0 MGD
Î Buildout (2042): 17.4 MGD
The plan breaks this flow proportionally across each of the five basin service areas.
Upon adoption of this comprehensive plan and the revised FLUP, the Wastewater Master Plan should
be updated to account for increased densities in specific locations related to this new FLUP. The
projected buildout commercial acreages may have a different character based on the place types,
which may not be as uniform in wastewater discharge as those considered in the master plan.
Capital Improvements
The Wastewater Master Plan includes a five-year CIP describing projects that will maintain the service
level of the wastewater distribution system. These capital projects include rehabilitation for existing lift
stations and expansions of water reclamation facilities to provide capacity for future projected flow.
FIGURE 5.3: WATER CONNECTION LOCATIONS IN PEARLAND
CHAPTER 570 71PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Drainage Infrastructure
Pearland is responsible for stormwater and floodplain management to maintain public safety and
promote economic viability. Stormwater management is part of a complex drainage infrastructure system
consisting of closed storm sewer, open ditches, and detention ponds along with Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) mapped bayous and minor tributaries. This is further complicated as a
result of ownership and maintenance responsibilities by various entities, such as counties, drainage
districts, neighboring cities, and TxDOT. These drainage systems (private and public) involves regulatory
requirements for new construction and ongoing maintenance by respective system owners. In addition,
the City inspects privately owned detention pond on an annual basis and issues violation letters to ensure
the necessary maintenance is done to avoid hazardous drainage situations.
Several sources of public input have consistently shown a demand for an improved drainage system to
reduce potential drainage hazard to the public and private properties.
As of 2022, Pearland has inventoried 313 miles of enclosed stormwater sewer pipe and 145 miles of
ditch/culverts within the storm drainage system.
Elevation and Topography
Pearland has a generally flat topography with elevation ranging from 31 feet above mean sea level on
the east side to 66 feet on the west side. Pearland has experienced several flood damages throughout
the City's history, mostly due to tropical storms and hurricanes. Flat topography and insufficient
drainage capacity of the existing drainage system (bayous and major and minor tributaries), along
with the infrastructure constructed prior to the adoption of engineering guidelines contribute to flood
damage. Watersheds within Pearland include the following major natural drainage channels:
Î Clear Creek
Î Hickory Slough
Î Mary’s Creek
Î Cowart Creek
Î Chigger Creek
Î West Fork of
Chocolate Bayou
Î Mustang Bayou
More than 90% of the Pearland watersheds drain to Clear Creek. The Clear Creek project identified and
recommended by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 2013 is a partnership project between
USACE, Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), Galveston County, Brazoria County, and the
City of Pearland. HCFCD is leading The Clear Creek Federal Flood Risk Management Project which
aims to complete construction of major improvements by 2032.
The dominant flow direction for these channels is west to east towards the Gulf of Mexico, except for
Chocolate Bayou, which generally flows north to south.
Brazoria Drainage District No� 4
The jurisdiction of Brazoria Drainage District No. 4 (BDD4) encompasses an 83.4-square-mile area
of northern Brazoria County, which includes the Cities of Pearland and Brookside Village. Figure 5.4
shows the BDD4 boundaries compared to the Pearland City limits and ETJ boundary. The district has
partnered with the City of Pearland on past drainage studies, including the 2019 Master Drainage
Plan Update.
FIGURE 5.4 MAP AREA OF BRAZORIA DRAINAGE DISTRICT NO. 4
CHAPTER 572 73PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Regulatory Flood Zones
Pearland enforces a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance as mandated by FEMA's National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP). The City Engineer operates as the Floodplain Administrator. City of
Pearland participates in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS), which entitles residents to a
premium discount on flood insurance. The City has attained a Class 6 rating. Due to this rating, the
residents living in the Special Flood Hazard Area (zone AE) receive a 20% discount on their flood
insurance premium and the residents living outside of the hazard area receive a 10% discount.
The 100-year floodplain is the land that is predicted to flood during a 100-year storm event, which has
a 1% chance of occurrence or annual exceedance probability (AEP) in any given year. The 100-year
flood is a standard used by the NFIP for floodplain management and to determine the need for flood
insurance. Figure 5.5 shows the FEMA regulatory floodplains within the City and floodway extent, as
well as the watersheds.
The Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance adopted by the City prevents the development within
the floodway unless it is justified through a drainage study and a Conditional Letter of Amendment
(CLOMR) is approved by FEMA prior to construction.
Historic Floods: Hurricane Harvey
In August 2017, a devastating Category 4 hurricane made landfall on Texas and Louisiana. Named
Hurricane Harvey, the storm caused catastrophic flooding in the Gulf Coast region, primarily from
disastrous rainfall-triggered flooding across the Greater Houston area. Pearland prepared a Hurricane
Harvey Damage Assessment Report that reported rainfall from 30 to 49 inches for the City and
surrounding area over four days. The storm greatly surpassed historical rainfall from all other historical
storms. The rainfall exceeded the 0.2% annual exceedance probability, commonly known as the 500-
year storm throughout Harris and Brazoria counties. The report lists 1,080 residences that experienced
minor flood damage and 641 that experienced major flood damage. The report also recorded 22
businesses with minor losses and 11 with major losses.
The experience from Hurricane Harvey has caused City engineering staff to re-evaluate drainage
design criteria and policies. The 2019 Master Drainage Plan Update report includes recommendations
for detention related to reducing flooding. Another resilience measure considered after Hurricane
Harvey included policies inclined toward burying overhead electric and telecommunication lines.
NOAA Atlas 14
In September 2018, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released an
updated rainfall document called NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Atlas of the United States.
This document, prepared by the National Weather Service’s Hydrometeorological Design Studies
Center (HDSC), provides precipitation frequency information for the US states and territories. NOAA
precipitation frequency estimates serve as the de-facto standard for designing, building, and operating
infrastructure to withstand the forces of heavy precipitation and floods. Atlas 14 data changed the
rainfall data and associated return periods for a given rainfall depth. For the general Pearland area, the
new Atlas 14 data pushed the 100-year rainfall depth from approximately 13.5 inches to approximately
17.0 inches. The City of Pearland updated the drainage criteria and adopted Atlas 14 rainfall for the
hydraulic design of drainage infrastructure for both public and private development in the City.
FIGURE 5.5: PEARLAND WATERSHED BOUNDARIES
CHAPTER 574 75PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
MAAPNext Project
Harris County is developing a flood mapping project called the Modeling, Assessment and Awareness
Project (MAAPNext). Planned to improve flood resistance and resilience, this project will create new
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), water surface elevation change grids, flood depth grids, urban
flooding maps, percent annual chance of flooding grids, percent 30-year chance grids, and water
surface elevation grids for the 10%, 4%, 2%, 1,%, and 0.2% annual chance flood events. Grant 1
began in early 2019 and covers the analysis of 11 of Harris County’s 22 watersheds, shown in grey in
Figure 5.6. FEMA provided Grant 2 funding for the watersheds shown in green on the exhibit, which
includes Clear Creek through parts of Pearland. Although 90% of the drainage area drains into Clear
Creek, an updated FEMA FIRM will be effective within the Harris County side of the City.
Wet Bottom Detention Ponds
As Pearland embarks on the significant Drainage Master Plan program over the next decade, there
is an opportunity to provide amenities within the drainage features such as access easements along
channels and detention ponds. Some of these amenities, discussed during the public involvement
portion of this project, include walking trails, canoe or kayak launch facilities, pavilions, and wet bottom
ponds instead of dry. Texas A&M’s Non-point Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program defines
a wet detention pond as a constructed basin with a permanent pool of water throughout the year.
Compared to a dry bottom pond, the wet bottom pond may require increased initial construction cost,
but may require less expense in recurring maintenance costs. NEMO considers a wet detention pond
as stormwater quality best management practice, in addition to the potential water quality that benefits
the community value.
The Federal Aviation Administration's advisory circular (AC) 150/5200-33C provides guidance regarding
hazardous wildlife attractants on or near airports recommends a distance of five miles between the
closest point of the airports and a hazardous wildlife attractant. Examples of attractants could include:
waste disposal facilities, wetlands, agriculture, aquaculture, golf courses, and ponds. Major airports,
landing strips, and helipads within 5 miles of Pearland include: Houston Airpark, Pearland Regional,
Skyway Manor (all within City Limits), William P. Hobby (3 miles north of Pearland), Ellington Air Force
Base (3 miles northeast of Pearland), Polly Ranch (2 miles east of Pearland), Wolfe Air Park (1 miles
south of Pearland), Houston Southwest (1 mile west of Pearland), and nineteen helipads shown on
Figure 5.7. The proximity of these airports means that creating wet-bottomed ponds would potentially
attract wildlife. Staff should coordinate with the FAA regarding this policy.
FIGURE 5.6: MAAPNEXT
FIGURE 5.7: AIR FACILITIES WITHIN 5 MILES
CHAPTER 576 77PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Capital Improvements
The City identifies major drainage capital improvement projects using various resources such as the
Drainage Master Plan, assessment of infrastructure after storm events, residents’ complaints, and future
needs. The Five-Year CIP for 2023 to 2027 totals $794,371,797. The CIP includes projects for drainage,
parks, facilities, streets, and enterprise-funded water and wastewater improvements. As the various
infrastructure master plans are updated to reflect the new future land use plan development densities, the
CIP will need to be updated to reflect the required infrastructure.
Community Services
The purpose of the community services section of the Comprehensive Plan is to identify and provide
public facilitates supportive of future population projections and development patterns envisioned in the
plan. Realizing the City’s vision for growth and redevelopment requires that adequate public facilities
and services are available concurrent with the timing of development and redevelopment.
Currently, community services in Pearland include the following:
Î Public
Facilities
Î City Hall Î Police
Stations
Î Fire Stations Î Libraries
Public Facilities
Figure 5.7 shows the location of public facilities within Pearland. Currently, community services in the
City of Pearland include the following:
Î City Hall: 3519 Liberty Drive: three-story office building, approximately 24,000-square-feet, built
in 1983 and renovated in 2020; includes the City Council chambers, Mayor and City Manager,
City Secretary, Communications, Human Resources, Legal offices, and the Pearland Economic
Development Corporation (PEDC) offices
Î City Hall Annex: 3523 Liberty Drive: one-story office building built in 1986 and renovated in 2018,
approximately 10,600-square-feet; includes finance, community development, Utility Billing, Planning,
and Permitting departments
Î Delores Fenwick Nature Center: 5750 Magnolia Parkway: approximately 6,000-square-feet;
includes a 2,800-square-foot outdoor classroom, environmental education and interactive exhibits,
with walking trails and an educational pond
Î Convention and Visitors Bureau: 11200 Broadway Street: 1,540-square-feet; includes a Visitor
Center adjacent to the Town Center events pavilion
Î Melvin Knapp Activity Center: 2424 South Park Avenue: approximately 11,300-square-feet;
includes senior center
Î Shari D. Coleman Animal Shelter and Adoption Center: 8311 Freedom Drive: opened in
2022; approximately 21,000-square-feet
Î Chamber of Commerce: 6117 Broadway Street: approximately 5,600-square-feet
Î Public Works Building: 2016 Old Alvin Road: approximately 8,700-square-feet; includes
During the public engagement, there was public request for another Parks and Recreation activity
center on the west side of Pearland, similar to the existing facility at 4141 Bailey.
FIGURE 5.7: PUBLIC FACILITIES
Engineering and Public Works departments
Î Hillhouse Public Works Annex: 2559 Hillhouse Road: offices for Public Works; approximately
8,000-square-feet and includes traffic operations
Î Stella Roberts Recycling Center: 5800 Magnolia Parkway: approximately 8,000-square-feet;
houses Keep Pearland Beautiful
Î Parks and Recreation Activity Centers
Î Recreation Center: 4141 Bailey Road: approximately 107,000-square-feet; includes basketball
courts, meeting rooms, and a natatorium
Î West Pearland Community Center: 2150 Country Place Parkway: approximately
6,200-square-feet
CHAPTER 578 79PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Police Stations
Policing and firefighting are two of the most important services that a municipality provides for its
citizenry. The Police Department currently employs officers and investigators in addition to the Chief
of Police and his administrative staff. The department’s central location provides it with quick and
convenient access to the city’s neighborhoods and communities. Figure 5.8 shows the location of the
police station within Pearland. As of 2023, the Police Department includes 180 sworn police officers.
Maintaining quick response times, especially as the municipal service area expands through voluntary
annexation, will likely be a key metric to measure the effectiveness of public services in a growing
Pearland. Industry best practices suggest that local governments should maintain corps of police
officers in excess of one first responder per 1,000 residents served for each department. To meet this
standard, additional staffing should be considered with the adoption of this Comprehensive Plan.
Î Police Public Safety Building: 2555 Cullen Parkway: approximately 83,000-square-feet;
includes Municipal Court
Fire Stations
In 2022, the Texas Department of Insurance presented City Council with an ISO Class 1 rating for the
City of Pearland. The ISO Class 1 rating represents a superior number of resources dedicated to fire
protection and is the highest Public Protection Classification (PPC) attainable. The new ISO Class 1
rating places Pearland in the top 1% of all communities in the nation that have been issued an ISO
grade in the PPC program.
Figure 5.9 shows the location of the six existing fire stations within Pearland. The exhibit also shows
the Fire Administration Building located at 2703 Veterans Drive. Each fire station includes appropriate
fire and ambulance apparatus to provide adequate emergency response to those respective districts. In
2017, the Fire Department completed a Fire Department Standards of Cover and Staffing Study. Among
the 25 recommendations, the study recommends emergency response times and related staffing and
station coverage. The study recommends an 11-station model. Currently, three additional stations are in
the planning or design stages for Pearland:
Î Fire Station #7 (Bailey Road): under design
Î Fire Station #6 (Massey Oaks Subdivision): under planning
Î Fire Station #9 (northwest - McHard): under planning
Î Fire Station #10 (southeast - Pearland Parkway): under planning
The Fire Department Standards study based the analysis on the 2015 FLUP and a population
projection of 190,000 in 2030. Due to the new FLUP in the comprehensive plan, it will be necessary to
update the growth patterns and projections in the study.
FIGURE 5.8: POLICE SERVICES
FIGURE 5.9: FIRE SERVICES
CHAPTER 580 81PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Libraries
Figure 5.10 shows the location of public facilities within Pearland. Both libraries are branches of the
Brazoria County Library System.
Î Tom Reid Library: 3522 Liberty Drive: approximately 39,000-square-feet
Î West Pearland Library: 11801 Shadow Creek Parkway: approximately 39,000-square-feet
Actions
Î 5.1 Update Utility Plans: The water, wastewater, and drainage master plans should be updated
to account for increased densities in specific locations related to this new FLUP.
Î 5.2 Capital Planning: Continue the five-year CIP, including rehabilitation for existing lift stations,
and expansions of water reclamation facilities to provide capacity for future projected flow.
Î 5.3 Detention Ponds: Create a policy/provide development incentives to encourage wet-bottom
detention ponds, as NEMO considers a wet detention ponds as stormwater quality best practice.
Î 5.4 Underground Power: Develop resilience policies inclined towards burying overhead electric
and telecommunication lines.
Î 5.5 West P&R Facility: Explore developing another Parks and Recreation facility on the west side.
Î 5.6 ISO: Maintain ISO Class 1 rating.
Î 5.7 Police and Fire Staffing: Update the first responder staffing plan based on the FLUP
population projections and industry best practices of in excess of one first responder per 1,000
residents served for each department.
Î 5.8 Update Fire Study: Update the Fire Department Standards of Cover and Staffing Study to
account for the FLUP updated population projections.
FIGURE 5.10: LIBRARIES
CHAPTER 682 83PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 6
Housing
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 684 85PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
11%11%
8%8%
81%81%DETACHED
HOUSING
HOUSING
SUPPLY
LARGE
APARTMENTS
OTHER
Housing in Pearland is mostly single-family
detached homes, with some multifamily and other
housing stock. Since most of Pearland’s housing
stock has been constructed since the year 2000,
large tracts of Pearland were developed as
detached single-family subdivisions with 50-foot
to 60-foot frontage lots on approximately 1/6 acre
lots. Examples of this pattern include master-
planned communities such as Lakes of Highland
Glen, Shadow Creek Ranch, Southdown,
Southern Trails, and Sunrise Lakes.
As is the case throughout Texas, Pearland has
low housing diversity. Relatively few middle
market housing choices such as duplexes,
bungalows, garden homes, or townhomes have
been constructed in Pearland. A common theme
from the public engagement portion of this
comprehensive plan divulged a frustration with
availability of housing stock attainable for first-
time buyers, workforce housing (for example,
retail employees, police, and schoolteachers),
and retirees looking to downsize. The average
home footprints and purchase prices available are
not typically affordable by population in the age
20 to 30 cohort, which may be why this cohort’s
population is lower than expected compared to
surrounding communities.
This chapter provides an overview of existing
housing stock, describes alternative housing
types, compares the current housing policies
for tax revenue against infrastructure, and
recommends policies to increase the diversity of
housing choices within the City.
CHAPTER 6
Housing
Pearland residents report a high
quality of life and believe that Pearland
is a great place to live. The 2021
Community Survey conducted by the
National Research Center and Polco
shows that more than 90% of residents
positively rated the city as a good or
excellent place to live. The Pearland
Economic Development Corporation
(PEDC) boasts that “A low cost of
living and easy access to Houston’s
world-class cultural amenities,
professional sports and attractions
make Pearland the perfect fit for
companies looking for a place to call
home.” This pride in Pearland being a
superior place to live is reflected in the
existing land use patterns. More than
80% of the developed land area is
dedicated to some type of housing.
Current Housing Overview
In recent years, there has been an overall shift in homeownership trends nationwide, within the Greater
Houston area, and within Brazoria County:
Î Decreasing homeownership rates nationwide (Figure 6.1)
Î Decreasing rental unit vacancy in the Greater Houston area and Pearland (Figure 6.2)
Î Increasing home values and rental rates throughout Houston, with Pearland exceeding the regional
averages (Figures 6.4 and 6.5)
The pattern of residential construction and rising prices in Pearland have not responded to these trends,
making the city less competitive for housing in the Houston region. Pearland has lower-than-average
overall housing variety and larger-than-average shares of occupied single-family homes in the region.
Meanwhile, single-family home construction in Brazoria County continues to grow, with multifamily
construction at a 15-year low from 2016-2020.
RESIDENTIAL OWNERSHIP
In 2021, there were nearly 127 million households in the United States and approximately 2/3 of
them were owner-occupied. The tendency to own a home increases with age; consequently, most
homeowners are over the age of 35. In addition, overall homeownership rates have remained fairly
stable over the last 10 years, across all age groups.
FIGURE 6.1: NATIONAL HOME OWNERSHIP RATES
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0
All Ages Under 35 years 35 to 44 years 45 to 54 years 55 to 64 years 65 years
and over
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey, April 27, 2022
CHAPTER 686 87PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
American Community Survey (ACS) Census data from 2021 indicates that owner-occupied households
represent 75% of the total in Pearland, which is 9% over the national average and 19% over the
Greater Houston area. As of June 2021, there was only a 3.5% vacancy rate for all rental units within
the City. While owner-occupied units are typically dominant in suburban markets, the limited number of
available renter-occupied units can be a deterrent to corporations looking to provide rental housing to
their employees and create barriers for the portion of the population that prefers to rent. As the majority
of homeowners are over the age of 35, there are not many housing choices for younger people in
Pearland.
Takeaway
Rental vacancy is low in Pearland and younger people are less
likely to begin the process of home ownership due to barriers of
entry for the Pearland market
CONSTRUCTION TRENDS AND HOUSING PRICES
Residential building permit trends for Brazoria County and Pearland show that permits for single-family
home construction have returned to pre-Recession levels, but that multifamily construction permits
have been very limited since 2016.
Even as single-family residential building permits continue increasing, the number of listings on the
market in Pearland have declined rapidly. The Greater Houston area has experienced a similar decline,
but the extreme pressure on the market is beginning to taper off.
The decreasing inventory has led to a seller’s market where demand has outpaced supply. As a result,
median closing prices for single-family residential homes in Pearland also increased significantly, from
$310,000 in December of 2020 to $357,490 in November of 2021—well over the Greater Houston
median closing price of $305,000.
FIGURE 6.3: RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMIT TRENDS
FIGURE 6.2: COMPARISON OF RENTAL VACANCY RATE TRENDS, 2017-2021
2017 2018 2019 2020
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2020201720182019
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2021 (JUNE)
8.8%8.8%
6.3%6.3%
7.8%7.8%
5.8%5.8%
4.0%4.0%
5.4%5.4%
4.0%4.0%
6.0%6.0%
3.5%3.5%
5.7%5.7%
Pearland
Single-Family Brazoria County Multifamily Brazoria County Single-Family Pearland Multifamily Pearland
Greater Houston
FIGURE 6.4:
MEDIAN CLOSING PRICE,
OCTOBER 2021
Source: www.moveto.com;
Houston Association of Realtors
$357,490
PEARLAND GREATER
HOUSTON
$305,000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Source: REIS
CHAPTER 688 89PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
The increase in housing costs applies to renters, as well. Average monthly rental rates in Pearland
have increased approximately 20% since 2017 were 27% higher than the average rent in the greater
Houston region Avion. Townhomes at Lake Park and Cortland Avion Shadow Creek were used as
representatives of current rental communities in Pearland. Cortland Avion, with rental rates $1,000
higher than the Pearland average, had 9% vacancy with 25 units. Townhomes at Lake Park was $400
over the average with full occupancy.
TOWNHOMES AT LAKE PARK
Townhomes at Lake Park is located at 1555
Cullen Boulevard in Pearland. Built in 2018, it
contains 247 townhouse-style units. The average
monthly rent is $1,791, or $1.63 per square foot.
There are currently no available units at this
community. The community offers one-, two-,
and three-bedroom units with upgraded interior
features and community amenities.
CORTLAND AVION SHADOW CREEK
Cortland Avion was completed in 2016, making it
one of the newer communities in Pearland. The
279-unit community is located at 2101 Kingsley
Drive. The average 1,099-square-foot unit has
an average asking rent of $2,495 per month,
or $2.27 per square foot. The current vacancy
rate is 9.0%, resulting in 25 available units. The
community offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom
floorplans.
According to the 2021 American Community Survey, approximately 41% of renters were spending
30% or more of their income on housing; 20% of them were spending 50% or more of their income on
housing.
Takeaway
The average home price is higher in Pearland than in the
surrounding Houston market. More affordable rental units are in
high-demand, but few of these are being constructed.
In addition, Pearland has a smaller share of more affordable homes (priced below $200,000) within
Brazoria County as a whole, but a larger share of the County’s homes priced $200,000 and above.
FIGURE 6.5: HOUSING UNITS BY VALUE, 2021
Pearland Study Area Brazoria County
30%<$50,000$50,000-$99,999$100,000-$149,999$150,000-$199,999$200,000-$249,999$250,000-$299,999$300,000-$399,999$400,000-$499,999$500,000-$599,999$750,000-$999,999$1,000,000+25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
FIGURE 6.6: COMPARISON OF AVERAGE MONTHLY RENT TRENDS
Pearland Greater Houston
$1,600
2017 2017 2017 2017 2021 (JUNE)
$1,500
$1,400
$1,300
$1,200
$1,100
$800
$900
$1,000
Source: REIS
$1,233$1,233
$1,309$1,309
$1,376$1,376
$1,088$1,088 $1,081$1,081
$1,337$1,337
$1,484$1,484
$1,168$1,168
$1,069$1,069$1,035$1,035Share of Housing Units by Value
CHAPTER 690 91PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
HOUSING VARIETY
Of the 42,098 occupied housing units in Pearland, 81% of them are single-family detached housing
units. The next largest percent (11.40%) occupy a structure that has 10 or more apartments. There has
been a growing concern and national discussion about growing development opportunities outside of
these two housing types. The term “middle market housing” applies to a variety of housing options and
opportunities for new products within the housing market. Pearland should seek out opportunities to
encourage the development of a variety of housing options within the catalyst sites (action item #7.1).
Pearland also has the largest share of single-family homes when compared to Brazoria County, the
Greater Houston area, and the United States as a whole.
Takeaway
Pearland does not have a diversified housing stock; more than 92%
of housing in Pearland is either single-family residential or large
apartment complexes.
Takeaway
The majority of people who work in Pearland do not live in Pearland.
AFFORDABILITY AND
COMMUNITY IMPACT
One of the major themes expressed
throughout the planning process,
specifically by stakeholders and business
owners, was that people who work in
Pearland are increasingly priced out of
living in Pearland. Due to the housing
prices both in the owner and rental
markets, teachers, City employees, and
retail employees, among others, do not
earn enough money in their professions to
be able to afford to live in Pearland. When
these employees find an opportunity to
work a similar job closer to their homes,
they often take it. These essential workers
can not afford to live within the community
they work within that this is a form of
social inequity.
As discussed in Chapter 2: Community
Profile, the age 65+ cohort is the fastest
growing population in Pearland. As these
residents retire, most will be on a fixed
income with similar restrictions to housing affordability. Providing middle market housing will allow more
flexibility and housing options for senior citizens as they age. Of the 38,900 full-time jobs in Pearland,
approximately 83% of them are served by people commuting in from other cities; only 17% are served
by residents. If Pearland could provide a more affordable housing stock with a greater variety of
housing types, it would allow people who work in Pearland the opportunity to live in the city, securing
their positions in those jobs for longer periods of time. Creating opportunities to increase the amount of
people who live and work in the city would also shorten commutes, decreasing overall congestion and
minimizing air quality impacts. In addition, it would foster a greater sense of cohesion and pride within
the community, as people would care more for the community where they both live and work.
According to the Pearland Independent School
District (ISD) 2022-2023 Compensation Plan, a
control point salary for a teacher or librarian is
$63,500 annually. A teacher in Pearland ISD living on
a single salary can afford a home up to approximately
$193,000*, which was about half of the median
closing price in Pearland in November of 2021.
Assumptions:
Î $600 monthly debt
Î 3.33% interest rate
(average rate in November 2021)
Î $0 homeowners association (HOA) fee
Î Average credit score (630-689)
Î $15,000 down payment
Î 30-year loan term
Î Non-veteran status
*According to the average results from seven different mortgage
affordability calculators (see Appendix C)
Source: ACS 2021 Census Data
FIGURE 6.7: OCCUPIED HOUSING UNITS BY TYPE, 2019
PEARLAND
BRAZORIA
COUNTY
HOUSTON MSA
UNITED STATES
1, detached 1, attached 2 apartments 3 or 4 apartments
5 to 9 apartments 10 or more apartments Mobile home or other type of housing
81%81%11.4%11.4%
73.9%73.9%10.1%10.1%
63.9%63.9%20.8%20.8%
62.4%62.4%13.8%13.8%
0 20%40%60%80%100%
COMMUTE IN
32,133
COMMUTE OUT
58,783
STAY AND WORK
6,787
CHAPTER 692 93PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Alternative Housing Types
As mentioned previously, single-family residential and large-scale apartment complexes are largely
the only housing options available in Pearland. The term middle market housing is used to describe a
spectrum of housing options with traditional single-family detached housing on one end and large-scale
apartments on the other. Descriptions of some of these housing types are included below. A white paper
created by the City of Pearland’s Community Development Department offers additional housing types
and descriptions and is included in Appendix C of the report.
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT
During the public comment portion of the planning
process, staff had discussions with citizens
looking to develop accessory residences on their
existing residential lots. This type of development
is a part of the middle market housing and
commonly referred to as Accessory Dwelling Unit
(ADU). This type of housing is mostly applied
to infill development areas, given the lesser
availability for large developable area. This type
of housing would include garage apartments and
mother-in-law quarters, either attached to the
primary home or provided as a separate unit.
Design controls should be developed to make
sure that the ADUs match the style of the primary
home on the lot.
These units are especially attractive to families who have elderly relatives that would like to age in-
home or need special care and singles or families who cannot afford a starter home or prefer to rent.
Future Housing Growth
As the community and economy continue to evolve, flexibility in housing will be a component of
success. In general, markets that can cater to a broad audience will create greater resiliency and
capture a greater share of total demand. To provide the housing variety and affordability that Pearland
will need to stay competitive in the regional market, the City should consider changing the current
development codes to allow for different housing types, which will allow for different price points.
The remaining undeveloped areas are vacant in part because the current development code makes
them too expensive to develop. In addition, the smallest lot that is currently allowed in any residential
district is 5,000-square-feet. This combination is prohibitive to future development, as the costs
outweigh the return on investment. Below is an example equation that could be considered in the
update of the Unified Development Code (UDC) to offset costs of development.
DUPLEX/TRIPLEX/FOURPLEX
AVERAGE DENSITY: 10-18 UNITS PER ACRE
A single structure with two, three, or four units on one lot that share a
common wall. Units can be side-by-side or stacked, each occupying an
entire floor. Each unit has an individual entrance and there are no interior
connections between them.
COTTAGE COURT AVERAGE DENSITY: 12-16 UNITS PER ACRE
Multiple small, detached homes oriented around a common court or
open space that is visible from the street and serves as an alternative to
private backyards; entrances to each home face the court. All of this is
constructed on a single lot. Typically, buildings on the back of the lot can
be up to two stories, while all others are typically one story tall.
COURTYARD BUILDING
AVERAGE DENSITY: 24-30 UNITS PER ACRE
Similar to the Cottage Court, a courtyard building is a single building with
multiple units that are centered around an open courtyard that serves as
an alternative to private backyards.
TOWNHOUSE AVERAGE DENSITY: 12-16 UNITS PER ACRE
Multiple units attached side-by-side, townhomes are typically two to
three stories. Townhomes that face the public street typically have
garage access in the back of the unit, although some configurations
construct the homes around a shared-driveway where the units have
garage access to the driveway.
MULTIPLEX MEDIUM AVERAGE DENSITY: 30-50 UNITS PER ACRE
A single structure that contains 5 to 12 units with a single shared entry to
the street. The medium multiplexes are typically two to three stories and
units can be stacked or side-by-side, or a combination of the two.
LIVE/WORK UNIT AVERAGE DENSITY: 10-15 UNITS PER ACRE
A building with two to three stories where the bottom story is a place of
employment (office, retail, restaurant, or other non-residential use) and
is typically taller than the stories above it. The upper stories are used as
residential units and have a separate entrance to the building.
area - detention = developable area
cost of utilities (extension of water and/or sewer)/(developable area/minimum
lot size) + (cost of land/minimum lot size) = cost per lot
cost per lot * number of lots > cost of land to be economically developable
Higher number of lots/units
allows the cost of utilities
per unit to be reduced to
allow for more economically
developable land.
Source: Missing Middle Housing by Daniel Parolek and Planning and Urban Design Standards by American Planning Association
INTERIOR
(UPPER FLOOR) ADU
ATTACHED
(ABOVE GARAGE) ADU
DETACHED ADU ATTACHED ADU
EXAMPLES OF ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNITS
CHAPTER 694 95PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Tax Revenue vs� Infrastructure Maintenance
The budget for fiscal year 2022 shows that property tax makes up 31% of the General Fund revenue.
This number has increased from 26% in 2018, even as property tax rates decreased in 2021 and
2022.1 Property tax rates are the highest revenue sources for the City, followed by sales tax at 25% of
the General Fund revenue.
The General Fund provides money for the City to operate. This includes maintenance and operation
of the City’s parks, streets, community services, public safety, etc. For Pearland to continue providing
a high quality of life to its residents, property taxes will remain important. As remaining developable
land continues to decrease, infill and net new development will be critical to keeping the General Fund
balanced. It is imperative that future housing choices continue to provide a sustainable contribution to
the General Fund and align with the community’s vision while protecting and revitalizing past choices.
Although Pearland’s most transformational growth will occur within the larger catalyst sites, future
opportunities will also include infill options throughout the city.
Successful communities evolve with time and prove resilience through economic cycles; to do this, they
need to meet the current and future needs of their residents as well as future prospective residents. To
remain competitive with surrounding cities, Pearland should implement housing types other than the
traditional single-family homes and large apartment complexes. As housing prices continue to rise and
housing availability continues to fall, non-traditional housing types can help to provide infill development
at a lower cost to builders and prospective residents.
To meet the changing housing stock demand and make the best use of its remaining developable land,
Pearland should:
Î Cater to a broad audience to create greater resiliency and capture a greater share of total demand
Î Implement policies that encourage more housing choices and minimize social inequity to ensure the
long-term viability of the community
Î Incorporate residential products and planned developments that will attract and retain choice
residents
Building less single-family housing and more middle market housing will reduce maintenance costs and
maximize taxable value of the land through more compact living. This will enable the City of Pearland
to continue providing its residents with a high quality of life as the remaining underutilized area is
developed. It will also provide a variety of housing choices at varying price points to make Pearland an
attainable place to live for current and future employees and residents.
Recommended Policies
Î H-1: The City should encourage housing diversity to increase resiliency, attract a broad range of
housing options for a diverse population, and therefore capture a greater share of total demand.
Î H-2: The City should work to maintain the integrity and quality of existing neighborhoods through
effective code compliance and other means in order to protect and maintain housing stock and values.
Î H-3: The City should explore and incorporate innovative programs, design, planning, and construction
methods that lower development costs while maintaining or increasing present standards.
Î H-4: The City should maintain effective and efficient development regulations and administrative
procedures to minimize delays in the development review process and in the issuance of
development application approvals.
Î H-5: The City should revise its development code to allow for more affordable housing construction in
currently and undeveloped areas.
Î H-6: The City should work to avoid potential blighting influences within residential areas through
proactive land use planning. Where unavoidable, the adverse impacts of conflicting land uses should
be minimized through performance criteria requiring adequate screening, landscaping and other
design features that promote land use compatibility and appropriate land use transitions.
Actions
Items in green indicate a recommendation that is also included in the existing Pearland Prosperity (PP)
framework.
Î 6.1 Encourage Middle Market Housing: Implement cluster development to provide additional
density, with incentives for providing middle market housing types and additional neighborhood
amenities to combat the lack of housing choices for younger people in Pearland.
Î 6.2 Update UDC: Update the UDC to allow a more diverse housing stock. This should include
a combination of allowing smaller lot sizes and related development standards, allowing certain
types by right in specific zoning districts (mixed-use and multifamily development in retail and office
zones and ADUs within certain zoning districts), and providing applicants with tools for more efficient
implementation.
Î 6.3 Ongoing Evaluation: Establish a database to evaluate if middle market housing units that are
being developed are accomplishing the City's goal.
Î 6.4 Establish Pattern Zoning: Establish pre-approved patterns for ADU and/or additional
building types where appropriate, using the City of Bryan’s Midtown Pattern Zoning as a reference;
add to the OpenCounter or ZoningCheck tools and inform applicants in pre-development meetings.
Î 6.5 Neighborhood Parks: Continue to improve neighborhood parks to ensure that they serve as
focal points and gathering places for neighborhoods.
Î 6.6 Identify Accepted Locations: Expand the City’s Zoning Portal with an online interactive
map that contains a database that allows the users to see if a specific parcel of land can develop
middle market housing.
Î 6.7 Utility Impact Fees: Continue to regularly update the City's water and wastewater impact
fees, specifically when new capacity is brought on to areas that were not a part of a previous fee
adjustment or in alignment with future annexation policies.
Î 6.8 Focus Group: Create a focus group as the City is developing new regulations for middle
market housing; City Council appointed focus group with each Councilmember appointing one
appointee to develop recommendations for Middle Market housing. Middle Market housing consists
of a range housing options that is not a single-family home or a large apartment complex, examples
include multiplexes, carriage houses, townhouses, and courtyard apartments.
Î 6.9 Housing Redevelopment: PP C-4: Encourage multifamily and compact residential uses on
infill and redevelopment sites.
1Although tax rates have decreased, assessed values have generally increased. The net result is the property tax payments for individual residences have
mostly increased.
CHAPTER 796 97PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 7
Economic
Development
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 798 99PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Pearland Prosperity Community Strategic Plan
In February 2024, and update to the Pearland
Prosperity Strategic Plan was adopted by City
Council, the Pearland Chamber of Commerce,
and the Pearland Economic Development
Corporation (PEDC) Board of Directors. At
the center of the Pearland Prosperity Update
framework, the core goal is:
Î Pearland will be the community of
choice for PEOPLE and BUSINESS in
our region. Partners in Pearland can pursue
this Core Goal by advancing 11 Key Initiatives
that correspond to specific programs and/or
investments.
1 PLACES TO GATHER
A-1 Cultivate relationships with key private-sector
partners for creating gathering spaces
A-2 Actively pursue a vibrant mixed-use
entertainment district in the Lower Kirby District
A-3 Work with Pearland Town Center
stakeholders to ensure the area’s long-term
success and vibrancy
A-4 Position additional sites around Pearland
as potential locations for new quality of place
amenities
2 OLD TOWN REVITALIZATION
B-1 Continue to implement infrastructure
improvements in the Old Town and SH 35
Corridor areas
B-2 Pursue near-term opportunities to leverage
new residential development in Old Town
B-3 Identify a design solution for the Broadway
Corridor that is conducive to walkable development
B-4 Create and advance a master plan for the
Old Town area
B-5 Ensure that tools, resources, and staff
capacity are available to support Old Town
revitalization
CHAPTER 7
Economic
Development
Economic development focuses
on activities that maintain existing
business and support growth of
future employers. For a municipality
like Pearland, economic growth is
often measured by job growth, a
sustainable property and sales tax
base, and diversity of employers.
The Future Land Use Plan (FLUP)
includes arrangement of place types to
support clustering of businesses. This
clustering creates a more attractive
environment for business investment
in Pearland.
The rapid population growth that
Pearland has experienced in the last
two decades can be partially attributed
to the City’s strong economy and its
fiscal relation to the Greater Houston
area and Brazoria County. Individual
residents and families are attracted
to Pearland as it is centrally located
and has access to major employers
outside and around the city. Within the
city, there are strategic initiatives that
enable local businesses to thrive and
provide commercial opportunities for
Pearland residents.
3 INFILL AND REDEVELOPMENT
C-1 Leverage and promote software tool to
improve the transparency of the development
process
C-2 Create additional technical assistance to
ease the development process
C-3 Ensure that Pearland’s commercial
properties are well-maintained and in compliance
with codes
C-4 Encourage multifamily and compact
residential uses on infill and redevelopment sites
C-5 Actively recruit residential developments and
supportive amenities that will allow Pearland’s
residents to “age in place”
4 MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
D-1 Continue to support the long-term
maintenance of Pearland’s infrastructure
D-2 Ensure the successful activation of the
Broadway / FM 518 widening and reconstruction
project
D-3 Advance the planning, design, and
construction of priority road projects
D-4 Continue to seek state and federal funding
and other resources for transportation projects
D-5 Seek to accelerate activation of the Multi-Modal
Master Plan and Clear Creek Trail Master Plan
D-6 Advance the development and activation of
the Pearland Transit Needs Assessment and Plan
D-7 Continue to advance infrastructure
projects that improve drainage and stormwater
management
10PROPOSED STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
COMMUNITY GOAL
Pearland will be thecommunity of choice forPEOPLE and BUSINESSin our region
DiverseTalent
Workforce Development
PearlandInnovationHub
BusinessDevelopment
Places to Gather
Old Town Revitalization
Infill and Redevelopment Mobility and Infrastructure
Parks and Recreation
CulturalArts
SiteDevelopment
PROPOSED
STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK
CHAPTER 7100 101PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
5 PARKS AND RECREATION
E-1 Continue to implement the Parks,
Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan
E-2 Ensure that Pearland’s parks have sufficient
resources and staff
E-3 Seek to expand Pearland’s sports fields
and ensure equitable distribution across the
community
E-4 Evaluate tools to ensure the long-term
sustainability of privately owned park facilities
6 CULTURAL ARTS
F-1 Support the implementation of the City of
Pearland’s approved Cultural Arts Master Plan
F-2 Assess local support for establishing a
branded cultural arts district in Pearland
F-3 Continue efforts to create a “sense of place”
in Pearland activity districts and public spaces
7 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
G-1 Continue “core” business attraction and
marketing initiatives to grow primary jobs
G-2 Enhance targeted marketing efforts for the
biotechnology and medical manufacturing sectors
G-3 Continue to engage Pearland’s primary
employers through the BizConnect program
G-4 Expand “internal communications”
capabilities to reach a broader range of Pearland
Stakeholders
G-5 Implement recommendations from the 2022
Pearland Retail Analysis
8 PEARLAND INNOVATION HUB
H-1 Position the Pearland Innovation Hub’s
location at Spacio.us as the service delivery
“focal point”
H-2 Right-size the Pro-Active Coaching Program
and enhance efforts to identify coaches and
members
H-3 Increase networking opportunities and
special events for Pearland’s entrepreneurs
H-4 Connect entrepreneurs to professional
services and other regional ecosystem resources
H-5 Support diverse retail and hospitality startups
that enhance Pearland’s quality of place
9 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
I-1 Continue to provide Pearland’s employers
with customized workforce assistance
I-2 Develop and promote a community resource
network (CRN)
I-3 Establish a formal partnership framework
connecting business and education
I-4 Create formal Career Pathways to create
opportunities for residents and support key sectors
I-5 Continue to support the Work in Pearland
initiative and online portal
I-6 Pursue the development of physical training
spaces in and around Pearland
10 DIVERSE TALENT
J-1 Sustain and enhance the Pearland Chamber
of Commerce’s diversity initiatives
J-2 Enhance the Work in Pearland platform to
attract diverse talent to Pearland
J-3 Expand networking opportunities for diverse
Pearland residents
11 SITE DEVELOPMENT
K-1 Continue to position the Lower Kirby District
and SH 35 as priority areas for development
K-2 Continue to proactively assemble and
prepare development sites
K-3 Continue to ensure that sites are supported
by best-in-class infrastructure and amenities
Economic Development Agencies
Pearland is very pro-business and benefits from the activities of two organizations focused on
facilitating business development and growth within the City. The two organizations are the PEDC and
the Pearland Chamber of Commerce.
PEARLAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (PEDC)
The PEDC serves as the lead economic development group for the Pearland community and is
committed to enhancing the community’s economic vitality through the attraction, retention, and
expansion of primary employers. PEDC proactively pursues new primary jobs and capital investments
through a range of activities such as marketing, relationship building, project management, project
support, and the provision of incentives. PEDC acts as a catalyst to encourage private investment that
diversifies the City’s economic base and preserves the community’s exceptional quality of life.
PEDC is funded by a half-cent local sales tax that was approved by the voters in 1995. Members on
the PEDC Board of Directors are appointed by City Council. The Act and bylaws govern the affairs of
the Corporation and per the bylaws, expenditures must be approved by both the Board of Directors and
City Council.
PEDC’s overarching purpose is to foster capital investments and job creation in the city. As part of this
effort, PEDC has local partnerships with the City of Pearland and the Pearland Chamber of Commerce.
In addition, the PEDC has regional partnerships with the following organizations:
Î Greater Houston Partnership
Î Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County
Î Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership
Î Economic Alliance Houston Port Region
Î CenterPoint Energy
Î BioHouston
Î Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
Î Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute
Î Team Texas
Î Texas Economic Development Corporation
Î Texas Economic Development – Office of the Governor
PEDC has key target industries, which include the following: life sciences and healthcare, energy,
manufacturing, and business and professional services. Additionally, the retail industry has experienced
momentous growth in the last decade, which will be examined later in this chapter.
CHAPTER 7102 103PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
PEDC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
In this section, the key summary list of projects that the PEDC has helped to develop includes:
LOWER KIRBY DISTRICT
Located along the southwest corner of South Beltway 8 and State Highway 288, this is a master
planned 1200-acre mixed-use development. Per the Lower Kirby Urban Center Master Plan completed
in 2011, the district includes residential, office, and natural trails along the buildings. The development
of the master plan began in 2009 and in partnership with the City of Pearland, consultant Gateway
Planning Group was hired to strategically develop this project in compliance with the City’s existing
development standards. Today, the existing developments on site include:
Î Millar Inc.’s 56,000 square-foot (SF) headquarters, manufacturing and R&D facility (currently under
construction)
Î Endress+Hauser’s 112,000-SF Gulf Coast Regional Center campus
Î Lonza’s 300,000-SF viral and immunotherapy development and manufacturing facility – the largest
dedicated cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in the world
Î America Modern Green is developing the Ivy at Lower Kirby – a mixed-use planned development
proposed to include office, continuing care retirement center, retail, condominiums, townhomes, and
apartments.
Î Tool-Flo’s 80,000-SF headquarters, training, and manufacturing facility
Î Rex Supply’s 46,000-SF facility that serves as a headquarters for Rex Supply and a new distribution
center for Production Tool Supply Co., LLC
Î Merit Medical’s 92,000-SF R&D/medical device manufacturing facility
Î Dover Energy’s 150,000-SF manufacturing and operations center
Î Mitsubishi Heavy Compressor Corporation’s 180,000-SF office, manufacturing, and warehouse facility
Î Bass Pro Shop’s 150,000-SF retail location developed by Poag & McEwen
Î Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.’s 46,000-SF medical device manufacturing facility
PEARLAND TOWN CENTER
Pearland Town Center is a regional shopping mall developed with a “lifestyle center” concept.
Located near the intersection of Broadway (FM 518) and State Highway 288 and managed by CBL &
Associates, the center was completed in 2008 and continues to grow. In 2021, HCA Healthcare opened
a two-story 48,000-SF center for clinical advancement that helps to train medical staff throughout the
year. The center provides retail, residential, office, and hotel space within the nearly one-million-SF,
open-air location. More than 100,000-SF of office space is available on the second floor above the retail
shops. A 110-room, four-story Courtyard by Marriott hotel is located above the center’s retail shops.
Pearland Town Center includes offices and a 235-unit multifamily residential space above the stores,
a 25-acre lake and adjacent walking paths and parks. Retail tenants include anchor stores Macy’s,
Dillards, Barnes and Noble, and Dick’s Sporting Goods, along with other nationally-known retailers.
SHADOW CREEK RANCH TOWN CENTER
Located on the northwest corner of the intersection of SH 288 and FM 518 is the Shadow Creek
Ranch Town Center, a 600,000 SF retail center that contains notable tenants such as HEB and
Academy Sports & Outdoors. The center is located within Shadow Creek Ranch, a 3,500-acre master-
planned community that was ranked as one of the top 10 master-planned communities in the Greater
Houston area for several years. Shadow Creek Ranch is the largest neighborhood in Pearland and is
consistently ranked as one of the top suburban master-planned communities by popular real estate
sites like Realtor.com, HAR, and Zillow.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON - CLEAR LAKE PEARLAND CAMPUS
Opened in 2010, this satellite university branch (UHCL Pearland) offers undergraduate and graduate
degree programs in professions such as education and nursing. In 2015, $26.4 million dollars in funding
was awarded by the legislative session to expand the campus’s nursing and other healthcare related
programs. In 2019, the new 69,000-SF Health Sciences and Classroom building opened that houses
the majority of the UHCL’s health science programs.
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
Pearland’s healthcare industry’s presence has been consistent and expanding. Hospital systems
within the City include HCA Healthcare Houston Pearland, a 97-bed acute care hospital that includes
a full-service, freestanding 24-hour emergency department, imaging center, and a three-story, 80,000-
SF medical office building and Memorial Hermann’s medical campus, a four-story, 64-bed acute care
hospital that features an intensive care unit, operating rooms, cardiac catheterization labs, medical/
surgical units, and women’s and neonatology services. Other health care systems with a presence in
Pearland include:
Î Encompass Health
Î Kelsey Seybold
Î Interim Healthcare
Î Texas Children’s Hospital
Î Houston Methodist
MOBILITY AND CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT
To facilitate growth of the Pearland community and create a robust economy with a strong tax base
to support our City and schools, it is imperative to have infrastructure and connectivity that supports
existing business and new businesses growth. PEDC continually contributes to infrastructure projects,
including many public/private partnership projects that have facilitated and leveraged investment from
the private sector to bring investment and jobs to Pearland. PEDC is currently spearheading and
funding the implementation of the following public infrastructure developments:
Î State Highway 35 Redevelopment Strategy
Î State Highway 288 Corridor Master Plan Improvements
Î Broadway Corridor Development Plan
These public infrastructure projects will improve accessibility to all new and revitalized developments
that the City and PEDC have worked to provide for.
CHAPTER 7104 105PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
PEARLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Pearland Chamber of Commerce was “formed in 1963 by a group of business professionals
concerned about the progress of Pearland.” This volunteer organization is motivated to promote
the entrepreneurial spirit and plans on empowering the community to further stimulate and build
commercial growth. Additionally, this organization aims to provide a database of workforce resources.
As a membership organization that is not directly under the City government, the Chamber is able to
connect with existing and potential business owners for improvement and relocations to Pearland.
PEDC and the Pearland Chamber of Commerce partner on a business retention and expansion
program called BizConnect, which serves to address issues that businesses face and places an
emphasis on creating a stable business environment. As part of the program, the Business Retention
and Expansion team works to establish a relationship with businesses by visiting with them and sharing
available resources, while also addressing any issues or needs the business community might have.
Community Survey
of residents
enjoy business
and services
establishments
and positively
rate Pearland’s
economic health.
of residents
rate Pearland
as an excellent
or good place
to work
of residents rate
the vibrancy
of downtown/
commercial
areas as
excellent or good
80%69%54%
Source: 2021 Pearland Community Survey
According to the 2021 Community Survey, the residents are generally satisfied with the commerce
sector of Pearland. Recent development in the Lower Kirby district has demonstrated success in
biomedical and healthcare science industries.
Psychographics
A psychographic is a data interpretation tool to characterize demographics by putting a face on the
numbers. Developers and retailers use this data to understand the character of a community.
This report complied ESRI Business Analyst Online (BAO) psychographic and market data related
to: population, household, age, ethnicity, and income characteristics; consumer spending; taxable
revenue; visitor and convention information; and select economic values. BAO provides Tapestry
Segmentation groups that combines lifestyle demography information with the geographic specific
location data to create a classification model. The 67-segment Tapestry Segmentation system classifies
US neighborhoods based on their socioeconomic and demographic compositions. Appendix A includes
the BAO report for Pearland.
The Tapestry report indicates that Pearland is largely composed of the following three major
psychographic classifications:
Î Boomburgs (30.2%): Young professionals with families who have opted to trade up to the newest
available suburban housing.
Î Workday Drive (24.7%): Affluent family-oriented segment, typically with two working parents, with a
country flavor defined by commuting by car from newer housing options to professional job centers.
Î Up And Coming Families (12.5%): Young and mobile professionals working hard to get ahead and
take risks to achieve their financial goals while raising young children.
FIGURE 7.1: PEARLAND TOP 3 PSYCHOGRAPHICS
The FLUP primarily includes Traditional Residential housing land use to accommodate the needs of
the top three psychographic segments. During the engagement phase, representatives of the Pearland
public often expressed a need for more housing options for seniors, new employees, and young adults
who grew up in Pearland and are returning after college. Trends highlighted in the demographic chapter
related to age of Pearland residents demonstrate a shift in the future Pearland psychographics. There
are fewer Gen Y residents (aged 20 to 29 years) in Pearland by percentage of population than in similar
cohorts for Harris and Brazoria Counites. For example, the Pearland ISD has noted a decreasing shift
in enrollment patterns related to this demographic age bubble. As a result, Texas K-12 enrollments
are falling around 2% over the next decade. To address this issue, the FLUP increased the relative
proportion of mixed-use, urban living, compact residential place types to allow for housing for the
projected psychographic segments.
Î Young professionals with
families
Î New housing developments
in the suburbs
Î Affluent households, but
many hold mortgages
Î High labor force
participation with long
commute times
Î Higher than average
spending on retail goods
and services
Î Affluent family-oriented
households
Î Partial to new construction
housing
Î Most households have two
or three children
Î Many dual-income earners
Î Often carry a high level of
debt, including mortgages
and auto loans
Î Young and mobile
households in transition
Î Ambitious, hard-workers
striving to get ahead
Î Homes are new and
families are young
Î Median above-average
and on the rise
Î Seeks the latest and best
technology
BOOMBURBS WORKDAY DRIVE UP AND COMING
FAMILIES
30.2%
OF AREA
HOUSEHOLDS
24.7%
OF AREA
HOUSEHOLDS
12.5%
OF AREA
HOUSEHOLDS
CHAPTER 7106 107PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Employment
Pearland’s economic growth is demonstrated by expansion of the local labor force and job base.
This job base creates an environment for residents with high earning potential and a diversity of
employment, both within the City limits and within nearby employment centers.
MAJOR EMPLOYERS
The Dow Chemical Company, Alvin ISD, and Pearland ISD are the top three major employers within
Brazoria County. The Dow Chemical Company alone employs roughly 3,900 individuals. Figure 7.2 lists
major employers in Brazoria County.
FIGURE 7.2: EMPLOYERS IN PEARLAND
Employer Description Estimated Employees
Pearland ISD Education 2,700
Kelsey Seybold Healthcare 1,413
Lonza BioTech 850
Alvin ISD Education 753
City of Pearland Government 768
Memorial Hermann Healthcare 520
HCA (Pearland Medical Center)Healthcare 450
Dover Energy Manufacturer 255
Merit Medical Manufacturer 240
Kemlon Manufacturer 228
Source: City of Pearland, 2022 (does not include retail employers)
Pearland’s largest employment sectors are education and healthcare, followed by trade and
transportation, and leisure and hospitality, accounting for approximately half of the total employment.
Figure 7.3 shows the areas of employment for Pearland residents.
FIGURE 7.3: PEARLAND EMPOYMENT
INCOME
Pearland residents on average have a higher income than that of the Greater Houston Area and
Brazoria County—see Figure 7.4 below. The median household income in the City of Pearland is more
than $20,000 above Brazoria County’s median household income and more than $30,000 above the
Greater Houston Area median household income.
Figure 7.5 demonstrates that more than 56% of the household annual income exceeds $100,000.
Additionally, 13.7% of those households make more than $200,000 annually. In comparison to the
Greater Houston area, that percentage is 38.7%.
FIGURE 7.5: HOUSEHOLD INCOME
FIGURE 7.4:
COMPARISON OF
HOUSTON-AREA
INCOMES
City of
Pearland
Brazoria
County
Houston,
The Woodlands,
and Sugar Land
Metropolitan Area
Pearland
Study Area
(City + ETJ)
Pearland Study Area Greater Houston
$105,561$105,561 $103,298$103,298
$82,462$82,462
$68,727$68,727
30%<$15,000$15,000-$24,999$25,000-$34,999$35,000-$49,999$50,000-$74,999$75,000-$99,999$100,000-$149,999$150,000-$199,999$200,000+25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0
24.5%
EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE
22.9%
TRADE & TRANSPORTATION
0.6% NATURAL RESOURCES
MANUFACTURING 10.1%
LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY 15.8%
CONSTRUCTION 8.9%
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 7.0%
FINANCE AND REAL ESTATE 3.9%
OTHER 3.9%
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 2.0%Share of Households
CHAPTER 7108 109PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
EMPLOYMENT INFLOW AND OUTFLOW
High-income earners living in Pearland typically work outside of the City. Specifically, the average and
household incomes do not directly correlate with the jobs data. In Figure 7.6 below, the 2018 data
shows that only 6,787 individuals live and work in Pearland. 32,000 people come from other cities to
work in Pearland, and 59,000 people who live in Pearland leave the city to work.
FIGURE 7.7: PEARLAND RESIDENTS' WORKPLACE LOCATIONS
Figure 7.7 shows the zip codes of where Pearland residents work. More Pearland residents work in the
Texas Medical Center (TMC) zip code of 77030 than any other zip code in the Greater Houston area.
This indicates a significant commute pattern between Pearland and the TMC and further supports the
idea that a medical-based employment sector in Pearland could potentially offer a local employment
alternative to residents.
The top three zip codes where residents commute, in order from top commuting location, are the TMC,
east Pearland, and downtown Houston. Other areas that currently employ Pearland residents are west-
central Pearland, northeastern Brazoria County, Greenway/the Galleria, and the area around NRG
Stadium.
FIGURE 7.6 COMMUTE INFLOW AND OUTFLOW
Source: LEHD OnTheMap, US Census
COMMUTE IN
32,133
COMMUTE OUT
58,783
STAY AND WORK
6,787
CHAPTER 7110 111PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
UNEMPLOYMENT
In 2019, Pearland reported an unemployment rate of 4.6%, much lower than most of the other cities
within of the Greater Houston area. In 2020, similar to the whole US, the rate of unemployment in
Brazoria County increased nearly three times in comparison to pre-COVID 19 pandemic times in 2019.
However, since the second half of 2020, Brazoria County experienced a steady decrease and return to
relative normal, and unemployment rates have slowly dropped to 4.3% by February 2023. Figure 7.9
shows the Brazoria County and Texas unemployment rates.
FIGURE 7.9: COMPARISON OF UNEMPLOYMENT RATE COMPARISON, FEBRUARY 2023
FIGURE 7.10: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Source: Workforce Solutions
Source(s): Texas Labor Market Information (LMI); Workforce Solutions; Kimley-Horn
Sugar Land
League City
Friendswood
Pearland
Conroe
Houston MSA
Missouri City
Rosenberg
Deer Park
Houston
Galveston
La Porte
Lake Jackson
Alvin
Pasadena
Texas City
Huntsville
Baytown
0 1%2%3%4%5%6%7%8%9%
BRAZORIA COUNTY TEXAS
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0
JAN
2020
FEB
2020
MAR
2020
APR
2020
MAY
2020
JUN
2020
JUL
2020
AUG
2020
SEP
2020
OCT
2020
DEC
2020
JAN
2021
FEB
2021
MAR
2021
APR
2021
MAY
2021
JUL
2021
NOV
2020
Retail
RETAIL ANALYSIS
In 2022, PEDC commissioned a retail analysis by MJB Consulting and Greensfelder Real Estate
Strategy. The report described retail potential, externalities, and resilience for Pearland commercial
success. The report also includes an implementation plan and ancillary strategies to invigorate retail in
the City. This comprehensive plan report incorporates selected recommendations from the report that
pertain to land use recommendations.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE RETAIL ANALYSIS INCLUDE:
All of these recommendations are included in the action items at the end of this chapter.
Î Recruit New Developers: PEDC and the Chamber of Commerce can attract new development
ideas that match the place types proposed in the FLUP through recruitment of developers from
outside the Gulf Coast and perhaps Texas.
Î Online Fulfillment: Allow building plans to incorporate online fulfillment function into existing and
proposed retail stores to capture retail sales for tax revenue related to Texas’s rules regarding origin
and destination.
Î Old Town District: Create a specific area plan for this catalyst site similar to the Livermore
Downtown Specific Plan to remove redevelopment barriers and focus infrastructure investment.
Î Lower Kirby District: Develop destination retail that doesn’t compete with SH 288/Broadway
retail or Pearland Town Center with entertainment, food, and beverage. Complement the
biotechnology industry through creation of a community devoted to advancing the development and
implementation of medical devices to support the aging population.
Î Activate Commercial Districts: Update the Unified Development Code (UDC) to allow
authentic commercial districts through appropriate façade massing, increased walking, allowing
storefront visibility, and reserving corners for retail instead of office or residential lobbies.
Î Parking and Sidewalk Standards: Update the UDC to allow for shared parking, structured
parking incentives, and complete sidewalk design.
CHAPTER 7112 113PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
RETAIL EXISTING CONDITIONS
Pearland’s retail sector has experienced major growth in the last decade. In comparison to that of the
Greater Houston area, Pearland’s commercial retail vacancy rate has always been roughly 4% lower
than that of Houston’s. Additionally, Pearland’s average rent per square foot in retail lease space had
increased in the last decade and surpassed that of Houston. While Houston’s retail rent has largely
remained stable at $19 per square foot between 2017-2023, Pearland’s retail rent has increased from
$18 in 2017 to $23 in 2023. See Figures 7.11 and 7.12.
FIGURE 7.11: RETAIL VACANCY PERCENTAGES Source: REIS
FIGURE 7.12 RENT PER SQUARE FEET RETAIL LEASED Source: REIS
Pearland Houston
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0 2017
2017
2018
2018
2019
2019
2020
2020
2021
2021
2022
2022
2023
2023
BRAZORIA COUNTY TEXAS
Rent Per Square Foot$24
$21
$22
$22
$20
$19
$18
$17
$16
$15
RETAIL SUPPLY AND DEMAND
In retail gap analysis, the supply and demand can paint a picture of the retail surplus and leakage.
When there is a positive retail gap, like in the case of Motor Vehicles & Parts Dealers in Figure 7.13
below, that implies that consumers must go outside of the retail areas in order to meet the demand. A
positive retail gap is also indicative of retail leakage, meaning the opportunity to meet retail needs is
leaked outside the retail area. On the other hand, when there is a negative retail gap, that is indicative
of a retail surplus. In the exhibit below, general merchandising stores shows a retail surplus.
FIGURE 7.13: RETAIL GAP ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRIES IN PEARLAND
Industry Vehicles & Parts Dealer Demand Supply Retail Gap
Motor Vehicles & Parts Dealers $514,237,628 $87,964,505 $426,273,123
Furniture & Home Furnishings $86,374,076 $25,452,751 $60,921,325
Electronics & Appliance Stores $88,777,815 $62,325,194 $26,452,621
Building Materials & Supply Stores $160,940,232 $96,537,242 $64,402,990
Food and Beverage Stores $422,858,988 $264,327,824 $158,531,164
Health & Personal Care Stores $132,820,111 $89,575,949 $43,244,162
Gasoline Stations $232,215,725 $86,727,623 $145,488,102
Clothing & Clothing Accessory Stores $111,963,841 $116,674,024 -$4,710,183
Sporting Goods, Hobby, Books & Music Stores $84,369,276 $58,540,965 $25,828,311
General Merchandise Stores $419,110,379 $572,767,057 -$153,656,678
Miscellaneous Store Retailers $93,136,310 $57,054,766 $36,081,544
Nonstore Retailers $35,163,912 $5,056,484 $30,107,428
Non-Restaurant Eating/Drinking Places $13,346,604 $2,891,520 $10,455,084
Restaurants/Other Eating Places $259,224,437 $211,665,893 $47,558,544
Source: ESRI BAO
FIGURE 7.14: RETAIL LEAKAGE BY SECTOR
Motor Vehicles & Parts Dealers
Gasoline Stations
Food and Beverage Stores
Building Materials & Supply Stores
Restaurant/Other Eating Places
Miscellaneous Store Retailers
Electronics & Appliance Stores
Non-Restaurant Eating/Drinking Places
Clothing & Clothing Accessory Stores
Furniture & Home Furnishings
Health & Personal Care Stores
Nonstore Retailers
Sporting Goods, Hobby, Books & Music Stores
General Merchandise Stores
-$200,000,000 $0 $200,000,000 $400,000,000Share of Households
CHAPTER 7114 115PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
PEARLAND TOWN CENTER
Pearland Town Center, located near the SH 288 and Broadway Street intersection, features regional
shopping choices and restaurants in more than 940,000 SF of retail space. The clustering of uses
attracts customers from beyond Pearland. The retail report discusses the advantages of the tenant mix
and some disadvantages of allowing non-retail uses within the center. There is one prominent area
left for development within Pearland Town Center. This 11-acre tract of land is recommended for a
high-density residential development to provide additional stable demand for services within the area.
Additionally there are approximately five pad sites to be developed ranging from 15,000 SF up to nearly
three acres of land. Pearland Town Center may also be encouraged to further develop the underutilized
parking areas for opportunities with new buildings.
FIGURE 7.15: UNDEVELOPED PARCEL IN PEARLAND TOWN CENTER
Industrial
In addition to retail businesses, Pearland also has a major industrial and manufacturing presence.
As of 2023, Pearland has more than 60 manufacturers and 2,100+ specialized workers. In addition,
Pearland’s convenient location with access to two major airports, railroads, highways, and distance
from the seaport makes it a strategic location for manufacturing supply chain production. Below is a list
of all the manufacturing projects and businesses that conduct business and industrial production within
Pearland’s City limits:
Î Lonza Houston Inc.
Î Tool-Flo Manufacturing
Î PT Solutions
Î Zapp Precision Wire
Î MultAlloy
Î Adient Medical
Î Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Compressor International
Corporation (MCO-I)
Î Dover Energy
Î Merit Medical Systems
Î Brask, Inc. Neela
Î Merit Medical Systems
Î Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
LIFE SCIENCE
Lonza is a custom manufacturer and developer for the pharmaceutical and biotech markets. Founded
in 1897, Lonza now has more than 55 major manufacturing and R&D facilities and approximately
15,500 full-time employees worldwide. In April 2018, the company opened a 300,000-SF manufacturing
facility located in Pearland’s Lower Kirby District. It is the largest dedicated cell-and-gene-therapy
manufacturing facility in the world and is home to 900 employees.
Merit Medical Systems, a global medical device company, opened its 118,000-SF research and
development and manufacturing facility on a 12-acre site just north of Shadow Creek Ranch in the
Lower Kirby District. Headquartered in Utah, Merit serves hospitals worldwide by manufacturing more
than 2,000 proprietary, disposable medical devices used in diagnostic and interventional cardiology and
radiology procedures. Approximately 400 employees work at the Pearland location.
Adient Medical, a medical device manufacturer that develops implantable medical devices that dissolve
for the prevention of pulmonary embolism, expanded its offices with a relocation to a 1,900-SF office
and research space in Reflection Bay at Shadow Creek. The company was founded in Pearland in
2012.
Base Pair Biotechnologies, a provider of aptamer discovery and development services for research
institutions, universities, and pharmaceutical companies opened its office in Pearland in 2014. The
company develops aptamers, novel chemical components for research and medical DNA diagnostics,
which can be used as substitutes for antibodies in many applications. In 2017, the company relocated
to a larger office and laboratory space in Pearland.
Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based cardiovascular medical device developer,
opened its 46,000-SF state-of-the-art facility for the manufacturing of commercialized interventional
treatment systems for vascular disease.
CHAPTER 7116 117PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Commercial
OFFICE SPACE EXISTING CONDITIONS
There is a limited supply of multi-tenant lease office space and existing primary buildings include the
Shadow Creek Business Center, 1920 Country Place, the offices at Pearland Town Center, and multiple
medical office buildings. The asking rent for Shadow Creek is $31.40 per square foot. According to
CoStar, there is 1.3 million SF of office space in Pearland with 250,016 available for rent as of the first
quarter of 2023.
CONCENTRATION OF JOBS
Examining Figure 7.16 below, the darker purple concentrations show areas of a higher number of jobs
per square mile. It is not coincidental that the high-density areas shown are also the locations of the
commercial, retail, and industrial developments examined in the previous sections.
FIGURE 7.16: CONCENTRATION OF JOBS WITHIN PEARLAND
Actions
Items in green indicate a recommendation that is also included in the existing Retail Report.
Î 7.1 Business Development: Engage in a targeted approach to business and attraction
marketing and support a vibrant retail sector.
Î 7.2 Business Formation and Growth: Continue implementation of the Pearland Innovation
Hub.
Î 7.3 Site Development: Position the Lower Kirby District and SH 35 Corridor as priority areas for
development.
Î 7.4 Corridors: Implement the SH 35 Corridor Redevelopment Plan and the FM 518/Broadway
Corridor Development Plan.
Î 7.5 Infrastructure and Mobility: Advance the planning, design, and construction of priority road
and highway projects; pursue federal, state, and local funding for transportation projects and advance
drainage and stormwater management in Pearland.
Î 7.6 Quality of Life and Quality of Place: Pursue the development of dynamic, walkable
mixed-use districts including development of a new plan for invigorating Old Townsite and continue
to invest in Pearland Town Center as an important catalyst site and expand the urban uses for a
walkable mixed-use center.
Î 7.7 Accessibility to TMC: Build consensus around alternative transportation services to and
from the TMC and Pearland.
Î FROM RETAIL REPORT
ö RR 1.1 Recruit New Developers: PEDC and the Chamber of Commerce can attract new
development ideas that match the place types proposed in the FLUP through recruitment of
developers from outside the Gulf Coast and perhaps Texas.
ö RR 1.2 Online Fulfillment: Allow building plans to incorporate online fulfillment function into
existing and proposed retail stores to capture retail sales for tax revenue related to Texas’s rules
regarding origin and destination.
ö RR 1.3 Old Town District: Create a specific area plan for this catalyst site similar to the
Livermore Downtown Specific Plan to remove redevelopment barriers and focus infrastructure
investment.
ö RR 1.4 Lower Kirby District: Develop destination retail that doesn’t compete with SH 288/
Broadway retail or Pearland Town Center with entertainment, food, and beverage. Complement the
biotechnology industry through creation of a community devoted to advancing the development and
implementation of medical devices to support the aging population.
ö RR 1.5 Activate Commercial Districts: Update the UDC to allow authentic commercial
districts through appropriate façade massing, increased walking, allowing storefront visibility, and
reserving corners for retail instead of office or residential lobbies.
ö RR 1.6 Parking and Sidewalk Standards: Update the UDC to allow for shared parking,
structured parking incentives, and complete sidewalk design.
CHAPTER 8118 119PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 8
Placemaking
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 8120 121PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Policies
1. The City of Pearland will work with
developers to create unique destinations
that build off existing areas of cultural or
architectural distinction to attract residents,
businesses, and visitors.
2. The City of Pearland will create a hierarchy
of streets that meets the needs of
pedestrians, bicyclists, and automobiles and
respects the architectural and overall design
character of the surrounding area.
3. The City of Pearland will encourage the
development of parks, open space, and
trails by utilizing land within floodplains to
create connections across Pearland.
CHAPTER 8
Placemaking
Placemaking is the collaborative process of
planning, designing, and managing public
space in order to promote high quality living
and evoke a “sense of place.” This process
helps establish a city as a desirable place to
live and guides the selection of site amenities
that support its vision. It is placemaking that will
distinguish Pearland from other communities
within the Greater Houston area.
Everyone who lives, visits, or travels
through a city develops a perception of the
community based on the streets they travel
and the places they see. The public realm
influences people’s perception of a city and
how desirable it would be to live or work
there. People seek out the places that offer
affordability, a quality community, connectivity,
and a higher quality of life. These places tend
to emerge where a city and/or a developer
takes advantage of the attributes of the
surrounding area—topography, vegetation,
land uses, building form—and utilizes those
attributes to create a place that is distinct from
anywhere else in the region.
Placemaking provides essential social
and economic value that can set Pearland
apart as unique and special. The Pearland
Comprehensive Plan establishes policies that
will help identify and define the key distinctive
areas in the city. As key places are identified
and further invested in, these centers serve
to attract residents to the area and foster a
strong sense of ownership and community
pride. Ultimately, placemaking positions the
community to realize its potential as a place
people identify as uniquely Pearland.
Placemaking opportunities
The existing landscaping, entryway monuments, pear-
shaped grate design, modern pillar-styled city signage,
and consistent beautification throughout the City indicates
to people that they are in the City of Pearland. The
Pearland Economic Development Corporation (PEDC)
has identified the beautification of Pearland’s corridors and
gateways as a major priority in the Pearland Prosperity
Strategic Plan. This continued emphasis on keeping
Pearland an attractive place, with specific branding, will
help to distinguish it from other communities.
Even with the existing branding and beautification
campaigns, a main theme that was expressed through
the public feedback was that Pearland lacks a sense of
identity. While people may know that they are in Pearland,
there is no established sense of “who” Pearland is as a community. This is made more complex by the
number of different neighborhoods, corridors, and public spaces throughout the city. Giving each of these
areas its own distinct character, while referring to the overall Pearland identity, will help Pearland be
known for the unique place that it is.
EXISTING PLACES
Mayor Emeritus Tom Reid often spoke of Pearland
being a Special Place. The existence of our diverse
neighborhoods and the support that the City lends
through capital improvement projects to address drainage
and other infrastructure concerns help to reinforce
the aging housing stock that did not have the benefit
of modern design requirements. The pattern of these
existing neighborhoods help provide a place for people to
create their own story within the Pearland.
Pearland should continue to take steps to reinforce those
existing places as the community maintains its unique
features such as gentle topography, existing vegetation,
water features, and green spaces while seeking out
opportunities to highlight and further the creation of
character of Special Places.
Opportunities can be created through signage to place a spotlight on certain neighborhoods or the City
as a whole through adopting coordinated iconography in street signs or through seeking out a new flag
to unify all of Pearland.
SENSE OF PLACE
Unique, interesting places that reflect
the diverse values, culture, and heritage
of the people who live there have the
greatest staying power. Projects and
neighborhoods that incorporate natural
features, historic structures, public art,
and placemaking can help distinguish a
place from its neighbors to attract new
residents and visitors and support a
vibrant community for the people who
already live there.
Credit: “Smart Growth America”
1
2
3
CHAPTER 8122 123PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CORRIDORS
As the community has expanded, commercial corridors have developed along SH 35 and SH 288.
SH 35 and portions of the Broadway Street/FM 518 corridor have experienced development at
major intersections. Expect to see continued development within the infill lots between intersections
as those areas see continued improvement and investment. These areas provide a placemaking
opportunity from a regional perspective because they have the potential to attract outside businesses
and residences to the city. In addition, there is a hierarchy of corridors within the City of Pearland, as
identified in Chapter 9: Thoroughfare Planning and Mobility, that helps define a distinct public realm.
From the major highway connections that run through the city in each direction, to floodplain and rail
corridors, these linkages provide Pearland with the ability to create unique places of interest and lasting
value. Street types and needs will vary based on their location within Pearland, but corridor amenities,
such as crosswalks, signalized mid-block crossings, lighting, benches, and bicycle racks, can be
chosen to support individual centers and the overall vision for the community.
The best way to achieve placemaking is not just with signage, banners, or entry monuments, but also
with the design of streets, trails, and shared-use paths; the siting and design of buildings; and the use
of streetscaping and strategically located open space. Expanding these techniques that the City and
PEDC have already started using to encompass the City as a whole will greatly enhance the overall
mobility network and provide for alternative modes of transportation to these commercial destinations
along these prosperous roadways.
CATALYST SITES
As the six identified catalyst sites develop per the Pearland Prosperity Strategic Plan and the Future
Land Use Plan (FLUP), incorporating branding standards that reflect the developing character is a great
opportunity for placemaking. Advertising the identity of the area would communicate to visitors, residents,
and incoming developers alike that these areas have heightened expectations for the larger area. This
could be done through a variety of methods including, but not limited to, flags, logos, and public art.
The Lower Kirby District provides a good case study of advertising and marked identity that has helped
to leverage the area. The area should continue to demand focus due to the acreage remaining for
development. The adjacent open spaces, remaining developable area, and connections to SH 288 and
Beltway 8 combine to form an opportunity for a regional destination. In 2017, the Lower Kirby Pearland
Management District developed a master trail and landscape plan, connecting the drainage areas and
existing water features, including a pedestrian bridge across Clear Creek, to provide outdoor amenities
for future employers and residents. This plan, when brought to reality, will create a location with
enhanced quality of life, unique to the surrounding region.
Old Town provides another unique opportunity for potential investment. The gridded network of streets
and diverse uses, along with public infrastructure and historic structures, all play their part in forming a
place that is special to the community and providing a framework to build upon. The health and vitality
of the city can be significantly enhanced by the investment that occurs in the Lower Kirby and Old Town
areas and the city’s success in establishing itself as a place of intrinsic value.
PUBLIC SPACES
Places for community gatherings are a central element in placemaking and urban vitality. These spaces
celebrate the essence of Pearland and its community members. Examples of such spaces, which may
be of public or private ownership, include parks of various sizes, plazas, and areas within the public
right-of-way where people gather. These spaces may be located in commercial centers, in floodplain
areas, or dispersed throughout the city, but wherever they locate, they contribute to the identity of
their respective neighborhood or district. As the city grows, continued investment in public spaces is
necessary to sustain and improve the level of service that public spaces provide.
The creation of public space should be sought out with upcoming opportunities within these catalyst
sites for a collaborative endeavor that involves community input and design consideration as the
development of these spaces serves multiple interests. Public spaces come in various forms and
serve different functions in different areas. Large community parks can serve as gathering spaces
and provide accommodations for major events. Smaller neighborhood park venues can be used as
event spaces for more frequent neighborhood activities and programmed events. Public plazas and
markets can host civic events and smaller but more active and pedestrian-friendly environments.
Additionally, publicly owned open spaces can work in unison with privately owned, public open spaces
to provide multiple venues for major events in the community. Waterways and otherwise undevelopable
wetlands provide an opportunity for linear public spaces that can stretch across and connect different
neighborhoods and types of places.
Because of their value, it is important to provide access and linkages to public spaces via roadways,
sidewalks and trails. If physical infrastructure is necessary (e.g. bridges, trails, sidewalks), these
improvements should be enhanced using architectural materials that reflect the character of their
surroundings. Amenities like designed seating, shade, waste bins, and planting should also be provided
to improve usability and strengthen character.
The best way to achieve placemaking is not just with signage,
banners or entry monuments, but also with the design of streets
and trails, the siting and design of buildings and the use of
streetscaping and strategically located open space.
CHAPTER 8124 125PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 20222020
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2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 20222020
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 20222020
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2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 20222020
Tou rism
Pearland’s proximity to Houston is both an asset
and a challenge to the City. The cultural amenities
that Houston offers are close enough to access
after work and on the weekends, but that also
draws potential tax base away from Pearland.
Providing the commercial and cultural amenities
that people want close to home ensures a
better and more sustainable quality of life for
the residents of Pearland. It also attracts visitors
from surrounding communities and the nation
looking for unique experiences. Data provided
by the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau
(CVB) and Texas Travel Research indicates
that Pearland’s tourism industry earnings have
increased since 2013. There was a slight dip in
2020 for all indicators. While most measures have
recovered since then, tax revenues experienced
another slight dip after the initial recovery in 2021.
Approximately 15% of sales tax revenue comes
from lodging and food services, specifically.
Overall tourism industry earnings have recovered since COVID-19 and experienced the highest rate of
increase in 2021 to 2022 since before 2013.
FIGURE 8.2 TAX REVENUE
$3.2M$3.2M$4.4M$4.4M$4.6M$4.6M$4.7M$4.7M$5.5M$5.5M$5.4M$5.4M$5.3M$5.3M$5.3M$5.3M$5.3M$5.3M$5.3M$5.3MFIGURE 8.3 HOTEL OCCUPANCY
TAX REVENUE
$1.2M$1.2M
$1.4M$1.4M
$1.5M$1.5M $1.4M$1.4M $1.4M$1.4M $1.2M$1.2M
$1.4M$1.4M $1.6M$1.6M
$0.9M$0.9M
$1.5M$1.5M
FIGURE 8.4 VISITOR SPENDING
$123M$123M
$132M$132M
$128M$128M
$142M$142M $141M$141M $135M$135M
$142M$142M
$117M$117M
$150M$150M
FIGURE 8.1 INDUSTRY EARNINGS
$35M$35M
$39M$39M
$42M$42M $44M$44M $46M$46M $43M$43M
$43M$43M $44M$44M $41M$41M
$49M$49M
PERCENT CHANGE
8%8%
PERCENT CHANGE
PERCENT CHANGE
PERCENT CHANGE
$126M$126M
"The CVB's partnership with the
United States Fastpitch Association
(USFA) expanded in 2022 and
remained the primary driver
of youth sports tournaments in
Pearland. In addition to generating
additional competitor leads and
bookings, the partnership produced
a total of 1,140 room nights for
Pearland hotels representing a 30%
increase from the previous year.
Pearland welcomed a total of 303
teams with 72 traveling teams and
an overall attendance of 13,810
with an estimated total economic
impact of $2,212,041."
- Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau FY2022 Annual Report
All figures reference Pearland's fiscal year from October through September
12%12%
8%8%
4%4%
-11%-11%
7%7%
13%13%
1%
1%
1%3%3%$7.1M$7.1M$7.2M$7.2M$7.3M$7.3M$7.4M$7.4M$8.1M$8.1M$8.2M$8.2M$8M$8M$8M$8M$8M$8M$8M$8M2013-
2014
2014-
2015
2015-
2016
2016-
2017
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
2020-
2021
2021-
2022
Local Local
State
State
12%
8%
3%
-1%
19%
12%
2%
17%
4%
-2%
29%
-1%-2%
-11%
-13%
6%
21%21%
6%6%
-6%-6%
12%12%
-13%-13%
25%25%23%23%
-29%-29%
8%8%
13%13%
16%16%
11%11%
-17%-17%
-3%-2%-1%
0%
CHAPTER 8126 127PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Tourism, like other sectors of the economy, requires sustainable employment. Overall employment for
the tourism industry in Pearland peaked in 2017 and has been on a steady decline but has leveled
off since 2020 with a 0% change from 2021 to 2022. Expectation is to see a gradual increase with
additional hotel venues being constructed at Pearland Town Center.
properties will help to spur reinvestment in the area while improving the aesthetics of lots that are
currently vacant. Finally, revisions to the zoning ordinance and city codes that would allow alternative
housing types and greater flexibility in the range of available housing choices should be considered.
Actions
Items in green indicate a recommendation that is also included in the existing Pearland Prosperity (PP)
framework.
Î 8.1 Placemaking Guidelines: Develop or update design guidelines that require the
implementation of established Placemaking practices in key place type areas and incentivize the
use of natural areas and sustainable resources in the design of Pearland neighborhoods and
amenity areas.
Î 8.2 Lifestyle Amenities: Create design guidelines that ensure that employment centers are
developed with lifestyle amenities (walkability, green space, on-site or nearby retail, etc.) that attract
highly skilled, high-income workers.
Î 8.3 Historic Preservation: Work with the Pearland Historical Society to develop a Historic
Preservation Plan for Pearland to identify those buildings and neighborhoods that should receive local
protection and state and national recognition. Include a small area plan for Old Town within the overall plan.
Î 8.4 Branding: Continue working towards beautification and unification of the City through
additional targeted areas through the use of City branding, identify historic landmarks, gateways,
and link together those special places.
Î 8.5 Performing Arts: Identify opportunities to host performing arts events in publicly owned
spaces, including parks, street rights-of-way, and public buildings.
Î 8.6 Famers Market: Partner with local businesses and residents to revive the Old Townsite
Farmers Market along Grand Avenue with vendors to include local artists and small businesses.
Î 8.7 Tourism Ads: Increase advertising efforts for existing EcoTourism, Sports Tourism, the
Pearland GeoTour, Pearland Mural Tour, the Pear-Scape Trail, and other local attractions.
Î 8.8 Public Art: Provide UDC amendments to clarify and allow murals on a variety of buildings,
fences, and structures.
Î 8.9 Arts Grant: Increase awareness for the Pearland Cultural Arts Grant as the art scene grows
in Pearland.
Î 8.10 Code Compliance: PP C-3: Ensure that Pearland’s commercial properties are well-
maintained and in compliance with codes.
Î 8.11 Expand Sports Fields: PP E-3: Seek to expand Pearland’s sports fields and ensure
equitable distribution across the community.
Î 8.12 Cultural Arts Master Plan: PP F-1: Support the implementation of the City of Pearland’s
approved Cultural Arts Master Plan.
Î 8.13 Local Support: PP F-2: Assess local support for establishing a branded cultural arts district
in Pearland.
Î 8.14 Sense of Place: PP F-3: Continue efforts to create a “sense of place” in Pearland activity
districts and public spaces.
Feedback provided through the public outreach process indicated that people were looking for:
Î Variety in types of stores and
in-store selection
Î Family-friendly cafes that are
open later into the evening
Î Sporting arenas
Î Performing arts venues
Î Variety of family entertainment
Î Hotel conference centers
Î Alternative transportation modes
Î Outdoor attractions
The City, PEDC, and the CVB are already addressing this feedback by investigating potential
future development opportunities to provide these specific uses. The Pearland Prosperity Strategic
Plan identifies a “vibrant retail sector” that will provide more variety of stores, dining options, and
entertainment. The Plan also specifically identifies a sports facility and a hotel. These prioritized
developments, when completed, will support local, regional, and national tourism. To support the tourism
industry in the city, Pearland should offer a mix of housing types with varying price points. To attract
residents, businesses, and visitors alike, it is important to provide an opportunity for people to live, work,
and play within the city.
CVB is also approaching kickoff on a Cultural Arts Master Plan. The overall goal of the Cultural Arts
Master Plan is to create a common vision for the role that arts and culture should play in Pearland, as
well as to ascertain what pieces of that vision can guide policy and programming to enhance the quality
of life for Pearland residents, businesses, and visitors. This project will be kicking off in 2023 with an
expected report due in 2024 after community-wide, public participation process is complete.
As some of Pearland’s first established neighborhoods continue to age, challenges may arise that will
require reinvestment. As infrastructure and overall design begin to age, neighborhoods are less attractive
to new residents and developers alike. The City should consider adopting incentive programs to help
address these issues and to help channel reinvestment into those areas. In addition, the community
should consider investments that would make older neighborhoods more attractive and accessible.
This could include upgrades to sidewalks and the installation of street trees and designed street lighting.
The City should identify vacant parcels and promote infill development within the area. These infill
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 20222020
FIGURE 8.5 EMPLOYMENT
1,0701,070
1,1501,150
1,2001,200 1,1901,190
1,1301,130
1,0101,010
1,1901,190
1,1701,170
1,0201,020 1,0101,010
PERCENT CHANGE
2013-
2014
2014-
2015
2015-
2016
2016-
2017
2017-
2018
2018-
2019
2019-
2020
2020-
2021
2021-
2022
7%7%
4%4%
-2%-2%-3%-3%
-10%-10%
-1%-1%
0%0%
CHAPTER 9128 129PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 9
Thoroughfare
Planning and
Mobility
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 9130 131PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
2021 COMMUNITY SURVEY
At least 50% of residents
rated the ease of travel as
good or excellent, which
is a 20% improvement
from 2019
CHAPTER 9
Thoroughfare
Planning and
Mobility
This chapter discuses Pearland’s
current transportation assets for
both automobiles and non-motorized
transportation to identify key gaps
in the current infrastructure. To
best accommodate the Future
Land Use Plan (FLUP), strategic
recommendations were made for
infrastructure improvements to serve
roadways, bicyclists, pedestrians,
and transit.
Mobility planning combines both
engineering and planning principles
to help move people and goods to
and from their destinations. The
Thoroughfare Planning and Mobility
component establishes the City’s
transportation policy direction and
provides a long-term overview of
major transportation improvements
that will be necessary to support
the FLUP and the other goals of the
Comprehensive Plan.
A Thoroughfare Plan is a long-term plan that
designates roadway classifications throughout the
City to preserve rights-of-way to accommodate
future growth. The City of Pearland's Thoroughfare
Plan was last updated as a citywide process in
2014, with an update to two small area boundaries
in 2021. The City also has a Multi-Modal Master
Plan that was prepared in 2021 that identified
short- and long-term improvements to improve the
bicycle and pedestrian network throughout the city.
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)
and the City of Pearland partnered to provide a
citywide Mobility Study, which includes an update
to the Thoroughfare Plan and incorporation
and update of the Multi-Modal Master Plan in
2023. Additionally, a Traffic Management Plan
was prepared in 2015 to assess Pearland’s
transportation system and make recommendations
for short-, medium-, and long-term improvements.
Information and recommendations identified in this
chapter and recommendations made in the studies
referred to above should help to inform and guide
the upcoming update.
Policies
The policies listed below are recommendations from this Comprehensive Plan update. Any policies
should be reexamined as part of future Thoroughfare Plan updates to ensure the City continues to
address the most recent data available.
1. The City of Pearland will update the Thoroughfare Plan to include definitions and descriptions of
the roadway classifications.
2. The City of Pearland will review and revise existing access management policies and guidelines
to address spacing between streets and driveways, turn lanes, and median openings to better
align access and mobility by functional classification.
3. The City of Pearland will maintain and expand the existing well-connected network of
thoroughfares; the City will expand the existing network to address existing gaps and include
additional support for the mobility needs of vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
4. The Engineering and Public Works departments will update the City’s right-of-way requirements
to obtain additional width at thoroughfare intersections to allow for dedicated turn lanes and
increased capacity, as well as any additional safety or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
requirements.
5. The City of Pearland will identify, design, and implement safety improvements on the roadways
with the highest rate of automobile crashes and incidents involving bicycles and pedestrians
through the use of Complete Streets design concepts..
6. The City of Pearland will develop a complete non-motorized transportation network that connects
parks and trails with other major origins and destinations.
7. The Community Development, Engineering, and Public Works departments will partner with
the CVB to advertise existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, in addition to the City taking
opportunities to provide educational outreach.
8. The City of Pearland will coordinate with H-GAC to investigate potential options to provide
residents with increased access to transit services.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
CHAPTER 9132 133PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Thoroughfare Plan
The City’s Thoroughfare Plan is the tool that enables the City to preserve future roadway corridors
and protect or acquire the necessary right-of-way to improve the local thoroughfare network. It also
establishes and communicates future projects, which guides decision-making and helps to identify and
apply for funding. The previous citywide plan was completed in 2014. Key recommendations included:
Î Realignment of the future Westminster Drive connection from Barry Rose Parkways to Pearland
Parkway
Î Elimination of a Minor Collector between Manvel Road and CR 107 through the proposed Massey
Lakes Estates
Î Removal of collectors near Blackacres
A minor update to specific study areas was performed in 2021. Key recommendations included:
Î Extension of Hughes Ranch Road to be continuous from Cullen Parkway to SH 35
Î A partial removal of Fruge Road from Kirby Drive to South Spectrum Boulevard
Î Classification changes in the Lower Kirby area
To best serve the updated FLUP and the associated transportation demand, general recommendations
are made in this chapter for how the upcoming Thoroughfare Plan update may address future needs.
The existing Thoroughfare Plan is shown in Figure 9.1.
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATIONS
In addition to planning the locations of future roadways, the Thoroughfare Plan also sorts roadways
into functional classifications. The goal of a functional classification system is to balance the two major
needs of roadway users:
Î Mobility – the need to move long distances
Î Access – the need to reach destinations
The sustainable street network consists of all types of streets that
accommodate many different travel modes. Some streets are designed
to serve traffic in all forms. Others are designed to be quiet with only
the occasional vehicle. Some span across a city, while others are less
continuous to control traffic speed and volume. In a sustainable street
network, all streets have a role and are designed to serve the people of
the community---today and well into the future.”
Sustainable Street Network Principles, pg. 23, Congress for the New Urbanism
“
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CHAPTER 9134 135PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!
!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
!!!!!!!!
!
!!!!
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PEARLANDPEARLANDHUGHES RANCH
M C H A RD
SMITHRANCHFRUGE
WOOTENWINDWARDBAYINDU S T R I A LSILVERLAKE COUNTRY CLUBREFLECTIONBAYWALNUT
JOHN LIZER
O I L E RO'DAYHALIK
FITE
WILLIAMS
KINCADE OLD ALVINDIXIE FARMLIBERTYHUGHESSYCAMORE
T
R
I
N
I
T
Y
B
A
Y
MCHARD
HILLHOUSEBROOKSIDE
COUNTRYPLACEHASTINGS FIELDREID
SOUTHBELTINDUSTRIAL
AMIE
S SPECTRUMHOOPER
MAXHAST INGS CANNONMILLER RANCHSTONEWOODYBROADWAY
MASTERSBAILEYALMEDAKIRBY ORANGE
RILEY
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LACK
H
A
W
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OLD AIRLINESHADOW CREEK
ALVINSUGARLAND
BR
O
A
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³±521
Thoroughfare Plan
City Limit
ETJ
Freeway
Major Thoroughfare - 120' Minimum ROW
Proposed Frontage Road
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
Secondary Thoroughfare - 100' Minimum ROW
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
Major Collector - 80' Minimum ROW
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
Minor Collector - 60' Minimum ROW
Sufficient Width
To Be Widened
!!To Be Acquired
¯0 1 2 30.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
May 2023
FIGURE 9.1: PROPOSED THOROUGHFARE PLAN
CHAPTER 9136 137PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Roadway classification levels range from high mobility/low access highways to low mobility/high access
local roads. Having a well-defined hierarchy in a road network helps to streamline the design standards
for roadways within a jurisdiction, making the road network easy to navigate for users.
The existing Pearland Thoroughfare Plan depicts six levels of roadway classifications, which are
provided on the Thoroughfare Map with preferred right-of-way widths but are not further defined within
a policy document. General descriptions of the mobility, access, and character of each classification are
provided below.
FREEWAY/CONTROLLED-ACCESS HIGHWAYS
are shown in black and are part of the state system. They serve high-volume, high-speed regional
traffic with full access control. Freeways in the Pearland region are SH 288 and the Harris County Toll
Road Authority's (HCTRA) Sam Houston Tollway.
MAJOR THOROUGHFARES
shown in blue, have a minimum 120-foot right-of-way. They primarily function to provide regional
mobility, but also have a smaller element of providing access. This functional class typically
serves 10,000 to 30,000 vehicles per day. Major thoroughfares in Pearland include roads such as
Broadway Street/FM 518, Main Street/SH 35, Bailey Avenue, Dixie Farm Road, Almeda Road/FM
521, and the Pearland Parkway.
SECONDARY THOROUGHFARES
shown in green, have a minimum 100-foot right-of-way. This functional class typically serves 5,000 to
15,000 vehicles per day. Examples of secondary thoroughfares in Pearland include Kirby Drive, South
Fork Road, Magnolia Street, Harkey Road, and Veterans Road.
MAJOR COLLECTOR STREETS
shown in red, have a minimum 80-foot right-of-way. This functional class typically serves 1,500
to 10,000 vehicles per day. Collector streets provide a larger degree of access to homes and to
destinations other than thoroughfares. Stone Road, Walnut Street, Fite Road, and a portion of Orange
Street are examples of major collectors.
MINOR COLLECTOR STREETS
shown in purple, have a minimum 60-foot right-of-way. This functional class typically serves less
than 2,000 vehicles per day. Minor collector streets in Pearland include North Fork Drive, Clear
Lake Loop, and a portion of Orange Street.
SPECIAL DESIGNATION
Shown in orange, this classification designates a local road with a wider right-of-way than is
usual for the surrounding area. This represents roadways that provide local access but that
may require a wider cross-section in the future.
Intersections are essential for maintaining adequate traffic flow. While the right-of-way has
been defined for each classification, it should be noted that at key intersections for right-sized
thoroughfare facilities, additional right-of-way is often required to provide additional turn lanes
that are not required for the entire length of the roadway. Additional right-of-way would also
allow for safety improvements or ADA requirements to be implemented. By right-sizing the
lanes between intersections and providing adequate turn-lanes at the intersection, the City
would be able to accommodate the roadway capacity at a lower cost. Figure 9.2 demonstrates
the efficiency of providing expanded intersections with narrower right-of-way along the roadway
leading up to the intersection.
STANDARD NODE, BIG LINK BIG NODE, SMALLER LINK
300’300’300’300’300’300’300’300’FIGURE 9.2: ROW EXPANSION AT INTERSECTION
CLASSIFICATIONS
CHAPTER 9138 139PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
FUTURE THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATE
The future update of the Thoroughfare Plan should specifically define each of the classifications and
ensure that the existing or planned future revisions to the roadways are consistent with the definitions
of each. These definitions for each roadway classification should:
Î Include specific access management requirements, including spacing between signalized
intersections and driveways, median openings, and turn lanes
Î Require future development along major thoroughfares to analyze the feasibility of shared access to
driveways and parking areas
Î Include typical cross-sections that include accommodations for multi-modal transportation options;
the cross-sections proposed in the City of Pearland Multi-Modal Master Plan should be used as a
baseline, with updates to accommodate any changes since the completion of the Multi-Modal Plan
In addition, future changes should address existing dead-end thoroughfares. Anything with a classification
higher than a local roadway should not stub into a local roadway, or a roadway with a significantly lesser
roadway classification. This may cause traffic congestion issues later as the traffic from a wider, more
traveled roadway enters a roadway that is not classified to handle the same amount of traffic.
KEY ISSUES FOR MOBILITY IN PEARLAND:
Î There are multiple barriers, including railroads, freeways, and waterways, that limit mobility—
specifically in the east and west directions
Î Multiple access points and curb cuts along major corridors introduce safety and efficiency issues
Î With the recent history of growth in the city, there are numerous intersections at or nearing capacity
Î A majority of trips are made by automobile; Pearland has developed a strong set of individual trails for
non-motorized mobility; however, gaps exist and transitions from off-street to on-street network need
improvement
Safety
From 2017–May 2022, there were 26,036 vehicular crashes in the City of Pearland, 45 of which were
fatal. While less than 1% of all crashes within this time period ended in a fatality, all were caused by
human error, meaning that they were preventable. The nationwide safety initiative Vision Zero operates
with the goal of reducing human error and preventing every death caused by vehicular crashes. All
crash data was provided through the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information
System (TxDOT CRIS).
CRASH HISTORY
It is a top priority for the City to address potential safety risks in its transportation network. The City's
traffic division currently provides traffic calming recommendations for specific signage as well as a
flashing yellow arrow implementation system to address safety. To identify these risks, crash history
was examined for potential trends in crash locations and contributing factors. The following statistics do
not include crashes on SH 288, as this is a facility with unique access control and tolling operations in
some segments. Of the crashes within the 2017– May 2022 time period, 12% were either fatal or ended
in injury. Figure 9.5 provides a map of crash hot spots within the City and general locations of fatalities.
SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
Once the characteristics of crashes and crash locations were identified, recommendations were
created to mitigate these issues. These recommendations are outlined in the Actions section, but
generally include:
Î Partnership with H-GAC and TxDOT to identify specific safety issues at locations that experience
higher crash rates and/or fatalities and develop implementation and funding plans to construct
safety measures. Where locations are outside of the City limits, Pearland should coordinate with the
appropriate County for implementation. See action item 9.2.
Î Provide a well-designed and continuous pedestrian and bicycle network.
Î Adopt citywide policies and programs for traffic calming, enforcement, and access management,
such as a neighborhood traffic calming program or an access management program based on
classifications of roadways.
Î Implement additional enforcement for speeding and obeying traffic control devices.
SHARED ACCESS
PROPERTY LINES
FIGURE 9.3: DIAGRAM OF SHARED ACCESS PARKING
CHAPTER 9140 141PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
There were several locations that did not have a high density
of crashes but had fatalities. Locations include:
Î Knapp Road and Old Alvin Road
Î McHard Road and Old Alvin Road
Î Dallas Street and Laurel Avenue
Î Morgan Road and Dobbins Drive
Î Northfork Drive and Bagnoli Rose Lane
Î Manvel Road and Fite Road
Î Manvel Road/Masters Road and Old Massey Ranch Road
Î Bailey Road and Harkey Road
Î Veterans Drive and Jenkins Road
Î Dixie Farm Road and Oak Brook Drive/Westfield Lane
Using the map of crash densities, the locations with the
highest density of crashes and fatalities were identified
to better analyze major issues for high crash locations.
These locations include, listed by geographic location:
Î Shadow Creek Parkway and Kingsley Drive
Î Shadow Creek Parkway and Kirby Drive
Î Shadow Creek Parkway and Business Center Drive
Î McHard Road and Cullen Parkway
Î All intersections along the Broadway Street Corridor
between Kirby Drive and Miller Ranch Road
Î Broadway Street and Cullen Parkway
Î Broadway Street and SH 35
Î Broadway Street and Pearland Parkway
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PEARLANDHUGHES RANCH
MCH A R D
SMITHRANCHFRUGE
WOOTENWINDWARDBAYI NDUS T R I A LSILVERLAKE COUNTRY CLUBREFLECTIONBAYWALNUT
JO HN LIZER
O IL E RO'DAYHALIK
FITE
WILLIAMS
KINCADE OLD ALVINDIXIEFAR M
LIBERTYHUGHESSYCAMORE
T
R
I
N
I
T
Y
B
A
Y
MCHARD
HILLHOUSECOUNTRYPLACEHASTINGS FIELDREIDSOUTHBELTINDUSTRIAL
AMIE
S SPECTRUMHOOPER MAXHASTINGS CANNONMILLER RANCHSTONEWOODYBROADWAY
MASTERSBAILEYKIRBY ORANGE
RILEY
KINGSLEYPOST CROIX HATFIELDSCARSDALEGARDENROYMANVELMCLEANMYKAWACL
EARLAKEOLD MASSEY RANCHCULLEN B
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W
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ALVINSUGARLAND OLD AIRLINETELEPHONEBR
O
A
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A
Y³±521
Crash Density
Dense
Sparse
Crash Fatalities
Moving vehicle / fixed object (31)
Bicycle-involved (8)
Pedestrian-involved (6)
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Major / Secondary Thoroughfares
Proposed Major / Secondary Thoroughfares
Local
City Limit
ETJ
COMPREHENSIVEPLAN
Sources: TxDOT CRIS Data, Pearland Open Data
June 2022Crash Density
FIGURE 9.5: CRASH DENSITY
PEDESTRIAN
AND BICYCLISTS
were involved in
1% of all crashes
within the City of
Pearland. However,
pedestrians and
bicyclists are involved in
31% of all fatalities.
THE TOP FIVE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ALL CRASHES WERE:
THE TOP THREE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ALL FATAL CRASHES WERE:
THE TOP CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR THESE HIGH-CRASH
LOCATIONS INCLUDE:
Speeding
Did not stop at traffic signal
Speeding
Failure to yield exiting private driveway
Changed lane when unsafe
Failure to yield while turning left
Did not stop at traffic signal
Speeding
Failure to drive in a single lane
Failure to yield exiting private driveway
Failure to yield to pedestrian
Failure to yield at a yield sign
Failure to drive in a single lane
1
1
1
2
3
4
5
2
3
2
3
4
5
14%14%
4%4%
4%4%
4%4%
3%3%
22%22%
7%7%
7%7%
29%29%
14%14%
12%12%
8%8%
4%4%
CHAPTER 9142 143PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Multi-Modal Network
Planning for modes of transportation other than motorized vehicles is an essential part of ensuring that
the mobility system in the City of Pearland is comprehensive and comfortable. Multi-modal planning is
most effective when taking into account the following elements:
Î Connection – providing a network that has a high level of connectivity with other facilities
Î Comfort – designing multi-modal facilities that are separated form vehicular traffic to maintain a high
level of comfort for users
Î Continuity – prioritizing projects that close gaps in the existing network before building new ones
Î Coherence – designing signage and wayfinding elements in the network that allow users to
understand multi-modal routes and interaction with other modes
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN
Bicycle riders and pedestrians experience the greatest risk of severe
injury or fatality when involved in an automobile crash. A well-
designed multi-modal network can significantly decrease the risk of
those using non-motorized forms of transportation.
The City of Pearland completed the Multi-Modal Master Plan in
2021. Existing and proposed bicycle and pedestrian facilities are
detailed within that plan. Generally, the Plan proposes 10-foot-wide
shared-use paths along select thoroughfares to provide connectivity
between major destinations. It outlines the general timeline for
the thoroughfares to be constructed or reconstructed, allowing for
the multi-modal facilities to be incorporated. It also proposes new
sidewalks where current gaps exist, providing for a more connected
and safer network overall. See Action item 9.5.
INCREASED VISIBILITY AND AWARENESS
In addition to the recommendations in the Multi-Modal Master Plan,
the City should also implement educational outreach campaigns for
both motorists and bicyclists/pedestrians. These outreach campaigns
should include information on rules of the road for non-motorized
transportation and share the road policies to better inform all users
about how to use the roadway network. This outreach will make
motorists more aware of the users of the multi-modal network,
increasing the visibility of bicyclists and pedestrians. An extra
emphasis should be placed on bicycle and pedestrian activity near
school areas through Safe Routes to School initiatives as well as
pedestrian and bicycle accident hot spots.
As part of the outreach campaigns, the location of bicycle and
pedestrian facilities should be advertised so that users are aware of
the options available to them as part of the multi-modal network. A part
of the campaign could highlight locations of travel facilities, trailheads,
and amenities along a given path and should be communicated through
either a smartphone app or the use of temporary electric street signs.
TRANSIT
In spring of 2022, H-GAC,,
as the governing body for
Houston’s 13-county region,
began an effort called the
Pearland Transit Needs
Assessment and Plan to look
at population and employment
patterns in the City, analyze
what public transportation may
work for Pearland, and engage
the public to inform any
recommendations that come
from the Plan.
The Pearland Transit
Needs Assessment and
Plan will help inform transit
recommendations moving
forward. Recommendations
from that Plan may be
incorporated into this plan by
future amendment.
Throughout the comprehensive
planning process, the public
provided feedback that transit
would be a benefit to the
community. For example, with
the proximity of Pearland to the
Texas Medical Center (TMC),
a local circulator or a park-and-
ride service may help reduce
some of the single-occupancy
trips to and from the areas.
Freight
Figure 9.6 designates the truck routes throughout Pearland. These were established in 2014 by the
City of Pearland and accommodate the professional services and manufacturing and warehouse place
types throughout the city. One area in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), including and surrounding
the Pearland Regional Airport, does not have direct access to a truck route. As the professional
services and industrial area surrounding the airport continue to develop, the City should coordinate with
Brazoria County and the City of Friendswood to propose Pearland Parkway south of Dixie Farm Road
as a future truck route to accommodate this area.
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PEARLANDP
E
ARLANDM C H A RD
H U G H E S R ANC H
SMITHRANCHO IL E R
KINCADE DIXIE FARMHUGHESSYCAMORE
MCHARD
REIDH A S TI N G S C AN N O N
BROADWAY
MASTERSBAILEYKIRBYRILEYO'DAYKINGSLEYPOST CROIX MANVELSCARSDALEMYKAWAOLD MASSEY RANCHCULLEN B
L
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H
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OLD AIRLINESHADOW CREEK
ALVINSUGARLAND
T
E
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PHON
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BROADWAY
³±521
At-Grade Railroad Crossings
Railroads
Truck Routes
City Limit
ETJCOMPREHENSIVEPLAN Sources: TxDOT CRIS Data, Pearland Open Data
June 2022Freight
0 1 2
Miles °
FIGURE 9.6: FREIGHT
There are also several at-grade railroad crossings within and adjacent to Pearland. The City, in
coordination with H-GAC, will be conducting a corridor study for FM 518 in 2023; this study will
make recommendations about how the alignment and future operations of FM 518 interact with the
surrounding transportation network. The railroad parallel to FM 521 has multiple at-grade crossings, but
they are just outside of the City boundaries. Fort Bend County, in coordination with TxDOT, is designing
one at-grade separation at Broadway Street and FM 521 and will help reduce the barriers to entry for
the City.
CHAPTER 9144 145PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Actions
Items in green indicate a recommendation that is also included in the existing Pearland Prosperity (PP)
framework.
Î 9.1 Update Thoroughfare Plan: Update the Pearland Thoroughfare Plan to include definitions
and descriptions of the roadway classifications, cross-sections, and access management standards.
The Pearland Engineering Design Criteria Manual should be updated to incorporate all changes.
Î 9.2 Safety Audits: Partner with H-GAC to provide Intersection Safety Audits (ISA) for the locations
that experience higher crash rates and/or fatalities, listed in Figure 9.5.
Î 9.3 Thoroughfare Studies: Prioritize and conduct access management and safety corridor
studies along Broadway Street, Cullen Boulevard, Silverlake Parkway, and SH 35, where safety
needs are most critical; coordination with the County will be required in areas within the ETJ.
Î 9.4 TxDOT SIP: Partner with TxDOT to develop a multi-year safety improvement plan to fund and
construct safety measures.
Î 9.5 Multi-Modal Master Plan: Continue to implement the recommendations from the City of
Pearland Multi-Modal Master Plan to provide a well-designed and continuous pedestrian and bicycle
network.
Î 9.6 Traffic Enforcement: Implement additional enforcement for speeding and obeying traffic
control devices.
Î 9.7 Positive Reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement methods to reward citizens for obeying
traffic laws; this could be done on an annual or bi-annual basis. Best practices from other cities
include small-amount gift cards handed out for obeying traffic laws, for example.
Î 9.8 Plan Updates: Update the City of Pearland Multi-Modal Master Plan and Thoroughfare
Plan every five years at a minimum to keep the recommendations up to date with ongoing Capital
Improvement Plan (CIP) projects and existing conditions.
Î 9.9 Pedestrian Realm: Update the Unified Development Code (UDC) with specific pedestrian
realm requirements in areas with middle market housing, including shade, wider sidewalks, refuge,
benches, trash receptacles, etc.
Î 9.10 Educational Outreach: Partner with the Pearland Convention and Visitors Bureau and
other organizations, including school districts and bicycling or walking organizations, to implement
educational outreach campaigns for both motorists and bicyclists/pedestrians.
Î 9.11 Trail Map: Advertise the location of multi-modal facilities and corresponding amenities to
communities within 1,000 feet of the facility after opening. Additionally, plan and propose a trail map
be included in parks brochures and communications on an annual basis.
Î 9.12 Railroad Crossings: Partner with railroad companies, nearby counties, and TxDOT to
investigate where existing at-grade railroad crossings could be grade-separated in the future.
Î 9.13 ITS Plan: Under go an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Master Plan to inventory
existing equipment and to define path moving forward for implementing technologies that will make
the transportation system more efficient.
Î 9.14 Traffic Events: Events such as National Traffic Safety Month in August should be capitalized
as a way to increase visibility.
Î 9.15 Long-term Maintenance: PP D-1: Continue to support the long-term maintenance of
Pearland’s infrastructure.
Î 9.16 State Projects: PP D-2: Ensure the successful activation of the Broadway / FM 518
widening and reconstruction project.
Î 9.17 Priority Road Projects: PP D-3: Advance the planning, design, and construction of priority
road projects.
Î 9.18 State and Federal Funding: PP D-4: Continue to seek state and federal funding and other
resources for transportation projects.
Î 9.19 Transit Plan: PP D-6: Advance the development and activation of the Pearland Transit
Needs Assessment and Plan.
Î 9.20 Advance Infrastructure Projects: PP D-7: Continue to advance infrastructure projects
that improve drainage and stormwater management.
CHAPTER 10146 147PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 10
Parks, Trails,
and Open Space
ASSETS
SMART
INVESTMENTS
PLACES OF
VALUE
STRONG
ECONOMY
DIVERSE
POPULATION
CHAPTER 10148 149PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Related Planning Efforts
On January 11, 2021, City Council adopted the
award-winning 2020 Parks, Recreation, Open
Spaces & Trails Master Plan (Parks Master Plan).
The Parks Master Plan details the existing parks,
trails, and open space network; analyzes existing
gaps in service; and identifies more than $44
million worth of future projects for parks and trails
citywide. The top three priorities from the Plan
recommend to:
Î Formulate a long-range parkland acquisition
program
Î Ensure that the programming of parks and open
spaces meets the diverse ethnic needs of the
community
Î Develop an Adventure Playground for
Pearland's children
This list of projects will address most of the
community’s current needs, as documented
through the public participation processes in both
the 2020 Parks Master Plan and in the current
comprehensive plan.
Some of the recurring comments that were
received from the public and staff throughout both
planning processes include the need for:
Î A more integrated park and trail system
Î Upkeep for neighborhood parks
Î Additional community programming
Î Future infrastructure improvements including:
ö A recreation center on the west side of
Pearland
ö More shaded areas for users of the parks and
the system of sidewalks and trails
ö Additional parkland and natural areas
CHAPTER 10
Parks, Trails,
and Open Space
When asked to list some of the
defining qualities of the city,
community members frequently
mentioned the network of parks, open
space, recreation, and wide-open
natural land that exists in Pearland. As
the community continues to develop,
consideration should be given to the
impact that such development has on
the character of the community that
residents desire. Parks, recreation,
open space, and natural amenities
are all part of a network of services
and facilities that significantly enhance
the quality of life in Pearland and set
the community apart from adjacent
communities.
FIGURE 10.2:
PARKLAND
OWNERSHIP
CITY-OWNED
546.9 ACRES
SUBDIVISIONS
1,418.3 ACRES
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL
DISTRICTS
(ISDS)
968.5 ACRES
Source: Data from the 2020 Parks, Recreation,
Open Spaces, & Trails Master Plan
Figure 10.1 shows the results of the 2023
National Recreation and Park Association
(NRPA) Agency Performance Review
results. The chart depicts the range of
acres of parkland per 1,000 residents for
the participating agencies.
Currently, Pearland has approximately
2,900 acres of parks, providing 23 acres
per 1,000 residents, which is above the
upper quartile for national trends, as
shown in the chart.
The additional population projected
to come in the Future Land Use Plan
(FLUP) pattern scenario, described in 2:
Community Profile Pearland would be
closer to the median shown in this chart
using today's parkland.
As additional neighborhoods are developed and the Parks Master Plan is implemented, the City should
monitor their standing to consider the ongoing need for additional parkland.
FIGURE 10.1:
2023 NRPA AGENCY
PERFORMANCE REVIEW
- Acres of Parkland Per 1,000 Residents
LOWER QUARTILE MEDIAN UPPER QUARTILE
4.5
ACRES
8.9
ACRES
17.1
ACRES
CHAPTER 10150 151PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
³±1128
³±528³±2234
³±2351
6
35
§¨¦45
288
8
PEARLANDPEARLANDHUGHES RANCH
M C H A RD
SMITH RANCHFRUGE
WOOTENWINDWARD BAY
INDU S TR I ALSILVERLAKE COUNTRY CLUBREFLECTION BAYWALNUT
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A
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HILLHOUSEBROOKSIDE
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SOUTHBELT
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NDUSTRIAL
AMIE
S
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PECTRUMHOOPER
MAXHASTINGS CANNONMILLER RANCHSTONEWOODYBROADWAY
MASTERSBAILEYALMEDAKIRBY ORANGE
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KINGSLEYPOST CROIX HATFIELDGARDENROYMANVELSCARSDALEMCLEANMYKAWACLEARLAKEOLD
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³±521
Parks and Trails -
Existing
Bodies of Water
Parks
Golf Courses
Trails
Restricted Parks
Fees Required
Restricted Access
Planned Parks
City Buildings
Delores Fenwick Nature Center
Parks & Rec Activity Centers/Complexes
Recycle Center - Keep Pearland Beautiful
City Boundaries
City Limit
ETJ
Thoroughfare Plan
Freeway
Existing Thoroughfares
Proposed Thoroughfares
¯01230.5 MilesSources: BCAD, HCAD, Pearland Open Data
September 2021
FIGURE 10.3: EXISTING PARKS AND TRAILS
CHAPTER 10152 153PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Policies
The policies listed below are recommendations
from the community engagement process. Any
policies should be reexamined as part of future
considerations to ensure the City continues to
address the concerns of the citizenry.
Î The City of Pearland should continue to
implement the recommendations from the
2020 Parks Master Plan to create and maintain
an exemplary parks and recreation system to
provide Pearland residents access to recreation
close to home.
Î The City of Pearland should assure an even
geographic distribution of parks and recreation
facilities to provide equitable access and
opportunity of all residents. This can be
accomplished by:
ö Promoting the use of utility corridors for
additional open space and trails to create
connections across the community
ö Formulating a long-range parkland acquisition
program
ö Preparing defensible criteria for selection and
acquisition of properties to serve a parkland
Î The City of Pearland should coordinate with
Homeowners Associations (HOAs) to establish
an appropriate method of accountability (for
example, partnering with a Certified Playground
Safety Inspector (CPSI) for official playground
inspections) of maintenance for neighborhood
parks to ensure ongoing upkeep and connectivity
to City parks and trails.
Î The City of Pearland should maintain the level
of staffing necessary to care for Pearland’s
parks and recreation facilities and assets and to
provide recreational programming and services
suitable for the community.
Î The City of Pearland should expand its inventory
of recreation facilities, including planning and
design for an additional indoor recreation facility,
similar to the existing Recreation Center, on the
west side of the city.
Î The City of Pearland should promote and
encourage the development of recreation
programs, joint use agreements, and facilities
that meet the interests and needs of a diverse
community. Examples of this may include
completing the capital projects identified in the
Parks Master Plan and addressing the needs
of high school students through programs,
development of facilities, or utilization of district
facilities after hours to host programs.
Î The City of Pearland should require dual-
purpose detention ponds in the future that will
serve as functional utilities and as open space
assets to the community.
Î The City of Pearland should ensure safe
and connected access from neighborhoods
to key destinations such as parks, schools,
employment centers, and commercial districts
throughout Pearland . This may include:
ö Developing a phased trail expansion program in
accordance with the Multi-Modal Master Plan
ö Promoting the use of utility corridors for
additional open space and trails to create
connections across the community
ö Constructing trails and other flat surface
amenities around storm water detention basins
Î The City of Pearland should consider areas
where implementing a no-mow policy and a policy
requiring installation of more native plantings
where appropriate to provide natural areas
citywide and will reallocate the budget for any cost
savings to other projects or programming
Î The City of Pearland should implement policies
to preserve and restore natural areas such as
the following:
ö Employ habitat restoration best practices
ö Establish a conservation area designation
program
ö Restore riparian vegetation along key water
ways and water bodies within the City
ö Implement restoration projects throughout the
City
ö Promote native plant material
ö Consider alternative tree species for
streetscape enhancements
Integrated Park and Trail System
There are several barriers to non-motorized connectivity in Pearland, including highways, creeks,
ditches, and railroads. The 2020 Parks Master Plan proposes several bridged connections for creeks
and ditches and some under-bridge crossings along the Clear Creek Trail where it crosses SH 288 and
SH 35, including the parallel railroad. The Master Plan also proposes wider 10-foot sidewalks where
these crossings occur.
One major gap in the existing and proposed network is connecting the Shadow Creek Ranch
neighborhoods on the west and the neighborhoods on the east across SH 288 between Shadow Creek
Parkway and Broadway Street, a gap of more than 1.5 miles. People living in these areas trying to
cross the highway are required to navigate either north to Shadow Creek Parkway or the Clear Creek
Trail, or south to Broadway Street. The City should consider addressing this gap using a potential
pedestrian facility along Hughes Ranch Road over the highway. This would make the West Pearland
Community Center, Southdown Park, the commercial areas, and the general parks and trail network
more accessible to many residents.
Another more common barrier is the roadway network. Trying to navigate the city outside of a vehicle
can be daunting, given the often high speeds and multiple roadway crossings needed to travel
throughout the city. To help address this issue, the City should coordinate with private utility companies
to use their easements as public trails. Proposed Trail #8 (Pearland Dad’s Club to Future Brookside
Road), as recommended in the 2020 Parks Master Plan, is located along an existing CenterPoint
easement. The City should partner with the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) to coordinate the
implementation of this future trail. The region has been successful in implementing these trails in other
places. Using best practices from others may make the process more efficient.
2021 COMMUNITY SURVEY
of residents positively view the quality of parks and
recreation opportunities76%
CHAPTER 10154 155PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Neighborhood Parks and Trails
The Parks and Recreation Department focuses on the creation and maintenance of City and regional
parks. Throughout the city, there are many facilities that function as neighborhood parks, but that are
owned and operated by HOAs. As neighborhoods age, it sometimes becomes difficult for the HOAs
to continue effective upkeep for these facilities, and many of them are currently in a state of disrepair.
While the City is not responsible for the maintenance of these facilities, it is recommended that the
City conduct a study to determine the best way to rectify this issue. Some possible options include
more development standards for park maintenance as new HOAs are created and set-aside funds for
maintenance and replacement when neighborhood parks are created, potentially through the use of
development agreements.
In addition, neighborhoods need more connections to the trail system. Additional development
standards requiring access to the nearest park or trail could help in solving this issue for future
neighborhoods. For established neighborhoods, an additional agreement between the HOAs and the
City could allow for the City to implement connections.
Community Programming
While parks and trail improvements are typically focused on physical infrastructure or amenities,
programming provides for a variety of experiences within the City’s facilities. Programming includes
activities, games, and classes that are centered around athletics, fine arts, and events.
The 2021 Community Survey shows that while 76% of residents positively view the quality of parks
and recreation opportunities, 57% positively view recreational opportunities, which is 3% higher than
the same rating taken in 2015. Similarly, 60% positively view recreation programs or classes, which
is 6% lower than the same rating taken in 2015. Meanwhile, the availability of paths and walking trails
has increased from 39% to 65% in approval ratings since 2015. This indicates that over the past few
years, more resources have been allocated to the physical infrastructure rather than the programming.
It should be noted that the 2021 Community Survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic
when most programs were closed; this may have affected the results of the survey related to Parks
programming.
As the City expands programming, they will need to maintain an adequate level of staffing and other
resources to provide these services to the community.
The 2020 Parks Master Plan public outreach shows that:
Î The most supported strategy to increase funding for programming is to increase the Parks and
Recreation Department’s annual budget
Î Residents identified the top two priorities for future implementation as developing and improving
existing facilities and developing more active recreation (such as fishing, swimming, etc.)
opportunities
Î The top three most popular programming activities would be outdoor adventure programs, family-
oriented programs, and outdoor educational programs
Future Infrastructure Needs
The public outreach from both the 2020 Parks Master Plan and the current Comprehensive Plan
indicates that people are most interested in a few specific infrastructure improvements. These
descriptions are provided below.
RECREATION CENTER(S)
Many residents living on the west side of Pearland
indicated that they would like to see a recreation center
closer to their homes. They indicated that it is difficult
to access the recreation center on the east side of
town and that it is the only place that offers indoor
recreational activities. Some indicated that it would be
beneficial if it were located next to the Shadow Creek
High School, as many of the students find themselves
without options for affordable after-school activities.
Providing a recreation center on the west side of town
would allow residents and students to have access to
indoor recreation options.
Those who currently use the Pearland Recreation Center
and Natatorium indicated that they would like to see
additional programming within the recreation center itself.
SHADED AREAS
Multiple comments were received that
more shaded areas are needed citywide.
Primary locations for this need are along
existing trails and sidewalks and within
parks. The City should provide more
shaded areas along existing trails, in
combination with benches and water
fountains, to allow for rest areas between
trail heads.
Providing shaded areas in parks would
allow for more comfortable outdoor
programming. Comments also indicated
that while some of the parks have shaded
areas, many are in need of expansion or
should be replaced.
CHAPTER 10156 157PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Actions
Items in green indicate a recommendation that is also included in the existing Pearland Prosperity (PP)
or Parks Master Plan (PMP) frameworks.
Î 10.1 CenterPoint Trails: Partner with H-GAC to coordinate with CenterPoint to allow public trails
and open space on existing utility corridors (related to the Parks Master Plan (PMP) Strategy 1.1.2).
Î 10.2 Neighborhood Park Maintenance: Conduct a financial analysis to determine the most
appropriate system for coordinating with HOAs on the maintenance of neighborhood parks and
connection to City parks and trails
(related to PMP Strategies 1.1.1, 1.1.4, and Objective 1.3).
Î 10.3 Park Programming: Provide more programming at parks throughout the City and the
recreation center, including outdoor adventure programs, family-oriented programs, and outdoor
educational programs
(related to PMP Strategy 1.2.1).
Î 10.4 Encourage Tournaments: Coordinate with the Convention & Visitors Bureau to continue
providing reduced internal barriers for use by tournaments to allow for increased hotel occupancy.
Î 10.5 Parks Studies: Complete feasibility studies for each major facility described in the 2020
Parks Master Plan, as well as a recreation center for the west side of town and a shared-use facility
along Hughes Ranch Road across SH 288.
Î 10.6 Master Plans: PP E-1: Continue to implement the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and
Trails Master Plan.
Î 10.7 Long-term Sustainability: PP E-4: Evaluate tools to ensure the long-term sustainability of
privately owned park facilities.
ADDITIONAL PARKLAND AND NATURAL AREAS
The 2020 Parks Master Plan indicates that there are several areas throughout the city that are not
currently being served by parks. Residents have also requested additional parks throughout the city,
including dog parks and water play areas or swimming pools. Acquiring new parkland can be difficult,
especially as Pearland is continuing towards buildout.
More recently, employers are becoming more interested in providing a higher quality of life for their
employees while at work. Similar to the park dedication or in-lieu fee for residential construction, the City
should establish a dedication requirement for new businesses that are directly along a designated trail.
These areas that are also close to residences could provide dog park or swimming pool accommodations.
The Drainage Master Plan indicates that a significant amount of land will be needed for future detention.
The City should design these future detention ponds to serve a dual purpose that includes detention and
recreation. The wet-bottom detention ponds should be a feature to the community as well as a functional
utility. For ponds that are not adequate to become wet-bottom detention ponds, amenities such as sports
fields should be considered for future improvement of those basins.
The community has expressed a desire for additional natural areas. These areas can be enhanced
through polices that require habitat restoration, conservation areas, restoration of riparian vegetation,
native plantings, and alternative tree species for streetscape enhancements in key areas of the City.
Natural vegetation provides multiple benefits for the community, including cooler air in the summer, as
the heat waves are absorbed into the vegetation; dampening of sound; provision of buffers; reduction of
stormwater runoff and flood damage; and the reduction of air pollutants.
Instead of selecting trees just for beautification like crape
myrtles, native trees could have been planted. They would
address multiple factors such a beautification, reduction of
urban heat, wildlife habitat, etc.”
– Quote from public feedback map
“
CHAPTER 11158 159PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 11
Implementation
Strategy
CHAPTER 11160 161PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
CHAPTER 11
Implementation
Strategy
A successful comprehensive plan
will clearly communicate the City’s
overall goals and priorities to City staff,
leaders in the community, and the
general public. This policy document
will provide direction to decision
makers as Pearland continues to
evolve. The plan will act as a blueprint
that recommends next steps to
achieve the vision and goals. It will
identify potential funding sources and
partnerships that the City can leverage
to implement the plan.
In this section, action items related
to the three main objectives are
presented and include timeline
timeframe, key players, and potential
funding sources. Successful
implementation will require proactive
coordination between the City, other
key players, and the community.
In the next sections, action items
will be listed for each of the three
overarching strategies from the
Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
All action items listed in the report are
located in Appendix E.
Strategy 1: Encourage middle market Housing
Of the existing occupied housing units, 81% consist of single-family homes at price points that are
unaffordable to many first-time buyers. Many of these first-time buyers coincidentally comprises of
most of the workforce in Pearland and the Greater Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area. Implementing
policies that promote middle market housing development in Pearland will provide more housing variety
and a range of prices.
As is the case throughout Texas, Pearland has a low housing diversity. Relatively few middle market housing
choices such as duplexes, bungalows, garden homes, or townhomes have been constructed in Pearland.
A common theme from the public engagement portion of this comprehensive plan divulged a frustration
with availability of housing stock attainable for first time buyers, workforce housing (for example, retail
employees, police, and schoolteachers), and retirees looking to downsize. The average home footprints and
purchase prices available are not typically affordable by population in the age 20 to 30 cohort, which may be
why this cohort’s population is lower than expected compared to surrounding communities.
Strategy 2: Update the Unified Development Code (UDC)
As the City begins to implement recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan, some existing
requirements within the UDC will be in conflict. The City should update the UDC to be in line with
recommendations from the comprehensive plan. The update should also include graphics that allow
applicants to more clearly understand the intent of the Code.
Strategy 3: Planned Development of the Lower Kirby District
The development of the Lower Kirby/Ivy District has been an important topic for the City of Pearland for
more than a decade. The City extended Kirby Drive to Beltway 8 frontage roads and provided utilities
in the area. Since that time, the Lower Kirby District has seen significant development, with much more
outlined in the master plan for the area.
KEY PLAYERS
Î Bicycling groups
Î Homeowners Associations (HOAs)
Î Keep Pearland Beautiful
Î Pearland Historical Society
Î Pearland Alliance for Art and Culture
Î Lower Kirby Pearland Management District
Î Pearland Chamber of Commerce
Î Pearland Economic Development Corporation
(PEDC)
Î Independent School Districts (ISDs)
Î City of Pearland (includes staff, Planning and
Zoning Commission, City Council, and the
Mayor)
Î Adjacent municipalities (includes adjacent
counties and cities where appropriate)
Î Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership
(BAHEP)
Î METRO
Î Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)
Î TxDOT
Î Railroads
CHAPTER & RECOMMENDATION
"Where"
ACTION ITEMS
"What"
KEY PLAYERS
"Who"
TIMEFRAME
"When"
These columns
identify the name of
the chapter where
the recommendation
is stated and its
corresponding
recommendation
number in that
chapter.
This column
recommends a
course of action
to begin achieving
the goals from this
comprehensive plan.
This column includes
a list of public and
private organizations
that will be the
key to furthering
implementation of
the action items.
This column specifies
the recommended
start time of
implementation.
Ongoing action items
are activities that
the City and other
key players should
perform on a regular
basis.
Short-Term
0-1 year
Long-Term
7-15+ years
Mid-Term
2-7 years
Ongoing
Continual
CHAPTER 11162 163PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Strategy 1: Encourage Middle Market Housing
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Housing 6.1 Implement cluster development to provide
additional density, with incentives for
providing middle market housing types and
additional neighborhood amenities.
City of
Pearland,
Chamber of
Commerce
Ongoing
Housing 6.2 Update the UDC to allow a more diverse
housing stock. This should include a
combination of allowing smaller lot sizes
and related development standards,
allowing certain types by right in specific
zoning districts (mixed-use and multifamily
development in retail and office zones and
ADUs within certain zoning districts), and
providing applicants with tools for more
efficient implementation.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Housing 6.3 Establish a database to evaluate if middle
market housing units that are being
developed are accomplishing the City's goals
City of
Pearland
Mid-Term
Housing 6.4 Establish pre-approved patterns for building
type where appropriate, using the City
of Bryan’s Midtown Pattern Zoning as a
reference; add to the OpenCounter or
Zoning Check tools and inform applicants in
pre-development meetings.
City of
Pearland
Mid-Term
Housing 6.6 Expand the City’s Zoning Portal with an online
interactive map that contains a database that
allows the users to see if a specific parcel of
land can develop middle market housing.
City of
Pearland
Mid-Term
Housing 6.8 Create a focus group as the City is
developing new regulations for middle
market housing; City Council appointed focus
group with each Councilmember appointing
one appointee to develop recommendations
for Middle Market housing. Middle Market
housing consists of a range housing options
that is not a single-family home or a large
apartment complex, examples include
multiplexes, carriage houses, townhouses,
and courtyard apartments.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Placemaking 8.1 Develop or update design guidelines that
require the implementation of established
placemaking in key place type areas and
the use of natural areas and sustainable
resources in the design of Pearland
neighborhoods and amenity areas.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Mobility 9.9 Update the UDC with specific pedestrian
realm requirements in areas with middle
market housing, including shade, wider
sidewalks, refuge, benches, trash
receptacles, etc.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Strategy 2: Update the UDC
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Land Use 4.1 Review the Conditional Use Permit and
zone change criteria to determine if
projects are incorporating the values of the
comprehensive plan.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Land Use 4.3 Examine lost development opportunity
from required detention and provide credit
toward additional units and density within
designated areas.
Required detention = Y
Y/minimum lot size = X
X = incentive within BP-288, town center,
etc. for live-work, non-garden style
multifamily, etc."
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Land Use 4.4 Update the City’s UDC to align the
development-related ordinances with the
vision expressed in this comprehensive
plan, accommodate the FLUP, include more
flexibility for development standards, and
make the document more reader-friendly.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
CHAPTER 11164 165PEARLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040
Chapter ID Action Item
Key
Players
Time
Frame
Housing 6.2 Update the UDC to allow a more diverse
housing stock. This should include a
combination of allowing smaller lot sizes
and related development standards,
allowing certain types by right in specific
zoning districts (mixed-use and multifamily
development in retail and office zones and
ADUs within certain zoning districts), and
providing applicants with tools for more
efficient implementation.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Housing 6.7 Continue to regularly update the City’s
water and wastewater impact fees,
specifically when new capacity is brought on
to areas that were not a part of a previous
fee adjustment or in alignment with future
annexation policies.
City of
Pearland,
Brazoria
County,
WCID
Short-
Term
Economic
Development
7.12
RR
1.5
Update the UDC to allow for authentic
commercial districts through appropriate
façade massing, increased walking, storefront
visibility, and reserved corners for retail
instead of office or residential lobbies.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Economic
Development
7.13
RR
1.6
Update the UDC to allow for shared parking,
structured parking incentives, and complete
sidewalk design.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Placemaking 8.2 Create design guidelines that ensure that
employment centers are developed with
lifestyle amenities (walkability, greenspace,
on-site or nearby retail, etc.) that attract
highly skilled, high-income workers.
City of
Pearland,
PEDC
Short-
Term
Placemaking 8.8 Provide UDC amendments to clarify and
allow murals on a variety of buildings,
fences, and structures.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Mobility 9.9 Update the UDC with specific pedestrian
realm requirements in areas with middle
market housing, including shade, wider
sidewalks, refuge, benches, trash
receptacles, etc.
City of
Pearland
Short-
Term
Strategy 3: Planned Development of the Lower Kirby District
Chapter ID Action Item Key Players
Time
Frame
Placemaking 8.5 Identify opportunities to host
performing arts events in publicly
owned spaces, including parks,
street rights-of-way, and public
buildings.
City of Pearland,
Keep Pearland
Beautiful
Ongoing
Land Use 4.9 Continue to partner with the
Pearland EDC to coordinate
public- and private-sector
investments in catalyst site areas
to spur future development.
City of Pearland,
PEDC
Ongoing
Economic
Development
7.3 Position the Lower Kirby District
and SH 35 Corridor as priority
areas for development.
PEDC, Lower
Kirby Pearland
Management District,
Pearland Chamber of
Commerce, BAHEP
Short-
Term
Economic
Development
7.11
RR
1.4
Develop destination retail
that doesn’t complete with
SH 288/Broadway retail or
Pearland Town Center with
entertainment, food, and
beverage. Complement the
biotechnology industry through
creation of a community devoted
to advancing the development
and implementation of medical
devices to support the aging
population.
PEDC, Lower
Kirby Pearland
Management District,
Pearland Chamber of
Commerce, BAHEP
Short-
Term
Placemaking 8.11
PP
A-2
Actively pursue a vibrant mixed-
use entertainment district in the
Lower Kirby District.
City of Pearland,
PEDC
Mid-Term
' • c•-•• - •