Proposed annual updates to the city of Houston’s Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan near the Katy Prairie have caused concern among members of a group dedicated to preserving the prairie.
The MTFP is a road-planning document originally adopted in 1942.
Mary Anne Piacentini, executive director of the Katy Prairie Conservancy, said proposals on future roads and thoroughfares being discussed by Harris County and city of Houston officials would jeopardize the organization’s goal of preserving as much of the Katy Prairie as possible.
“The good news is they are trying to take [planned] roads off the map,” Piacentini said. “The bad news is they want to put a 25-mile loop [road] around the prairie. That’s one of their proposals. We believe that the proposed roads are not in the best interest of the conservancy. We prefer to see no roads [added].”
John Blount, a county engineer with Harris County, said the land being examined in the MTFP update is controlled by the city of Houston because it is part of the city’s extra territorial jurisdiction. The MTFP is a plan for roads that was part of a grid system developed in the 1960s. The city of Houston has authority over the location of roads in that area of Harris County, he said.
“What we’re trying to do is eliminate the roads—as many as possible—and ensure adequate mobility,” Blount said. “It’s a very complicated process.”
Blount said various developers have signaled intentions to build commercial and residential developments in the area near the conservancy land. Because of those plans, roads need to be constructed.
“We’re eliminating about 20 miles of proposed roads inside their property,” Blount said. “[A road encircling the KPC] could happen if development occurs. We left [in the plan] proposed roads around [the KPC property] so, yes, you could [drive] around it.”
The annual MTFP update plan has been ongoing for several months and has involved meetings, public forums and discussions between the engineers and stakeholders, Blount said.
The Katy Prairie is a diverse tall grass and wetlands area spanning more than 1,000 square miles of the Texas Coastal Plains from the Brazos River to Houston. The area was once used by rice farmers. However, agricultural use has declined and in the past 30 years, developers have built variety of projects in the prairie.
The Katy Prairie Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that aims to preserve as much of the Katy Prairie ecosystem as possible. The organization—which also conducts recreational, educational and scientific events in the area—owns an estimated 20,000 acres.
“This is a wonderful, incredible place that provides habitat for migratory birds, reptiles and other wildlife,” Piacentini said. “It’s a fabulous recreation area—a great place for kids to come.”
The group has a goal to expand its holdings to as much as 50,000 acres of the prairie, she said. The additional land would allow for more conservation efforts.
“We are by no means done [acquiring land],” she said. “We are still planning to buy land and still receiving conservation easements.”
Blount said he believes there is some level of misunderstanding between planners and KPC members.
“I think their interests and our interests are aligned,” Blount said. “If they were to buy property before it’s built, then they could prevent development.”
Piacentini said the proposed roads would affect the prairie in several manners.
“[The traffic] would cause air, noise, water and light pollution. That’s not going to be attractive to visitors,” she said. “Not everyone stays inside their house. Some people actually like the thought of a wide-open space. There needs to be a balance between the growth [and preservation.]”
