Tomball City Council met with the planning and zoning commission and the Downtown Advisory Committee at a special meeting June 4 to discuss public comments on the city's Downtown Specific Plan. City officials agreed to several alterations, including extending the Historic Main Street zoning district to include the south side of Commerce Street and the north side of Market Street. The change will allow a wider range of developments along Commerce and Market streets, which were previously a part of Mixed Use and Old Town Plaza districts.

"Developers would have the ability to build higher, put in a vertical mixed use development and a number of other things they can't do today that follow with what we're trying to achieve in the downtown area," said Peggy Fiandaca, president of Partners for Strategic Action, the firm hired to help develop the plan.

The city also decided that no multi-use pathways would be developed behind residential houses, as the draft originally permitted. Several residents expressed concerns in their comments over people walking around and loitering behind residences.

Changes based on feedback are still being considered and have not yet been drafted into the plan. The next step involves creating a new draft based on feedback and eventually holding a public hearing in August to review the plan. Officials hope to adopt a plan in September.