Tomball City Council members voted Nov. 4 to accept land at the southeast corner of Commerce and Cherry streets from property owner Ernest Grandinetti for construction of a public parking lot, which will add spaces in the Old Town area.

The dedication of a 0.0369-acre tract of land from Grandinetti allows the city to construct a parking lot with 15 spaces instead of six spaces, Community Development Director Craig Meyers said during the Nov. 4 meeting. Previous city proposals had included a six-space parking lot at this location, but with the additional 1,600 square feet, more spaces can be included, he said.

"In exchange for the dedication, the city will waive all development fees for 306 Commerce St., which is a property where Mr. Grandinetti desires to construct a restaurant," Meyers said.

A Texas Department of Transportation project in 2016 to create a center turn lane along Main Street removed 76 on-street parking spaces, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported. In 2013, the city added 248 parking spaces between public parking lots on Elm and Fannin streets to provide more parking availability in the city's Old Town area, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported.