Missouri City City Council held a public hearing Monday concerning noise complaints from residents near industrial zoned properties. Council members also adopted a wastewater treatment master plan for the Mustang Bayou and Palmer Plantation area and approved the development of an adult day care center.

1) Public Hearing

City Council received comments from citizens of Colony Crossing and Fondren Park residential subdivisions regarding disruptive noise levels and vibrations caused by freight trains and truck traffic passing through the region, along Hwy. 90A and Beltway 8.

Colony Crossing Homeowners Association requested a sound wall of approximately 2,350 feet to be installed along South Gessner Road on both sides of the street to reduce noise pollution, according to meeting documents. Cost of installation would total approximately $3.2 million.

“The truck traffic—specifically the 18-wheeler [trucks] on Gessner—is having a negative impact on the quality of life of the residents of Colony Crossing,” resident Jerry Gardner said. “We’re looking for financial municipal support for the installation of a precast concrete sound wall…[and] an impact study on the health, safety and environmental [effects] on the residents that are in Colony Crossing. This is having an impact on us here.”

Sheryl Orloff, Fondren Park HOA board member, said she feels it would not be fair if the city pays for a sound wall at Colony Crossing because the Fondren Park community, dealing with similar issues, had to collectively save $186,000 over 7-8 years to install its own sound wall of 1,063 feet.

“We asked for one many years ago also,” she said. “One of our former City Council persons had told [the Texas Department of Transportation] when Fondren was enlarged to six lanes that we didn’t need it. Well, guess what? We do.”

Both neighborhoods in the northern sector of the city, where most of the industrial zones are situated, Missouri City Communications Director Stacie Walker said.

The city received requests from other locations, totaling 44,000 linear feet of sound wall, according to meeting documents. Based on different sound wall heights, the costs associated with construction range from $15 million to $22 million.

“It may be something that we could work with the businesses to see if they would reroute [their trucks],” Council Member Jerry Wyatt said.

Council Member Yolanda Ford of District A, where both subdivisions are located, said it is unfortunate the former council member dismissed residents’ concerns and did not pursue TxDOT funding for the project.

“As for Colony Crossing and Hunters Glen [neighborhoods], I will continue to work with you guys to try to resolve these issues, so it doesn’t go unheard,” Ford said.

2) Wastewater Treatment Master Plan

Council members adopted the Mustang Bayou Service Area Wastewater Master Plan to accommodate growth in the region, including the Parks Edge and Dry Creek subdivisions and future Dry Creek Business Park developments.

The MBSA Wastewater Master Plan recommends tapping into underutilized capacities and consolidating smaller treatment plants into a larger plant, said Cory Stottlemyer, the city’s media relations specialist. This would keep user fees lower than if the city were to build a new wastewater treatment plan.

Water flow will be diverted from the MBSA plant to the Palmer Plantation plant, which will undergo construction for expansion, according to meeting documents. Staff anticipates construction to take three years. Once completed, the MBSA plant will serve as a regional lift station to pump water to the expanded Palmer Plantation plant.

3) Adult Day Care Center

City Council gave approval to applicant Deshun Stanley to establish a senior care facility, Serenity Falls Adult Day Care Center, at a leased space of 1,880 square feet at 6701 Hwy. 6, Missouri City.

Stanley said Serenity Falls will provide recreational activities, outdoor space, food, field trips, care services and social opportunities to adults aged 65 years and older.