Resident urges Katy council to stop rezoning near Heritage Park West

Linda Urban, a Heritage Park West resident, told the City of Katy council on March 23 that residents oppose proposed rezonings of nearby parcels and additional commercial development.

"I would like to address the city representatives with those same concerns and make a request to please consider no more zoning changes for developers' benefit and no more new commercial development in our area," Urban said during public comment. She told the council her neighborhood is "the most over developed area in the city of Katy" and that construction has brought "traffic congestion, noise, light, and exhaust pollution" and construction dirt that has affected patios and pools.

Urban said she served five years on her homeowners association board and resigned in 2023 to lead a community engagement committee advocating for homeowners. She detailed specific worries about four residential parcels north of Katy Hockley Cut Off that she said are being targeted for conversion to commercial use and said residents had heard rumors a Taco Bell might be proposed at a nearby development called Katy on the Green.

The comments came during the public-comment portion of the March 23 meeting; no rezoning measure was on the council's agenda that night, and council members did not take action in response to the remarks. Councilmembers and staff moved on to the evening's agenda, which included transportation projects, easement approvals and routine contracts.

Urban asked the council to consider coordination with Fort Bend County on issues affecting neighborhoods along the city/county boundary and said residents have worked with the county on local problems such as cleanup of the Katy Marketplace Drive area. She closed by asking council to consider the cumulative effects of new development on livability in Heritage Park West.

City staff did not announce any immediate follow-up steps at the meeting. If a rezoning item is formally filed and placed on a future agenda, council consideration and public hearings would follow.