HomeMy WebLinkAbout9-25-23RICHARD WARREN, PRESIDENT DANNY EARP, BOARD MEMBER
BRENT McCAULLEY, COUNCILPERSON JOHN BLAKEMORE, BOARD MEMBER
AMANDA GERRISH, BOARD MEMBER NANCY OJEDA, VICE-PRESIDENT
CHUCK ENGELKEN, COUNCILPERSON
CITY OF LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF
DIRECTORS MEETING AGENDA
Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the City of La Porte Development Corporation Board of
Directors to be held on September 25, 2023, at the City Hall Council Chamber, 604 West
Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, beginning at 5:00 pm to consider the following items of
business:
Remote participation is available, also. Attend via a screen using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82392280081?pwd=Q2o2Q05rRWhydFo3bkVTZXVNNXdjUT09
Join by phone at 888 475 4499 or 877 853 5257. The meeting I D is 823 9228 0081. The passcode
is 961566.
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.CITIZEN COMMENT (G enerally limited to five minutes per person; in accordance with state
law, the time may be reduced if there is a high number of speakers or other considerations.)
3.AUTHORIZATIONS
(a)Approve the minutes of the August 28, 2023, meeting of the La Porte Development
Corporation Board of Directors. [Richard W arren, President]
(b)Presentation, discussion, and possible action to authorize the expenditure of
$33,000.00 in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 La Porte Development Corporation budget
to fund a one-year agreement between the City of La Porte, Texas, and The Retail
Coach, L L C for recruitment and development services. [Matt Daeumer, Assistant City
Manager]
(c)Presentation, discussion, and possible action to open the 60-day public comment
period for a potential project of the La Porte Development Corporation to promote new
or expanded business enterprises at 114 W. Main St., La Porte, Texas, to be known
as Round Table Pizza Royalty, through an incentive payment up to a $217,800.00.
[Matt Daeumer, Assistant City Manager]
(d)Presentation and discussion of the draft City of La Porte 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
[Teresa Evans, Director of Planning and Development]
4.SET NEXT MEETING
5.BOARD COMMENTS Hear announcements concerning matters appearing on the
agenda; items of community interest; and/or inquiries of staff regarding specific factual
information or existing policy from the Committee members and City staff, for which no
formal action will be discussed or taken.
6.ADJOURN
If, during the course of the meeting and discussion of any items covered by this notice, the La Porte
Development Corporation Board determines that a Closed or Executive Session of the Board is
required, then such closed meeting will be held as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter
551, Section 551.071 - consultation with counsel on legal matters; Section 551.072 - deliberation
regarding purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property; Section 551.073 - deliberation
regarding a prospective gift; Section 551.074 - personnel matters regarding the appointment,
employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee;
Section 551.076 - implementation of security personnel or devices; Section 551.087 - deliberation
regarding economic development negotiation; Section 551.089 - deliberation regarding security
devices or security audits, and/or other matters as authorized under the Texas Government Code. If a
Closed or Executive Session is held in accordance with the Texas G overnment Code as set out above,
the La Porte Development Corporation Board will reconvene in Open Session in order to take action, if
necessary, on the items addressed during Executive Session.
Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids or services are
requested to contact the City Secretary's office (281-470-5019), two working days prior to the meeting for
appropriate arrangements.
Pursuant to Texas Government Code Sec. 551.127, on a regular, non-emergency basis, members may attend and participate
in the meeting remotely by video conference. Should that occur, a quorum of the members will be physically present at the
location noted above on this agenda.
CERTIFICATE
I, Lee W oodward, C ity S ecretary, do hereby certify that a copy of the Septem ber 25, 2023, La Porte Development
Corporation B oard agenda was posted on the C ity Hall bulletin board, a place convenient and readily accessible to
the general public at all tim es, and to the City's website, www.LaPorteT X.gov, in com pliance with Chapter 551,
Texas Government Code.
DATE OF
POSTING
TIME OF
POSTING
TAKEN DOW N
Lee Woodward
Lee W oodward, City Secretary
Page 1 of 2
August 28, 2023, La Porte Development Corporation Board of Directors Minutes
RICHARD WARREN
PRESIDENT
BRENT MCCAULLEY
COUNCILPERSON
AMANDA GERRISH
BOARD MEMBER
CHUCK ENGELKEN
COUNCILPERSON
DANNY EARP
BOARD MEMBER
JOHN BLAKEMORE
BOARD MEMBER
NANCY OJEDA
VICE-PRESIDENT
MINUTES OF THE LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2023
The City of La Porte Development Corporation Board met on August 28, 2023, at the City Hall
Council Chambers, 604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, at 5:00 p.m., with the following in
attendance:
Board members present: Nancy Ojeda, Chuck Engelken, Danny Earp, Brent McCaulley, Amanda Gerrish
Board members attending remotely: None
Board members absent: Richard Warren, John Blakemore
Council-appointed members present: Corby Alexander, City Manager; Lee Woodward, City Secretary;
Clark Askins, City Attorney
CALL TO ORDER – Vice President Ojeda called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m.
2. CITIZEN COMMENT (Generally limited to five minutes per person; in accordance with state law, the
time may be reduced if there is a high number of speakers or other considerations.)
There were no comments.
3. AUTHORIZATIONS
a. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve the minutes of the July 24, 2023,
meeting of the La Porte Development Corporation Board of Directors. [Richard Warren,
President]
Member Engelken moved to approve the minutes of the July 24,2023, meeting of the La Porte
Development Corporation Board of Directors; the motion was seconded by Member Earp; the
motion was adopted, 5-0.
b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to approve the La Porte Development
Corporation’s proposed 2023-24 Fiscal Year budget. [Matt Daeumer, Assistant City
Manager]
Member Earp moved to approve the La Porte Development Corporation’s proposed 2023-24 Fiscal
Year budget; the motion was seconded by Member Engelken; the motion was adopted, 5-0.
4. SET NEXT MEETING
September 25, 2023, was set as a tentative date for the next meeting.
5. BOARD COMMENTS Hear announcements concerning matters appearing on the agenda; items of
community interest; and/or inquiries of staff regarding specific factual information or existing policy from
the Committee members and City staff, for which no formal action will be discussed or taken.
Page 2 of 2
August 28, 2023, La Porte Development Corporation Board of Directors Minutes
There were no comments.
6. ADJOURN
Without objection, Vice President Ojeda adjourned the meeting at 5:20 p.m.
If, during the course of the meeting and discussion of any items covered by this notice, the La Porte Development
Corporation Board determines that a Closed or Executive Session of the Board is required, then such closed meeting
will be held as authorized by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, Section 551.071 - consultation with counsel on
legal matters; Section 551.072 - deliberation regarding purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property; Section
551.073 - deliberation regarding a prospective gift; Section 551.074 - personnel matters regarding the appointment,
employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee; Section 551.076
- implementation of security personnel or devices; Section 551.087 - deliberation regarding economic development
negotiation; Section 551.089 - deliberation regarding security devices or security audits, and/or other matters as
authorized under the Texas Government Code. If a Closed or Executive Session is held in accordance with the Texas
Government Code as set out above, the La Porte Development Corporation Board will reconve ne in Open Session in
order to take action, if necessary, on the items addressed during Executive Session.
Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids or services are
requested to contact the City Secretary's office (281-470-5019), two working days prior to the meeting for
appropriate arrangements.
Pursuant to Texas Government Code Sec. 551.127, on a regular, non-emergency basis, members may attend and
participate in the meeting remotely by video conference. Should that occur, a quorum of the members will be
physically present at the location noted above on this agenda.
CERTIFICATE
I, Lee Woodward, City Secretary, do hereby certify that a copy of the August 28, 2023, La Porte
Development Corporation Board agenda was posted on the City Hall bulletin board, a place convenient and
readily accessible to the general public at all times, and to the City's website, www.LaPorteTX.gov, in
compliance with Chapter 551, Texas Government Code.
DATE OF POSTING
TIME OF POSTING
TAKEN DOWN
Lee Woodward
Lee Woodward, City Secretary
REQUEST FOR LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD
AGENDA ITEM
Agenda Date Requested: September 25, 2023
Requested By: Matt Daeumer, Asst. City Mgr.
Department: Administration/CMO
Report Resolution Ordinance
Exhibits: Retail Coach Proposal
SUMMARY
The La Porte Development Corporation (LPDC) passed the proposed FY 2023-24
budget on August 28, 2023. This budget included the attached proposal for Retail
Recruitment and Development Services for one year at a cost of $33,000.00.
The La Porte City Council is scheduled to vote on the FY 2023-24 budget at the
September 25th City Council meeting. Staff is requesting the Board approve the
approve the expenditure of $33,000 in the FY 24 Budget, pending approval of the City
of La Porte FY 2023-24 budget on September 25, 2023, and authorize the City Manager
to enter into a one-year agreement with the Retail Coach for Retail and Development
Services. If approved by the LPDC, staff will bring this item to City Council for approval
on October 9, 2023.
ACTION REQUIRED BY LPDC BOARD
Presentation, discussion, and possible action to authorize the expenditure of
$33,000 in the FY 24 budget to enter into a one-year agreement with The Retail
Coach for Recruitment and Development Services.
Approved for the La Porte Development Corporation Board meeting agenda.
Corby D. Alexander, City Manager Date
Appropriation
Source of Funds: 038 – EDC FY 24
Account Number: 038-6030-565-5007
Amount Budgeted: $33,000.00
Amount Requested: $33,000.00
Budgeted Item: Yes No
TheRetailCoach.net | Austin, TX | (800) 851-0962
Retail Recruitment & Development Strategy
Proposal for:
The City of La Porte, Texas
Submitted by:
July 6, 2023
2
Executive Summary
Company Profile
Who We Are
Experience
Retail Recruitment Success
Our Team
Your Project Team
Key Personnel Bios
Process & Scope of Work
Scope of Work & Deliverables
Our Approach: Retail:360®
Pricing
3
4-9
4
5
6
7
8
9
10-24
10
11
25
RETAIL RECRUITMENT & DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Co ntents
3
• Research and analyze the La Porte
retail market to identify retail gaps
and growth opportunities.
•Determine La Porte's unique, viable
retail market potential.
•Identify key retail and restaurant
targets that align with the City's vision
for growth.
•Recruit targeted retailers and
restaurants through proactive
outreach efforts and retail
conference representation.
• Act as an extension of City staff to
provide recruitment services and
coaching for retail economic
development initiatives.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Bringing the Right Retail
Mix to La Porte
The Retail Coach is submitting this proposal for Retail Market
Analysis & Recruitment Services for La Porte.
Our goal is not only to aid the City in preparing and executing a Retail Market Analysis and
comprehensive Recruitment Strategy, but to also assist the City in its efforts to capture sales
tax leakage and further improve quality of life for residents by bringing in new retail,
restaurant, entertainment, and service options.
The most important aspect of any Retail Market Analysis is its ultimate application and
resulting impacts. Our approach has always been action-oriented to ensure that market
reports are not placed on a shelf to collect dust. Working with all project team members,
local stakeholders, and public officials is a critical component in which The Retail Coach is
experienced and well-equipped to execute.
Goals & Objectives:
4
$600 Million
IN SALES TAX GENERATED
Our work has generated
more than $600 Million
in sales tax for our client
communities in the past 5
years.
90%
REPEAT CLIENT RATE
90% of our clients choose
to continue working with us
after the initial contract.
6 Million +
SQUARE FEET OF NEW
RETAIL RECRUITED
We have recruited more
than 6 million square feet of
new retail to client commu-
nities in the past 5 years.
COMPANY PROF I LE: WHO WE ARE
We Recruit Retail.
For more than 23 years, The Retail Coach has been the premier national
retail recruitment partner for municipalities, economic development
organizations, and development firms.
We are the nation's leading retail recruitment, market analysis, and development firm. Our approach
combines strategy, technology, and creative marketing to execute high-impact retail recruitment
strategies for local governments, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations.
Having worked more than 650 assignments in more than 40 states, our recruitment approach is
simple - do what you say you are going to do, do it at the highest level possible, and constantly
communicate findings and results to our clients. This approach has proven successful, leading to
multiple assignments with more than 90% of our clients.
PROVE N SUCCES S FOR CLI ENT COMMUN I T I ES
5
National Expertise. Local Focus.
Our work throughout the country allows our team to stay current
on retail trends and deepen our relationships with national and
regional brands.
These relationships create unique opportunities for our client
communities. When brands begin planning to expand into new
markets, we are often one of the first to know and retailers/brokers
will often look to our client list or ask our team for prospective
markets to consider.
Communities
Served
650+
40
We Have Served
More than 650 Client
Communities Across
40 states.
90%
TX
ME
CA
OR
WA
UT
WY
CO
NM OK
KS
NE
SD
IA
WI MI
OH
PA
MD
MA
DE
NY
KY
TN NC
SC
GAALMS
FL
VA
IL IN
MO
AR
LA
AZ
COMPANY PROFILE: EXPERIENCE
States We've
Worked In
Repeat Client
Rate
6
COMPANY PROF I LE: SUCCESSES
More Than 6 Million SF of
N ew Retail Recruited in the
Last 5 Years
Our proven Retail:360® Process has been instrumental in recruiting
new retailers and developers to our client communities.
RECENT RECRU ITMENT S UCCESSES
PLUS HUNDREDS MORE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
7
What Makes Us Different?
We are Consultants. Not Brokers.
We pride ourselves on being consultants, not brokers.
We only do what is in the best interest of our
client communities and their future growth. We
don't take shortcuts or go with the path of least
resistance to fill retail spaces.
RECOGNIZED AS LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND FEATURED PRESENTERS FOR:
Our Team is Your Team
We take a partnership approach and become an
extension of your team. Our clients are invited to
participate in the recruitment process, allowing you
to learn and expand your network.
Full Transparency
We track recruitment activity and prospect feedback
in your custom retail recruitment dashboard and host
monthly calls with your team to keep you updated on
progress.
Experienced & Connected
We pioneered the retail recruitment industry more
than 20 years ago and leverage more than two
decades of experience and relationships to help
drive retail growth in your community.
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Your Project Team
LEADERSHIP & PROJECT STRATEGY
OUR TEAM
With more than 50 combined years of retail development
experience, Kelly and Aaron play an integral role in every
project for The Retail Coach. This includes in-depth market
analyses, recruitment strategies, and development plans
for our clients.
Cary and Caroline manage our relationships with national
and regional retailers, brokers, site selectors, and developers.
They execute our recruitment process, including the site
submission process and capturing retailer feedback.
Kelly Cofer
Founder & CEO
Aaron Farmer
President
RETAILER RECRUITMENT
Cary Everitt
Recruitment Specialist
Caroline Harrellson
Recruitment Specialist
Matthew uses cutting-edge, GPS-based market data to
pinpoint true opportunity in retail markets. He provides the
latest retail trade area data and prepares our clients' market
reports, data sets, and assists with GIS mapping.
DATA & MARKET RESEARCH
Matthew Lautensack
Director of Research & Development
Nancy and Rylee support all projects by managing
client invoicing and contract needs as well as marketing,
promotional, and graphic design support.
Nancy Dees
Director of Finance
Rylee Lefever
Marketing Manager
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
PROJECT LEAD
9
Aaron Farmer | President
Aaron manages all of The Retail Coach’s projects in [State] and will be the
primary point of contact for this project.
Aaron Farmer brings to The Retail Coach knowledge of the most current
research on retail and marketing trends. Prior to joining The Retail Coach, Mr.
Farmer was employed in marketing research and retail development where
he worked on projects for some of America’s leading retailers and restaurants
including FedEx, Kinkos, Sally Beauty Supply, Adidas, Concentra and the National
American Association of Subway Franchises.
His expertise touches each step of a project from the initial trade area
determination to the actual recruitment of retailers. Mr. Farmer holds a degree in
Marketing from The Mays Business School at Texas A&M University and an MBA
from Texas A&M University – Commerce.
BIOS - KEY PROJECT PERSONNEL
Kelly Cofer | Founder & CEO
C. Kelly Cofer leads The Retail Coach with more than 30 years of experience in
all aspects of retail real estate and economic development.
Kelly’s professional background encompasses market research and site
selection, advisory and leasing services, and property brokerage and
development for leading national retailers and restaurants in more than 150
cities throughout the United States.
He has earned the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM)
designation from the Chicago-based Commercial Investment Real Estate
Institute and attended the Economic Development Institute at the University of
Oklahoma. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University
in College Station.
Cary Everitt | Retail Recruitment Specialist
Cary manages The Retail Coach’s relationships with retailers, site selectors, and
key decision makers for retailers, restaurants, hotels, and developers.
He works with your Project Director to ensure that we are presenting the best
information possible when recruiting for client communities and follows up with
prospects to make sure that your community is staying at the top of mind as
brands look for new markets.
Mr. Everitt works throughout projects to provide monthly updates on recruitment
activity and communicates feedback received throughout the process.
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Scope of Work & Deliverables
1: Retail Market Analysis
•Competing Communities Analysis
• Custom Retail Trade Area Map
•Retail Trade Area Demographic Profile
•Retail Trade Area Psychographic
Profile
•City Demographic Profile
•Discussions with Key Community and
Business Stakeholders
PROPOSAL: RETAIL MARKET ANALYSIS & RECRUITMENT
5: Marketing & Branding
• Retail Market Profile
• Customized Retailer Feasibility Packages
•Developer Opportunity Package
•Online Retail Dashboard (Retail:360®
Website)
• Interactive Site Mapping
2: Determining Retail
Opportunities
•Retail Demand Analysis
•Retail Void Analyses for Key Vacancies
and Available Retail Sites
6: Recruitment of Retailers &
Developers
•Retail Recruitment Plan
•Retailer & Developer Recruitment
Status Dashboard
•Monthly Recruitment Updates from
Retail Coach Project Team
3: Site Marketing
• Retail Site Profiles for Available Retail
Sites
4: Identifying Retailers &
Developers for Recruitment
• Target List of Retailers and Restaurants
with Contact Information
• Target List of Developers with Contact
Information
7: Ongoing Recruitment &
Coaching
•Ongoing Coaching and Support from The
Retail Coach Team
•Representation of the City at Regional and
National Retail Industry Events
11
Our Retail:360® Process identifies strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats to your community's ability to attract
retail and highlights your community’s advantage over competing
cities. Through our multi-phase approach to recruiting new retailers,
we are able to help communities build a long-term retail economic
development plan.
Market-Based Solutions
We understand that every client
community has its own unique set
of development needs.
That's why we work with our clients
to determine those needs and
offer custom, tailored, data-driven
solutions.
On-The-Ground Analysis
Just as each client has their own
set of needs, we know that each
client has a unique position in the
marketplace as it competes to
recruit new retailers.
We spend time in your community
with leaders and stakeholders,
which enables us to determine your
market position and identify retailers
that fit your community.
Action Plan for Growth
We analyze, recommend, and
execute aggressive strategies for
pursuing the ideal retailers, as well
as coaching our clients through
the recruitment and development
process.
This partnership typically produces
best results when, together, we
derive short-term and long-term
strategies based on market data and
opportunities.
OUR APPROACH: RETAI L:360®
Retail Recruitment is a Process,
Not an Event.
Through our proprietary Retail:360® Process, we offer a dynamic system of
products and services that enable communities to expand their retail base
and generate additional sales tax revenue.
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RETAI L:360®: MARKET ANALYS IS
Understanding the
La Porte Market Through
High Impact Mobile Data
Analysis
We will perform extensive market research
and analysis to evaluate the area and the
La Porte retail market.
Understanding your true customer base is critical to
quantifying the demand for new retail and restaurant
development.
We use real data collected from actual customers in your
community to analyze trade area boundaries, competitive
markets, and leakage. This high confidence data allows
our team to tell your community's story and show potential
investors why they need to be in your market.
Kelly Cofer
Retail Coach Founder & CEO
If you aren't currently leveraging
consumer mobile data, you are
drastically underselling your retail
market and opportunity.
Proposal: Retail Market Analysis & Recruitment Services 13
Competing Community Analysis
A community must have a clear understanding of
the competitive nature of retail recruitment.
We will look at competing communities to
identify a competitive advantage via economic
and market forces that have a direct impact on
retail recruitment and development in La Porte.
Identification of Ancillary Issues
Impacting Retail
We will work with the City to identify other
root-cause issues of the local economy, and
include recommendations for the City to
improve opportunities.
Custom Retail Trade Area Analysis
The Retail Trade Area is the geographical area from
which the community’s retailers derive a majority of
their business. It is the foundational piece of the retail
plan and its accuracy is critical.
We utilize retail trade area data when
communicating with retailers and developers to
ensure that the community fully leverages the
amount of shoppers coming into the community.
We will hand draw Retail Trade Areas for La
Porte based on cell phone/GPS data from
shoppers as well as on-the-ground analysis
from The Retail Coach Team.
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESRetail Market Analysis
Mobile Data for Location Decisions:
We will utilize mobile location technology that
analyzes retail location and behavioral data
collected from mobile devices to determine
consumer visits to La Porte.
This high-confidence data is used to verify
Retail Trade Areas and validate retail site
selection decisions.
14
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESRetail Market Analysis
Demographic Profiling
A community must be able to instantaneously
provide information and data sets sought
by retailers during the site selection and site
evaluation process. The data must be accurate,
current, and readily available.
Our demographic profiles include population and
projected population growth, ethnicities, average
and median household incomes, median
age, households and household growth, and
educational attainment.
We will create comprehensive 2020 Census,
2023, and 2028 Demographic Profiles for the
Retail Trade Area and La Porte.
Psychographic Profiling
As retail site selection has evolved from an art to a
science, psychographic lifestyle segmentation has
become an essential element of retailers’ preferred
location criteria. Understanding a consumer’s
propensity to purchase certain retail goods and
services—as well as specific retail brands—is valuable
to national, regional, and independent retailers.
Knowing the retail sectors and products that
consumers demand removes a great deal of risk for
an independent business.
Based on the market segmentation system
developed by ESRI, we will develop a Tapestry
Segmentation Profile of the households in the Retail
Trade Area.
This is done by using the most advanced
socioeconomic and demographic data to
measure consumer attitudes, values, lifestyles, and
purchasing behaviors to understand the sectors
and brands of retailers that may be of interest.
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RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESRetail Market Analysis
Stakeholder Discussions
Buy-in from key community leaders and
stakeholders is crucial to the retail plan. Our belief
is that, "if they are not in on it and up on it - they
will be down on it." One of our first meetings will
be with independent businesses who may see
our work as threatening. Our goal is not only to
obtain buy-in, but to assist in finding prospects for
available spaces and help fill vacancies.
We will work to obtain plan buy-in from public
and private stakeholders through a series of
group and individual meetings. Stakeholders
may include City Staff and representatives,
community leaders, real estate brokers, retail
developers, property owners, and owners of
independent businesses.
16
Retail Demand Analysis
A community is able to quantify its retail demand
through a Retail Demand Analysis, which provides
a summary of the primary projected retail
demand growth — or opportunities — for 68 retail
sectors. The analysis is ultimately used to identify
recruitment targets for the community.
The Retail Demand Analysis will:
- Identify retail demand growth opportunities for
more than 68 retail sectors
- Distinguish retail sectors with the highest
prospect for success and qualify their potential
We will determine the level of retail demand
for the designated Retail Trade Area and use
projected demand to help identify opportunity
areas and prioritize market segments for
recruitment.
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESDetermining Retail Opportunities
17
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLES
Site Marketing
Retail Site Profile
A critical step in attracting retail is providing
accurate and current information on each
identified vacancy and site.
We will create a Retail Site Profile for each
identified vacancy and site with current site-
specific information, including:
•Location
•Aerial Photography
•Site Plan
•Demographic Profile
•Property Size & Dimensions
•Traffic Counts
•Appropriate Contact Information
18
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESIdentifying Retailers & Developers
for Recruitment
Identifying Potential Developers
Much of our recruitment success comes from
establishing a network of regional and national
retail developers over the past 23 years.
Developer networking and recruitment have
become key components in a community’s retail
recruitment and development/redevelopment
success.
If a higher-tier retailer were to express interest
in a community, and there was not sufficient
ready-to-lease properties matching their needs
and brand requirements, a developer must be
identified to build the interested retailer a suitable
property.
We will use our network to identify retail real
estate developers active in La Porte and the
region for recruitment. We will also work with
City Staff to contact and build relationships
with developers active in the region.
Identifying Potential Retailers
The Retail Coach will target national and
regional retail brands that are a good “fit” for
the community. This means that the Retail Trade
Area population, disposable incomes, consumer
spending habits, and education levels meet the
retailers’ ideal location criteria.
We will develop and review a master list of
potential retailers with La Porte staff and work
together to prepare a final target list of retailers
for recruitment.
This list will include retailers from our analysis
as well as new retail/restaurant concepts or
regional retailers and restaurants that may be a
good fit for the community.
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RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESMarketing & Branding
Retailer-Specific Feasibility
Packages
Unlike the more general Retail Market Profile, a
Retailer Feasibility Package is developed to send
specifically to the real estate department or
broker for individual retailers.
We will create retailer-specific feasibility
packages to address essential location criteria.
These feasibility packages will include:
•Community Overview & Demographic Profile
•Retail Site Profiles
•Location Map
•Retail Trade Area Map
•Existing Retailer Map
•Retail Location Map
•Retail Trade Area Demographic &
Psychographic Profiles
•Retail Trade Area Demand Analysis Summary
•Area Traffic Generators
•Appropriate Logo and Contact Information
Retail Market Profile
To attract targeted retailers, the most critical step
is to provide accurate and current community
data and site-specific information on available
vacancies and sites. It is important that this
marketing information positively reflects the
community’s attributes and brand to corporate
site selectors, real estate brokers, and developers,
because it is essential in making initial decisions
about locating in the community.
We will develop a Retail Market Profile tailored
to the specific needs of targeted retailers’
essential site selection and location criteria for
La Porte.
The profile serves as a community introduction,
and includes:
•Retail Trade Area Map
•Location Map
•Traffic Count Map
•Demographic Profile Summary
•Appropriate Logo and Contact Information
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RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESMarketing & Branding
Online Retail Dashboard
Being able to quickly and easily access and share
retail opportunity information greatly increases
a community’s opportunity for success. To assist
with this, we develop a custom online retail
dashboard that can be accessed online anytime
through a branded Retail:360® link.
We will create a Retail:360® Retail Dashboard
for La Porte which will be available for visual
presentation and easy downloading of all
data sets and marketing information. With a
few clicks, retailers, brokers and developers
can learn about your community’s retail
potential like never before.
Developer Opportunity Package
Our team creates a Developer Opportunity
Package to send specifically to retail developers
active in the community and/or region to spark
their interest in retail opportunities.
We will create a Developer Opportunity
Package to highlight opportunities in
La Porte.
21
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLES
Marketing & Branding
Interactive Site Mapping
Retail site selectors do much of their research while in hotel rooms and in airports, so a visual GIS platform that
streamlines data and sites into one interactive and centralized location is a powerful tool.
We will develop a concise, easy-to-access, interactive site mapping platform for La Porte along with the
preloaded prime vacancies and development/redevelopment sites that we will be marketing.
Data can be presented by demographic, socioeconomic, psychographic, and retail spending layers that are
detailed down to the block level, to meet the needs of each individual user — whether they be a retailer,
developer, or even a local entrepreneur.
22
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESRecruiting Retailers & Developers
Recruitment of Developers
Much of our recruitment success comes from
having established a network of national retail
developers over the past 23 years. Oftentimes,
a retailer may have interest in a community,
only to find that suitable “for lease” properties
do not exist.
We will actively recruit developers on La
Porte's behalf. Our developer recruitment
process includes:
1.Introductory emails and opportunity
packages are sent to developers
2.Personal phone calls are placed to
measure interest level
3.Personal emails are sent to inform
developers of the status of interested
retailers, and any significant market
changes
4.A developer status report is provided
with each developer's complete
contact information and comments
resulting from recruitment activities
Recruitment of Retailers
The Retail Coach is the first national retail
recruitment firm to introduce retailer and developer
recruitment specifically for communities. Twenty
years and 650 projects later, the recruitment of
retailers remains one of the primary metrics of
success. Today, our experience has proven that a
community must move beyond just gathering data
sets, and proactively recruit retail.
We will actively recruit retailers and restaurants
on La Porte's behalf:
1.Introductory emails and retail market
profile are sent to each targeted retailer
2.Personal phone calls are placed to
measure interest level
3.Personal emails and retailer feasibility
packages are sent to each targeted
retailer
4.Personal emails and retail site profiles
for prime vacancies are sent to the
appropriate targeted retailers
5.Personal emails are sent to inform
targeted retailers of significant market
changes
6.Personal emails are sent to decision
markers once per quarter to continue
seeking responses regarding their interest
level in the community
7.A retailer status report is provided
with each retailer’s complete contact
information and comments resulting from
recruitment activities
23
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLESRecruiting Retailers & Developers
Retail Recruitment Dashboard
As part of our recruitment process, we provide
access to a real-time recruitment dashboard
where City staff can see which retailers are
being recruited, the latest touch points with each,
and contacts we are actively communicating
with along with their interest level in the
community.
Once recruitment has begun, we will set up a
recurring monthly meeting with staff to review
ongoing recruitment activity, feedback received
from prospects, and any additional next steps or
follow up items needed to advance recruitment
with interested retailers.
Retail Conferences
We help communities connect with retailers
and developers at retail conferences such as
the annual ICSC Recon Conference and other
regional events.
We will assist in marketing La Porte's
vacancies and sites, to retailers, developers,
and brokers at retail industry conferences.
24
RETAI L:360®: D E LIVERABLES
Ongoing Retail Coaching
Retail Coaching
We partner with communities on a long-term basis and are available when clients have questions, new ideas,
or need access to GIS mapping and current data statistics. We are also available if clients need to brainstorm
opportunities as the community grows and develops.
We will provide ongoing coaching and support for retail recruitment activities for La Porte.
25
PROJECT PRICING
$32,000
Work Fees:
The total fee for completion of this work is
$32,000 payable in (3)
three installments:
• $10,000 upon execution of contract;
• $12,000 in 90 days.
• $10,000 on 180 days.
Work fees are payable within 30 days of
receiving invoice.
Plus up to $1,000 in
reimbursable expenses.
Not to Exceed Price:
$33,000
Includes:
•12 Month Partnership
• Analyzing the La Porte Retail Market
•Determining Retail Opportunities
•Site Marketing
•Identifying Retailers & Developers for Recruitment
• Marketing & Branding
• Actively Recruiting Retailers & Developers
• Ongoing Retail Recruitment & Coaching
Optional Contract Extension:
If La Porte elects to extend the agreement, the additional fee shall be
$25,000 for each additional 12 month period of data updates, recruitment,
and coaching.
Retail Recruitment &
Development Strategy
Reimbursable Project Expenses:
It is estimated that reimbursable expenses
will not exceed $1,000.
Reimbursable expenses include:
1. All travel costs;
2. Cost of special renderings and
maps, if any;
3. Cost of copies for reports and
maps/drawings; and
4. Cost of shipping expenses, if any
Project expenses are payable within 30
days of receiving expense invoice.
REQUEST FOR LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD
AGENDA ITEM
Agenda Date Requested: September 25, 2023
Requested By: Matt Daeumer, Asst. City Manager
Department: CMO
Report Resolution Ordinance
Exhibits:
Application, Site plan, Score Card
SUMMARY
The applicants, Ed and Jody Revak have purchased the property at 114 W. Main St. with an appraised
value of $200,000. They are interested in developing and operating a Round Table Pizza Royalty
restaurant. This project will consist of a single commercial space designed as a restaurant occupying
3200 square feet. The total expected cost of the project is approximately $2,000,000. Based on the
score card, the applicants qualify for up to $217,800.00 incentives.
The applicants plan to invest their personal savings along with a Small Business Administration (SBA)
loan for this project. Based on the matrix, the applicants would like to request an incentive up to
$217,800.00.
The applicants plan this project as phase I of what we had previously called the Revak Building. They
believe this project will be the most significant Main St. development in the last 100 years and become
the cornerstone of the revitalization of downtown La Porte. The applicants will operate the first franchise
for Round Table Pizza Royalty in the Houston area. This is a fast casual, dine in restaurant using upscale
ingredients. They currently own and operate Ed’s Bistro next door to this location. It is an upscale
restaurant offering small plates, entrees, and adult beverages.
A similar agreement was approved by this Board on June 1, 2015 for the Pipeline Grill in the amount of
$300,000. Pipeline Grill has met all of their required benchmarks and has been paid in full. The
restaurant continues to thrive in our community.
The Board also approved an incentive agreement with the applicants on September 26, 2022, in the
amount of $390,600.00. Due to rising inflation and economic uncertainty, the applicants were unable to
move forward with the project. This agreement was rescinded and terminated, by mutual agreement, on
April 24, 2023.
The Round Table Pizza Royalty restaurant project is one with more intangible value to the City than first
meets the eye, specifically as a foot traffic hub on Main Street and with the proximity to the Five Points
Plaza it may play a larger role than its taxable value would suggest. Main Street revitalization is also a
major goal in the soon to be completed City of La Porte Comprehensive Plan and the recently completed
2023 City of La Porte Strategic Plan. It follows the completion of the project at 100 W. Main for which
the Board approved an incentive development agreement in the amount of $85,000 and an enhancement
agreement in the amount of $50,000. This agreement resulted in a new brick buildi ng in keeping with
Appropriation
Source of Funds: Special Programs
Account Number: 038-6030-565-9997
Amount Budgeted:
Amount Requested:
Budgeted Item: Yes No
the Historic Main Street District. The building currently houses the La Porte Bayshore Chamber of
Commerce, Ed’s Bistro and two apartment units.
The Finance Department estimates that La Porte Economic Development Corporation fund balance at
the end of FY2024 will be $7,184,173.00. The budget expends approximately $5,067.956.00 this year
and will collect revenues in the amount of $3,611,321.00.
If the Board is interested in pursuing this project, staff would suggest opening the 60-day public comment
period for the incentive grant as there would be no requirement to fund the project at the end of 60 days.
ACTION REQUIRED BY LPDC BOARD
Presentation, discussion, and possible action to open the 60-day public comment
period for a potential project of the La Porte Development Corporation to promote new
or expanded business enterprises at 114 W. Main St., La Porte, Texas, to be known as
Round Table Pizza Royalty, through an incentive payment up to a $217,800.00.
Approved for the La Porte Development Corporation Board meeting agenda
Corby D. Alexander, City Manager Date
Project Type
Project's
PRIORITY Value
(Up to 10) 1
Project's 10 Year
Tax or PILOT
Revenue 2
Project's
Multiplier Value
(Up to 4) 3
# of New
Full Time
Jobs
Full Time
Job Avg.
Value 4
Project's Existing
10 Year
Incentives 5
Regression
Analysis 6
Estimated
Incentive Value 7
Incentive Value
Allowed by Tax
Abatement Policy 8
% Allowed by
Tax Abatement
Policy
New Retail/Restaurant Dev.
(Higher)A 10 $3,420,000 2 0.0 0.0 $0 342.0 $2,565,000 $355,000 50%
Palais Royal A1 10 $471,000 2 16 0 $0 47.1 $353,250 $17,750 50%
Retail or Restaurant Re-Development/
Blight Removal/EHG (Higher)B 9 $684,000 1 0 0 $0 30.8 $230,850 $71,000 50%
Pipeline Grill B1 9 $846,628 2 100 0 $0 76.2 $571,474 $11,657 50%
Fischer's Hardware B2 9 $210,500 2 8 0 $0 18.9 $142,088 $17,750 50%
Quality Waterfront Development C 8 $1,532,500 2 0 0 $0 122.6 $919,500 $133,125 50%
Main Street Improvements D 7 $648,500 3 0 0 $0 68.1 $510,694 $62,125 50%
Bank Building Remodel D1 7 $35,500 3 8 0.1 $0 3.7 $27,956 $8,875 50%
Micro-Brewery (Purchase)D2 7 $105,500 2 12 0.1 $0 7.4 $55,388 $8,875 50%
Battleground Saloon D3 5 $64,730 2 15 0.075 $0 3.2 $24,274 $8,875 50%
New Retail/Restaurant Dev.
(Lower) - Rob Johnson/Dollar Tree E 6 $826,000 1 0 0 $0 24.8 $185,850 $106,500 50%
Retail or Restaurant Re-Development/
Blight Removal/EHG (Lower)F 6 $121,000 1 0 0 $0 3.6 $27,225 $3,550 50%
El Toro F1 6 $542,000 2 12 0 $0 32.5 $243,900 $35,500 50%
Industry - NEW Development
(Higher) - INEOS Unit #1 - $250 Million G 5 $11,182,500 4 24 0.125 $4,579,500 660.3 $4,952,250 $2,662,500 10%
INEOS Unit #2 - $500 Million G1 5 $22,365,000 4 60 0.125 $9,159,000 1320.6 $9,904,500 $2,662,500 10%
Project Regulate G2 5 $1,136,000 3 40 0.125 $0 85.2 $639,000 $56,800 10%
La Porte Development Corporation Project Scorecard -- PRIORITIES
ACT Turbo (New Industry)G3 5 $426,000 3 73 0.13 $0 32.0 $239,625 $21,300 10%
NEW Office/HQ - InterGulf Corporation H 4 $142,000 4 30 0.15 $0 11.4 $85,200 $7,100 10%
NEW Office/Regional - Richard Industrial Group I 4 $10,650 4 75 0.15 $0 0.9 $6,390 $1,775 10%
Industry - NEW Development
(Lower) - Sector 23 (Original)J 3 $568,000 4 35 0.1 $0 34.1 $255,600 $28,400 10%
Sector 23 (Latest)J1 3 $1,278,000 4 72 0.1 $0 76.7 $575,100 $28,400 10%
Industry - RETENTION/EXPANSION
(Higher) - ACT Turbo (Expansion)K 3 $426,000 3 73 0.13 $0 19.2 $143,775 $21,300 10%
Industry - RETENTION/EXPANSION
(Lower)L 2 $710,000 3 15 0.075 $0 21.3 $159,750 $35,500 10%
Airport Re-Development M 1 $177,500 2 30 0.1 $0 1.8 $13,313 $8,875 10%
State Farm (Frank Nance)N 1 $21,655 1 3 0.1 $0 4.0 $30,000 $650 10%
Revak Building O 8 $242,000 3 6 0.1 $0 29.0 $217,800 $8,875 10%
Notes:
1. Staff assigned prioritized values, from a maximum of 10 to a minimum of 1, based upon his understanding of the City Council and 4B Board’s values for various types of projects.
2. The values in this column include revenues from property taxes, business personal proeprty taxes, and sales taxes.
3. Staff assigned a value, from a maximum of 4 to a minimum of 1, for each project. A value of 4 means that the project will have a significant multiplier effect to bring new money and/or people into our local economy. A value
of 1 means that the project will have little or no multiplier effect to bring new money and/or people into our local economy.
4. Staff assigned a value, from a maximum of 0.15 to a minimum of 0.075, for each type of “primary job” associated with each project type. A value of 0.15 was assigned to higher paying,white collar, engineering, engineering
design, or executive positions. A value of 0.125 was assigned to highly skilled positions for a process technician and/or advanced manufacturer. A value of 0.10 was assigned to skilled positions. A value of 0.075 was assigned
to unskilled positions.
5. Data in this column identifies all other local incentives, like PILOT abatements under an existing IDA or scheduled TIRZ reimbursements, that any project may be entitled to receive.
6. The formulas in this column represent staff’s best estimate using regression analysis to tie together all the columns of data. Important assumptions of the formulas are as follows:
x Retail projects are five times (5x) more attractive to the community than industrial projects. For reference, please see page #6 of La Porte’s enclosed Tax Abatement Policy.
x Each “project type” is not equal to every other project type. Therefore, each project type’s priority value is included in the formula.
x The value of incentives that a project is already scheduled to receive, and is shown in the “Project's Existing 10 Year Incentives”, must be deducted from the total tax/PILOT revenue that the project is expected to
generate, which is shown in “Project's 10 Year Tax or PILOT Revenue“.
x Each project’s value to create a “multiplier effect” on our local economy should be included. See the values listed un der “Project's Multiplier Value (Up to 4)"above.
x Each value in the column for “Regression Analysis” is divided by 1 million to make the values under “Regression Analysi s”smaller, more manageable, and easier to compare.
The two (2) basic formulas used in “Regression Analysis” are as follows:
(a) For all Retail, Restaurant, Re-Development, and Waterfront Projects , “Project's PRIORITY Value (Up to 10)” x 5 times “Project's 10 Year Tax or PILOT Revenue” –“Project's Existing 10 Year Incentives”times “Project's
Multiplier Value (Up to 4)”divided by 1 million.
(b) For all Industry and Office Projects,“Project's PRIORITY Value (Up to 10)” x 1 times “Project's 10 Year Tax or PILOT Revenue” –“Project's Existing 10 Year Incentives”times “Project's Multiplier Value (Up to 4)”divided
by 1 million.
7. The values in this column are simply the value from the column called “Regression Analysis” times $7,500.
by 1 million.
7. The values in this column are simply the value from the column called “Regression Analysis” times $7,500.
8. Data in this column shows the value of incentive recommended for each project type, according to the La Porte’s current Tax Abatement Policy.
Projects identified in dark green text represent projects that have either already been awarded an incentive grant, or staff has good estimates for the project s.All other projects are completely "hypothetical".
A. Hypothetical -$20 million retail/restaurant/mixed use development project with $10 million in annual retail sales.
A1. Palais Royal -$1 million property value with $2 million in annual retail sales.
B. Hypothetical -$4 million project with $2 million in annual retail sales.
B1.Pipeline Grill -$1.2 million in commercial property with $4 million in annual retail sales.
B2. Fischer's Hardware -$1.5 million in commercial property with $520,000 in additional, annual retail sales.
C. Hypothetical -$7.5 million with $5 million in annual retail sales.
D. Hypothetical -$3.5 million with $2 million in annual retail sales.
D1.Micro-Brewery (Lease) -$500,000 in commercial property value, $350,000 in annual retail sales, 12 full time employees, and rent of $48,000/year for five years.
D2.Micro-Brewery (Purchase)-$500,000 in commercial property value, $350,000 in annual retail sales, and 12 full time employees
E.Rob Johnson/Dollar Tree -$6 million project with $2 million in annual retail sales.
F. Hypothetical -$1 million project with $250,000 in annual retail sales.
F1.El Toro -$2 million in new commercial property, plus $2 million in additional, annual retail sales.
G. INEOS USA, LLC -Unit #1, $250 million investment, 84 highly skilled, full time jobs, 20% IDA for years #1-6, 63% IDA for years #7-10.
G1.INEOS USA, LLC -Unit #2, $500 million investment, highly skilled, full time jobs, 20% IDA for years #1 -6, 63% IDA for years #7-10
G2.Project Regulate -$16 million investment, with at least 40 (to 60 within 5 years) highly skilled, advanced manufacturing, full time jobs. (Note: Project would be in the TIRZ).
G3.ACT Turbo (New Industry)-$6 million investment with 73 new, highly skilled, advanced manufacturing, full time jobs.
H. InterGulf Corporation -$2 million investment with 30 white collar, higher paying, full time jobs.
I. Richard Industrial Group -$500,000 investment with 75 white collar, higher paying, full time jobs. (Note: the 10 year PILOT is based on 3 years, equal to the term of the lease, rather than the usual 10 year timeframe.)
J. Sector 23 (Original) -$8 million investment and 35 full time, skilled jobs assuming 15 buildings, 3 employees per building, and minus 10 employees per the development agreement.
J1. Sector 23 (Latest)-$18million investment and est. 72 full time, skilled jobs assuming 18 buildings, 4 employees per building.
K. ACT Turbo (Expansion) -$6 million investment with 73 new, highly skilled, advanced manufacturing, full time jobs.
L. Hypothetical -Warehouse/Distribution, $10 million investment, 15 unskilled, full time jobs.
M. Hypothetical -Airport expansion, $2.5 million city participation/investment with 30 skilled, full time jobs.
N. State Farm -June 2022, $130,000 expansion. 2 New Full time jobs.
O.Revak Building -Summer 2022, $4,000,000. 18 New full time jobs.
Notice of Proposed Project of the
La Porte Development Corporation Board (Type B Corporation)
Project for New or Expanded Business Enterprise at 114 West Main Street: Pursuant to Texas Local
Government Code Section 505.160 notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the La Porte
Development Corporation (Type B Corporation) of the City of La Porte, Texas, has proposed an official
project and is considering granting an incentive to an eligible business enterprise in an amount not to
exceed $217,800.00. The purpose of the project is to promote and develop new or expanded business
enterprises, specifically for site, infrastructure, and related improvements, as authorized by Texas Local
Government Code Section 501.103, for real property located at 114 West Main Street, which location is
legally described as Lots 11-15, Block 60, Town of La Porte Subdivision.
In accordance with Texas Local Government Code 505.160 the public has a right to gather a petition to
object to the proposed project by requiring an election. The petition must request that an election be held
before the project is undertaken and must be signed by more than ten percent (10%) of the registered
voters of the City of La Porte. The petition must be received by the City of La Porte not later than the sixtieth
(60th) day after the publication of this notice.
Please reach out to Matt Daeumer, Assistant City Manager at DaeumerM@laportetx.gov, or 281-470-
5012 with any questions or comments you may have.
REQUEST FOR LA PORTE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD
AGENDA ITEM
Agenda Date Requested: September 25, 2023
Requested By: Teresa Evans, Director
Department: Planning and Development
Report Resolution Ordinance
Exhibits:
Draft 2040 Comp Plan
SUMMARY
The City of La Porte’s Comprehensive Plan is due for a major update. The comprehensive plan should
be updated every five (5) to ten (10) years to ensure the recommendations reflect the communities’
current needs. The last major plan update was adopted in 2 012, and a minor update was performed in
2018. In 2022, the City of La Porte engaged Freese Nichols, Inc. to perform another major update.
The comprehensive plan is a long-range planning document intended to guide development regulations
and policy decisions. It plays an important role in determining when, where, and how development
happens. The plan provides a long-term vision for the development of the community through proactive,
short-term actions.
Gathering public input is a critical step in developing a Comprehensive Plan. The Mayor and the City
Council appointed a Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) to guide the plan
recommendations. The CPAC membership consisted of long-term residents, community leaders, public
agency representatives, business owners, and developers. The CPAC met five (5) times over the last
year to provide knowledge, identify issues and opportunities, and re fine the final planning
recommendations. To keep the community informed on the project and solicit feedback, the project team
also hosted two (2) community open houses, conducted two (2) on -line surveys, and presented at two
(2) joint meetings of the City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission. The consultant team also
interviewed economic development and business stakeholders, and developed the project website,
www.laporte2040.com, as an on-line resource. The project website has provided another platform for
community stakeholders to stay informed, find relevant information, and provide input.
The La Porte City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission held a special joint meeting on
September 13, 2023, to receive an overview of the draft plan, discuss the plan recommendations, and
provide direction on any changes. The participants asked questions and advised of one edit. Members
of the CPAC also attended the joint meeting and voiced their support for the comprehensive plan. A copy
of the draft plan may be viewed and downloaded from the project website at www.laporte2040.com.
RECOMMENDED MOTION
Presentation and discussion of the draft City of La Porte 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
Appropriation
Source of Funds:
Account Number:
Amount Budgeted:
Amount Requested:
Budgeted Item: Yes No
Approved for the La Porte Development Corporation Board meeting agenda
Corby D. Alexander, City Manager Date
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
DRAFT September 2023
CITY OF LA PORTE
DRAFT
CITY COUNCIL
Louis Rigby, Mayor
Brandon Lunsford, At-Large A
Brent McCaulley, At-Large B
Mandi Williams, District 1
Chuck Engelken, District 2
Bill Bentley, District 3
Rick Helton, District 4
Jay Martin, District 5
Robbie McLarrin, District 6
CITY STAFF
Corby Alexander, City Manager
Teresa Evans, Planning & Development
Director
Maria Peña, Department Coordinator
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Bill Bentley
Rick Helton
Donna O’Connor
Richard Warren
Jeff Martin
Danny Earp
Marty Campise
Sandy Christi
Elizabeth Lynch
Beth Brady
Chad Burke
Sherry Lowe
Virginia Pierson-Turner
CONSULTANT TEAM
DRAFT
DRAFT
1
2
3
4
5
6
COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT .................................................................1
VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES ............................................23
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT .................................................37
TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ............................................69
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ..........................................................89
IMPLEMENTATION .........................................................................119
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DRAFT
DRAFT
La Porte is a tight-knit community that enjoys its bayfront location and small-
town charm. With changing demographics, development patterns, and the need
to preserve the character of the community, it is important to plan for a “future
by the bay”. The La Porte Comprehensive Plan is a community-driven planning
effort aimed at developing accountability mechanisms and ensuring continued
community investment. The Plan builds on previous comprehensive planning
efforts, including the City of La Porte 2030 Comprehensive Plan adopted in
2012 and most recently updated in 2018. It is envisioned to guide development
and growth in La Porte over the next 20 years. During a 17-month-long planning
process, the City of La Porte partnered with residents, community groups, and
stakeholders to identify priorities that reflect community values and support a
growing and resilient La Porte.
The Plan is developed following an implementation-focused framework to help
the City achieve the community vision and goals as well as measure success.
It is organized into six chapters that highlight the issues and opportunities
for the City of La Porte. The first chapter, Community Snapshot, provides an
overview of the comprehensive planning process, planning context, existing
demographic characteristics, existing land use, and physical constraints for
La Porte. The second chapter outlines the vision and guiding principles that
were created based on community, staff, and stakeholder input. The vision and
guiding principles will inform recommendations made throughout the plan.
Chapters three, four, and five elaborate on issues and opportunities related to
transportation, land use, and economic development. The last chapter of the
Plan provides implementation strategies to achieve the vision for development
in La Porte and performance metrics to track the success of the recommended
strategies.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
DRAFT
DRAFT
COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT
1
DRAFT
Comprehensive plans play an important
role in determining when, where, and how
development occurs in an area. La Porte’s
comprehensive plan intends to provide a
long-term vision for the development of
the community through proactive short-
term actions.
La Porte is located in Harris County, in
southeast Texas, approximately 25 miles
southeast of Downtown Houston. La
Porte is situated along SH 225 and SH
146, providing an appealing setting away
from the highly urban environment in
Houston. Accessibility, location, great
schools, and exceptional quality of life
make La Porte a desirable place to live
and work. By looking at the existing
conditions, La Porte can better plan for
how the City should grow and develop
in the future. The Community Snapshot
chapter offers historical context, a
demographic profile, and information on
the physical features of the City.
INTRODUCTION
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 3
WHAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?
The comprehensive plan is a long-
range planning tool intended to be used
by decision-makers, municipal staff,
and local residents. The importance
of a comprehensive plan cannot
be overstated, as it will direct the
community’s growth and physical
development for the next 10 to 20 years.
The comprehensive plan is written for
various audiences, including La Porte
residents, elected and appointed officials,
and technical professionals. The State of
Texas has established laws dictating the
way that incorporated communities can
ensure the health, safety, and welfare of
their citizens through a comprehensive
plan.
The Texas Local Government Code (TLGC)
Chapter 213 states:
“The governing body of a municipality
may adopt a comprehensive plan
for the long-range development of
the municipality… A municipality
may define the relationship
between a comprehensive plan and
development regulations and may
provide standards for determining the
consistency required between a plan
and development regulations.”
In basic terms, the primary objectives of
a comprehensive plan are to accomplish
the following:
Efficient delivery of public
services
Coordination of public and
private investment
Minimization of potential
conflicts between land uses
Management of growth in an
orderly manner
Cost-effective public
investments
A rational and reasonable basis
for making decisions about the
community
There are two interrelated purposes of
a comprehensive plan. First, it allows
the citizens of a community to create
a shared vision of what they want the
community to become. Additionally, it
establishes recommendations in which a
community can effectively implement this
vision.
Legal Basis for Planning
State law gives municipalities the power
to regulate the use of land, but only if
such regulations are based on a plan. The
authority of a City to create a comprehensive
plan is rooted in Chapters 211, 212, and 213 of
the Texas Local Government Code (TLGC).
Chapter 211 of the TLGC allows municipalities
to adopt zoning, while Chapter 212 allows the
governing body of a community to regulate
subdivision development within the city
limits, which varies depending upon the
population of the community. It is important
to note that a comprehensive plan is NOT
a zoning ordinance but rather is intended
to be used as a tool to guide development,
infrastructure, and land use decisions in
the future. The comprehensive plan does,
however, serve as a basis on which zoning
decisions are made, as specified by Chapter
211 of the TLGC.
In Texas, cities are not required by the
State’s government to prepare nor maintain
a comprehensive master plan, unlike some
other states. However, Section 213 of
the TLGC allows the governing body of a
community to adopt a plan to encourage
sound development decisions and promote
public health, safety, and welfare. Texas cities
can define the content and design of their
plan, resulting in a long-range blueprint that
can be customized to meet their needs.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT4
HOW WILL THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BE USED?
The comprehensive plan is a long-range planning document that City leadership and staff should reference to guide development
regulations and policy decisions. It can be used in a variety of ways for different City departments. The comprehensive plan is not
a regulating document, such as the zoning ordinance or subdivision regulations; however, the recommendations will influence City
regulations and policies that are updated more frequently. The comprehensive plan should be revisited every five to ten years
to ensure the plan recommendations are meeting the community’s current needs. Below are a few ways the City will use this
comprehensive plan.
CITY ADMINISTRATION
The City Administration (e.g., City
Manager, Assistant City Managers,
Finance) will primarily use the Future
Land Use Map and the implementation
matrix for major policy and budget
decisions.
PLANNING &
DEVELOPMENT
The Planning & Development Department
will primarily use the Future Land Use
Map to review zoning cases and prepare
staff reports for the Planning & Zoning
Commission. While compatibility with
the Future Land Use Map is important,
it should not be the only criterion
to recommend approval or denial
of a zoning decision. Other critical
review criteria include the provision of
adequate infrastructure, transportation
connectivity and access, topography
considerations, land use adjacency,
growth management principles, etc.
ENGINEERING
The Engineering Division will primarily
use the Future Land Use Map when
planning for future infrastructure
capacity. The Engineering Department
will also use the population projections
associated with the Future Land Use Map
to plan for when the infrastructure will be
needed.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Like the Engineering Division, the Parks
and Recreation Department will primarily
use the Future Land Use Map and
population projections to plan for future
park, recreation, and open space facilities.
These facilities should be strategically
located within neighborhoods and near
other public uses. The comprehensive
plan works with other master plans, like
the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
Master Plan adopted in 2020, to identify
the location of park facilities and improve
connectivity through the use of trails.
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 5
PLANNING CONTEXT
While developing the vision for the
community, it is crucial to understand and
assess the planning context and existing
conditions. Planning recommendations,
developed as part of the comprehensive
planning process, need to align with the
unique opportunities and challenges
faced by La Porte.
FUTURE BY THE BAY
La Porte is bordered by Upper San
Jacinto Bay on the northeast and
Trinity Bay on the east. La Porte has the
potential to leverage its proximity to the
bay by developing new amenities and
improving the existing amenities such
as Sylvan Beach Park and Bay Shore
Park. In planning for the future by the
Bay, the City also needs to be mindful
of the challenges it faces as a bayfront
community, such as vulnerability to
natural disasters, especially hurricanes
and flooding in the case of La Porte.
In the last few years, natural disasters
have become more frequent, dangerous,
and costly. FEMA declared a total of 13
disasters in Harris County between 2011
and 2023, including hurricanes, floods,
severe storms, fire, COVID-19, and severe
ice storms. In 2020, the County was hit
by Hurricane Hanna and Tropical Storms
Marco and Laura within a month, causing
widespread destruction to life, property,
and businesses. In 2021, severe winter
storms disrupted day-to-day activities.1 La
Porte experienced extensive tree, fence,
power line, and residential and industrial
property damage due to tornadoes in
2015 and 2017.2 It is well established that
the frequency and intensity of disasters
will increase due to climate change, which
calls for resiliency planning, land use,
built environment modifications, and
improved mitigation strategies.
INFILL AND
REDEVELOPMENT
La Porte has limited options for outward
growth due to being bound by other
municipalities, limited available ETJ, and
natural boundaries, like the bayfront.
The City is currently bounded by the
municipalities of Deer Park, Pasadena,
Morgan’s Point, and Shore Acres. The City
also operates two Industrial Districts in
the ETJ, the Bayport Industrial District
and the Battleground Industrial District,
further limiting outward growth into the
1.FEMA Disaster Declarations for States and Counties, Disaster
Declarations for States and Counties | FEMA.gov
2.Harris County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Action Plan Volume 1 –
Are-wide Elements, HarrisCounty-Vol1_Area_Wide_Elements.pdf
(readyharris.org)
ETJ directly adjacent to the northern
and southern city limits. While planning
for future development, infill and
redevelopment will play an important
role in revitalizing existing areas and fully
utilizing existing land parcels in the City.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT6
Map 1. Planning Context
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 7
PLANNING HISTORY
Previous local and regional planning efforts should be considered when developing a comprehensive plan to ensure coordinated
recommendations for the study area. This section provides an overview of relevant plans and their applicability to the
comprehensive plan. La Porte benefits from remarkable discipline in continuing planning efforts beyond the comprehensive plan as
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Planning History
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT8
PREVIOUS PLANNING
EFFORTS
As part of the comprehensive planning
process, existing plans and policies
adopted by the City were reviewed and
analyzed along with planning efforts in
progress. Goals, objectives, and action
items from each plan were extracted and
examined to inform the vision, guiding
principles, and recommendations outlined
in this Plan. This section provides an
overview of the most recent planning
policies, plans, and studies that guide La
Porte’s development.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
UPDATES
The City of La Porte 2030 Comprehensive
Plan was adopted in October 2012 and
updated in November 2018. Both the 2012
and 2018 Comprehensive Plan Updates
act as guiding documents in planning for
the future of La Porte. The plans identify
numerous recommendations, some of
which remain relevant given the existing
conditions and community vision for La
Porte today. Both the comprehensive
plan updates were developed as a result
of extensive public input and reflect
the vision of the residents for future
development in La Porte. While land use
patterns, transportation concerns, and
economics have changed over time, the
plans propose recommendations that
will help solve existing development
constraints faced by the City of La Porte.
The relevant strategies from the previous
plans are included in this Plan in the form
of land use, transportation, and economic
development recommendations.
PARKS, RECREATION, AND
OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN
Since the original Parks, Recreation,
and Open Space Master Plan was
completed in 2002, La Porte has steadily
and increasingly invested in its parks
and recreational facilities, parks, and
programming. The latest update to the
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
Master Plan was adopted in 2021. The
parks and trails network is a central
element of the past comprehensive
plans and is expected to continue with
the expansion of this infrastructure as a
critical strategy to attain the City’s long-
range goals. By 2040, it is envisioned that
all residents will have equitable access
to a park or open space facility and the
trails network will have extensions to
all residential neighborhoods and will
connect to parks, schools, and other
destinations across the City.
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 9
NORTHSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
PLAN
La Porte has a vested interest in the
continued growth and enrichment
of the Northside Neighborhood. In
2000, the City published the Northside
Neighborhood Plan that highlighted
several issues in the community and
resulted in proactive solutions such as the
increased presence of law enforcement,
the construction of affordable housing
options, and the removal of unwanted
dangerous buildings. The plan prioritizes
recommendations and action items into
short-term, mid-term, and long-term
based on community input and existing
conditions analysis. The Future Land
Use Plan (presented in Chapter 3 of
this comprehensive plan) designates
the Northside Neighborhood as an
opportunity area and recommends
strategies to ensure continued
implementation of the Northside
Neighborhood Plan.
WATER MASTER PLAN
The Water Master Plan was adopted by
the City of La Porte in October 2019. As
part of this Plan, the City developed its
GIS for both water and sewer systems.
The plan evaluates the existing system
under current conditions, with the
immediate known development and
under ultimate development conditions.
The recommended water system
improvements are designed to handle
existing and future development and
assist the City with the development of
a Capital Improvement Plan for water
facilities.
Figure 2. Northside Neighborhood Plan
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT10
DEMOGRAPHICS Figure 3. Population Growth
Source: Decennial Census, population projections based on Compound Annual
Growth Rate
The demographic analysis examines the
population characteristics in La Porte.
The analysis presented in this section will
inform the vision and recommendations
of this Plan.
POPULATION AND GROWTH
La Porte experienced a steady growth in
population with a 4 percent increase in
population over the last decade, which
aligns with the growth patterns of peer
communities in the region. In 2018, the
Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)
created a regional growth forecast that
projects the region’s population will
increase by 5.1 percent between 2015-
2045.1 Assuming that the population
continues to grow at 0.9%2, the
population will increase to 38,416 in 2030
and to 42,017 in 2040.
RACE AND ETHNICITY
TRENDS
La Porte houses a predominantly White
population (71%), followed by Two or
More Races (12%), and Black population
(9%). The Hispanic community grew from
29% to 37% between 2010 and 2020.
1 2018 H-GAC Regional Growth Forecast, https://datalab.h-gac.
com/rgf2018/
2 Annual growth rate between 2010 and 2022 based on U.S.
Census data.
Figure 4. Race and Ethnicity
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
Figure 4. Race and Ethnicity
* Projected Population
Hispanic or
Latino
37%
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 11
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Understanding age patterns helps La
Porte plan for the appropriate programs,
services, housing, jobs, and quality-of-life
amenities.
The largest portion of La Porte’s
population is between the ages of 35 and
54 years, followed by 20 to 34 years.
These two cohorts combined represent
the common labor force years. The strong
labor force speaks to La Porte’s growing
economic clout in the region. The next
largest group is “young”, between the
ages of 5 to 19 years, denoting families
with children.
The oldest segment of the population
is the sector has increased since 2010,
which implies people of retirement age
and beyond are coming to the City or
continuing to age in place.
Figure 5. Age Distribution
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT12
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
In La Porte, nearly 32 percent of the
population has graduated high school
and almost 17 percent have attained a
Bachelor’s degree or higher. A skilled
worker base allows cities to grow
while increasing the prosperity of the
community. La Porte can take steps to
prepare its high school graduates for
the workforce and jobs of the future,
ultimately helping residents overcome
economic adversity.
EMPLOYMENT
There are 17,908 people over the age
of 16 and considered eligible to enter
the workforce1. Due to the COVID-19
pandemic, an increase in unemployment
is to be expected. One way to make a
community more resilient in the future is
to diversify the economy, so it is not as
vulnerable to outside threats. When there
are a variety of employment sectors
in a city, it is less likely for struggles
in a single sector to affect its overall
economy.
1 U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year
Estimates
Figure 6. Educational Attainment
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
Educational services, and health care and social
assistance
18%
15% Professional, scientific, and management, and
administrative and waste management services
Manufacturing15%
Figure 7. Top Employment Sectors
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 13
Figure 8. Median Household IncomeINCOME
The median household income in La Porte
is $78,665, which is higher than the Texas
and Harris County. This comparison,
especially when coupled with La
Porte’s relative affordability of housing,
indicates the presence of residents
with disposable income that could
potentially be captured by local retail and
commercial developments, as well as a
greater capacity for entrepreneurship.
It is important to note that increasing
incomes is an upward trend, indicating
that those people already in La Porte are
being lifted up with it rather than being
priced out by newcomers.
MOBILITY
About 95 percent of households in La
Porte have at least one car. Those without
vehicles depend on other modes of
transportation to get to jobs, school or to
run errands. Improvements to transit can
help meet the needs of these households,
especially for short trips.
Figure 9. Means of Transportation to Work
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
LA PORTE
$78,665
HARRIS
COUNTY
$65,788
TEXAS
$67,321
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT14
OCCUPANCY RATES
Currently, there are 12,496 occupied
housing units in the City of La Porte. Of
these, 72 percent are owner occupied and
28 percent are renter occupied. This is a
significantly higher owner occupancy rate
than the U.S. average of 56.4 percent,
however, it is down from La Porte’s
2010 rate of 78 percent, meaning La
Porte’s rate of renters is increasing. High
homeownership rates mean residents
have a long-term interest in the future
development of the community, as
homeownership is considered to be a
long-term commitment by most people.
HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
La Porte’s household composition breaks
down to 72.6 percent family households
and 27.4 percent non-family households.
Family households have one or more
people who are related, whereas non-
family households are an individual
living alone or sharing with non-relatives
(roommates). As of 2021, about 27
percent of households have one or more
children under the age of 18. Households
with children under the age of 18 have
decreased since 2010, showing a trend
towards households aging in place and
younger families and first-time-home-
buyers choosing to live elsewhere.
There is a corresponding trend towards
retirees settling in La Porte, shown by
the fact that households with one or
more persons over the age of 60 have
increased. This speaks to a need to
address aging in place in La Porte.
This information is important as it
may indicate a shift toward alternative
housing choices, such as smaller lots and
higher-density housing options. Currently,
About 74 percent of La Porte’s housing
units are comprised of single-family
detached style homes.
Figure 10. Housing Occupancy
Although the demand for single-family
homes will likely continue, the housing
stock in La Porte is currently not very
diversified, so more variety of housing
options could be beneficial.
Average household size
2.84
Figure 10. Housing Occupancy
72%
Owner-
occupied
housing units
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 15
HOUSING STOCK
Of the 12,725 occupied housing units
in the City of La Porte, 74 percent are
single-family detached homes, 6 percent
are mobile homes or other, 1 percent
could be considered “missing middle”
housing, and 12 percent are in larger
apartment buildings.
Approximately 44 percent of La Porte’s
total housing stock was built between
1970-1989. Areas of older housing that
may be candidates for rehabilitation
and repair are concentrated in certain
neighborhoods, particularly the historic
core. These areas provide some of the
needed missing middle housing and age-
in-place opportunities.
HOME VALUE
Generally, La Porte’s average household
income has kept pace with median home
values. The median home value in the
area is $165,800. This sets La Porte apart
compared to other cities in Texas, which
are seeing greater disparities between
home value and household income.
Figure 11. Housing Type
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
Figure 12. Home Value
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT16
HOUSING ATTAINMENT &
AFFORDABILITY
Compared to surrounding cities,
the housing in La Porte is relatively
affordable, making it a great place
to raise a family, begin a career, and
purchase a home. These strengths can be
built upon to continue to make La Porte
an equitable community that provides an
opportunity for all residents to thrive.
It is recommended that households
spend no more than 30 percent of their
income on housing costs. Households
that spend more than 30 percent of
their income on housing are considered
cost-burdened. In 2021, 48.4 percent
of renter households spent more than
30 percent of their income on housing
while 18 percent of owner households did
the same. While homeowners are facing
fewer affordability problems in La Porte
than renters, the housing cost burden for
renters in La Porte is well below the U.S.
average of 48.4 percent and the housing
cost burden for owners in La Porte is well
above the U.S. average of 26.6 percent.
Figure 13. Housing Costs, Rent
Figure 14. Housing Costs, Mortgage
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey 2021 5-Year Estimates
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
<20%20% to 24.9%25% to 29.9%30% to 34.9%>35%
La Porte Harris Texas
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
15% to 19%20% to 24.9%25% to 29.9%30% to 34.9%>35%
La Porte Harris Texas
<15%
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 17
The City is comprised of a combination
of existing residential, commercial,
industrial, institutional, and recreational
developed land use areas. These areas are
intermixed with and surrounded by vacant
or undeveloped lands; for this cursory
existing land use analysis, all undeveloped
land within the City limits is classified as
vacant. The City has the legal ability to
exercise authority beyond the City limits
within its extra-territorial jurisdiction
(ETJ). La Porte operates two industrial
districts within its (ETJ) - the Bayport
Industrial District and the Battleground
Industrial District. La Porte is a rapidly
growing city, so evaluation of existing
land use and entitlements is a snapshot in
time that will change even throughout the
course of this planning process.
One of the primary purposes of analyzing
existing land use is to get an overall feel
for the composition of the City. It is a
high-level analysis that helps create the
framework for developing the Future Land
Use Map that is shown in Chapter 3 of this
comprehensive plan.
While there is potential for new
developments both within the City
limits and the ETJ as La Porte grows,
infill development and redevelopment
opportunities remain and should not be
overlooked in the older parts of town, like
Main Street.
LAND USE CATEGORY CITY ETJ
ACREAGE %ACREAGE %
Single Family 3,214.7 25.4%0 0%
2-Family (Duplex)7.0 0.1%0 0%
Townhome 22.7 0.2%0 0%
Multi-Family 130.7 1.0%0 0%
Manufactured Home 106.5 0.8%0 0%
Public/Semi-Public 765.4 6%0 0%
Office 42.3 0.3%0 0%
Retail 146.3 1.2%0 0%
Commercial 411.2 3.3%0 0%
Industrial 1,352.8 10.7%5,295.2 68.8%
Utility 22.5 0.2%0 0%
Parks and Open Space 540.4 4.3%416.7 5%
Private Recreation 193.2 1.5%0 0%
Right-of-Way 2,385.1 18.9%89.5 1%
Waterbody 628.7 5.0%0 0%
Vacant 2,020.6 16.0%1,890.8 24.5%
Agricultural 8.2 0.1%0 0%
Preserve 639.8 5.1%0 0%
Total 12,638.0 100%7,692.2 100%
EXISTING LAND USE
Table 1. Existing Land Use Acreages
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT18
Map 2. Existing Land Use
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 19
PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS
The City of La Porte is located within the
Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–
Baytown metro-statistical area (MSA),
which is home to more than 7.2 million
residents. Most of the newcomers to
the area are moving to the surrounding
suburbs. La Porte is about 25 miles from
Downtown Houston. La Porte is bordered
by the cities of Seabrook to the south,
Pasadena to the west, Deer Park to the
north, and the Bay to the east.
NATURAL FEATURES
La Porte is located on the northwest
end of the Galveston Bay at the mouth
of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto
River. La Porte sits between two of
the busiest container terminals in the
country.1 La Porte is located in Gulf Coast,
more specifically the Houston Bay Area.
The Gulf Coast region is known for its
marshes, barrier islands, and estauries,
lending to its natural beauty.2 It is
characterized by low lying slowly-drained
floodplains, which leads to issues with
flooding. Due to its acidic soils and sands
and sandy loams, the City is not well
suited for agriculture, even though there
were a few attempts to establish orchards
1 https://porthouston.com/container-terminals
2 https://tpwd.texas.gov/
in the past. The City’s most notable
existing opportunities for recreation are
Sylvan Beach, Little Cedar Bayou, and the
Fishing Pier.
FLOODPLAINS
La Porte is relatively flat, which is typical
of cities in the Gulf Coast. Approximately
2,498 acres of land within the City limits
are currently located in the 100-year
floodplain, shown on Map 3. Commercial
and residential buildings and properties
in these areas may be at risk. Flood risk is
increasing in La Porte as more open land,
known as greenfields, is developed and
impervious surfaces, such as rooftops and
pavement, increase. Impervious surfaces
cause stormwater to move quickly over
the land rather than absorb naturally into
the soil and slowly filter into groundwater
or nearby waterways. Additionally,
changing weather patterns mean the area
can expect more extreme rainstorms and
hurricanes in the future. These factors
with La Porte’s floodplains necessitate
flood resilient building and development
strategies in the City.
Floodplains throughout the City are
generally oriented along the west side
of the City and provide the potential to
be used as effective trail corridors to
connect to regional open space.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT20
Map 3. Physical Features
DRAFT CommuniTy SnApShoT 21
DRAFT
VISION AND GUIDING
PRINCIPLES
2
DRAFT
Gathering public input is a critical step
in developing the Comprehensive Plan.
The community’s shared values identified
in the public engagement process were
used to establish the City of La Porte’s
priorities, which are outlined in the
Plan’s guiding principles and serve as the
foundation for the vision statement. The
consultant team incorporated several
strategies to inform and engage the
community during the 17-month planning
process, including stakeholder interviews,
community events, online surveys, and
check-ins with City Staff and elected
officials.
During the initial stages of the plan’s
development, the Mayor and City
Council appointed a Comprehensive Plan
Advisory Committee (CPAC) to guide the
Comprehensive Plan recommendations.
In addition to the CPAC, key stakeholders
were also identified to enhance the Plan’s
understanding of key topical areas. The
consultant team, in collaboration with
City staff, facilitated CPAC, stakeholder,
and public input meetings to gather
in-person feedback. An online survey
and project website were also utilized to
reach people who might not otherwise
participate in public meetings.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
2022
July 2022
CPAC Meeting #1
Economic Development
Stakeholder interviews
August 2022
Community Open
House #1
October 2022
Joint City Council and
Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting #1
November 2022
CPAC Meeting #2
February 2023
CPAC Meeting #3
March 2023
CPAC Meeting #4
May 2023
La Porte Citizens Advisory
Council
August 2023
Community Open
House #2
August 2023
Joint City Council and
Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting #2June 2023
CPAC Meeting #5
2023
Figure 15. Engagement Timeline
DRAFT ViSion AnD GuiDinG pRinCipLES 25
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY
THE ROLE OF PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT
Public engagement is important to
develop relationships with stakeholders
and instill trust and support in the
decision-making process. City staff,
project partners, and the project team
utilized various engagement methods and
tools throughout the planning process
to bring the right people together,
educate them regarding the different
elements of the Plan, and gather input in
a structured, inclusive, and transparent
method. The following public engagement
methods and tools were used during the
development of the Comprehensive Plan.
PROJECT WEBSITE
The project website was developed as
a resource for stakeholders to stay up
to date on the Plan. They could visit
the website to find relevant information
about past planning efforts, get an
overview of the planning process, view
upcoming engagement opportunities, and
contact the project team. The website
also contained an interactive map to
collect feedback for specific locations
throughout the City.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT26
CPAC’S PRIMARY ROLES
Provide knowledge of the area
Identify issues and opportunities
Shape the community’s vision and
goals
Guide the Plan recommendations
and priorities
Serve as ambassadors of the Plan
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Comprehensive Plan Advisory
Committee (CPAC) provided knowledge of
the community from various perspectives,
including long-term residents, community
leaders, public agency representatives,
business owners, and developers.
The CPAC guided development of
the Plan by identifying issues and
opportunities and helped refine the Plan’s
recommendations. The project team
facilitated five CPAC meetings throughout
the planing process; CPAC members
were invited to participate in additional
outreach event activities like the online
survey and community events.
DRAFT ViSion AnD GuiDinG pRinCipLES 27
ONLINE SURVEY
An online survey was utilized during the
planning process to gather input and
make sure the Plan is reflective of the
community’s values. The online survey
was conducted to measure the local
perception of emerging trends, issues,
and opportunities in the community. The
results helped define the initial priorities
of the Plan as it relates to each chapter.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Transportation and mobility, infrastructure, and economic development were
the highest priorities for the community.
The community expressed a desire for more shopping opportunities and
entertainment in La Porte. Residents currently leave the City for their daily
needs.
There is a desire for a more connected City. Survey respondents want to be
able to walk to nearby amenities.
Major roads are often congested during peak travel times.
In your opinion, what is La Porte’s greatest
strength? What differentiates La Porte from
any other city?
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT28
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Participants expressed a need for more restaurants, businesses, and things to
do for residents and visitors.
There is a need to improve transportation connectivity, reduce traffic
congestion, and improve pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
The City can benefit from a Main Street Manager/Economic Development
Director to market La Porte and attract retail and businesses to City.
Stakeholders would like to see façade improvements, more businesses, more
investment, and infill development along Main Street.
There is a need to educate local business owners and La Porte community
about investment opportunities and how to leverage existing economic
development programs.
The City needs to better advertise local attractions and can benefit from
incorporating wayfinding signage for different destinations.
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS
Stakeholders were selected to
participate in discussions related
to land use, mobility, and economic
development. Participants included local
residents, business owners, industry
representatives, and local organizations.
The consultant team, in collaboration
with City staff, met with the stakeholders
to introduce the comprehensive planning
process and gain their collective
perspective of the City’s challenges and
opportunities.
Business and economic development
stakeholders were selected by the City
to provide a broader understanding of
La Porte’s business climate. While these
stakeholders represent the interests of
their industries, they were also selected
because of their relationships with other
businesses owners in La Porte.
DRAFT ViSion AnD GuiDinG pRinCipLES 29
KEY TAKEAWAYS/THEMES
Residents are satisfied with their
neighborhood design and housing
affordability.
There is a desire for more retail
and commercial options within
walking distance of one’s home.
Residents are satisfied with the
public services and amenities in
La Porte.
There is room for improvement
with cultural and historical
facilities.
Most residents are generally
happy with where they live; issues
are more city-wide.
Residents would like to see the
City address traffic congestion
and make improvements to
walking and biking facilities.
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSES
Two community open houses were held as
part of the Comprehensive Plan process.
The first event occurred at the beginning
of the process to educate the community
on the planning process and gather input
about the issues and opportunities for
La Porte. The second event was held at
the end of the process to confirm the
recommendations of the Plan.
The open houses were come-and-go
events with interactive boards and a
survey station. The consultant team gave
a short presentation about the project
and engagement opportunities. Following
the presentation, attendees were invited
to provide input through interactive
boards, take the online survey, and talk
with the consultant team or City staff. The
presentation was streamed on Facebook
Live, and a recording is available to view
on the City’s Facebook page.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT30
KEY TAKEAWAYS/THEMES
Partner with other entities to
improve roadways.
Improve roadway safety, mobility,
and access.
There is a desire for more retail,
restaurant, and entertainment
opportunities.
Partner with Harris County to
improve Sylvan Beach.
Capitalize on opportunities by the
Bay.
La Porte should be a destination
and increase tourism.
JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND
PLANNING & ZONING
COMMISSION MEETINGS
The City Council and Planning & Zoning
Commission members were kept informed
about the project and planning process.
Two joint meetings were held as part of
the process. Some of these officials also
took part in other outreach activities,
such as stakeholder interviews and CPAC
meetings, and were encouraged to attend
all public meetings.
Capitalize on opportunities by the
La Porte should be a destination
DRAFT ViSion AnD GuiDinG pRinCipLES 31
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
LEADING WITH COMMUNITY INPUT
5
Advisory
Committee
Meetings
2
Community
Events
550
Survey
Responses
9
One-on-one
Interviews
3
Social Media
Posts
The goal of the Comprehensive Plan
is to reflect the values and desires
of the community as it plans for
future development and growth.
To ensure that the community’s
vision for La Porte is appropriately
reflected in the Plan, community
input was gathered during all stages
of the planning process. The City
gathered input using multiple tools
such as an online survey, social
media posts, advisory committee
meetings, stakeholder interviews,
and focus groups.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT32
Recurring Themes
“ More entertainment at
Sylvan Beach like food, gift
shops and stores”
“Too much heavy
industrial traffic.”
“Improve drainage
and add sidewalks.”“Create hike and bike
trails along all the bayous
to connect the City.”
“The City needs to have the vision to
invest in retail development opportunities
that provide a walkable community space.
Ideally a location that people could work,
live, shop and find entertainment.”
Quotes from Community Members
WHAT WE HEARD
Each chapter begins with a “Leading with Community Input” spread summarizing the input
received related to that chapter topic, the key takeaways, and how that input impacted the
recommendations and outcomes of the Plan.
IMPACT
“I love the small town feel,
especially down on Main Street.
We enjoy all of the community
events and parades.”
DRAFT ViSion AnD GuiDinG pRinCipLES 33
This Plan was built on two important
components: a vision and guiding
principles. The vision statement describes
the future the people of La Porte desire
in terms of its physical, social and
economic conditions. It is supported
by guiding principles representing the
different aspects of the vision. The vision
was developed from the input received by
residents, CPAC, and stakeholder groups
during the initial engagement stages of
the Comprehensive Plan.
VISION STATEMENT
The vision statement should succinctly and
vividly describe the community as it ideally
will exist in the future. Essentially, this
statement describes what it looks and feels
like in La Porte in 2040. This statement is
intended to guide both the comprehensive
planning process as well as the City’s future
more broadly.
PLAN VISION
“La Porte is a tight-knit community sitting on the Galveston Bay, with a variety of shopping and recreation opportunities for visitors and locals. The community prides itself on its clean and safe neighborhoods, strong businesses, and connected greenspaces. La Porte embraces its small-town charm and character and looks toward the future of life by the Bay.”
PLAN VISION
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT34
When considered holistically, a series
of recurring themes begin to emerge
representing the priorities of the
community. Through this process four
guiding principles were identified to guide
the planning process.
Celebrate Bayfront Location
Improve Transportation and
Connectivity
Enhance Quality of Life
Strengthen Economic Development
The guiding principles provide overall
direction across all Plan components and
should be referenced often when making
policy and land use decisions. Each
guiding principle has detailed strategies
that apply to each element of the Plan
such as, land use and transportation.
CELEBRATE BAYFRONT LOCATION
There is a desire to attract more people to the bay. The community
is proud of what La Porte has to offer, and they want to share it with
more people. Branding and wayfinding signage can help visitors and
residents navigate to areas of interest, like Main Street and Sylvan
Beach. There are opportunities for enhanced historical, cultural, and
bayfront tourism capitalizing on the existing assets within the City.
IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION AND
CONNECTIVITY
The community wants better vehicular access throughout the City
and to be able to walk and bike to key destinations in town, and feel
safe while doing so. This could be achieved by improvements to the
pedestrian environment, like improving lighting, sidewalks, crosswalks,
and slowing vehicular traffic. They would also like to see improvements
to reduce conflicts and congestion caused by freight traffic.
ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE
The community would like to see more places to gather, like plazas
and parks. They would like existing public spaces further enhanced
for improved user comfort (e.g., shade and seating) and additional
experiences. Support for local art, improving historical areas,
revitalizing Main Street.
STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The community wants more options for retail, dining, and
entertainment in La Porte. This could include restaurants with outdoor
seating, music venues, and family-friendly establishments. They would
like to see an increased variety of businesses, improved support for
local businesses and a proactive focus on economic development.
♪♪
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
DRAFT ViSion AnD GuiDinG pRinCipLES 35
DRAFT
LAND USE AND
DEVELOPMENT
3
DRAFT
DRAFT
This chapter utilizes the existing
conditions analysis, market analysis, and
community vision to propose the future
land use map for the City of La Porte. The
chapter elaborates on the future land
use categories and proposes opportunity
areas to provide a framework for future
development and ensure efficient,
sustainable, and economically viable
development and redevelopment.
The future land use map for La Porte
is developed to improve the quality
of life of its residents. The land use
pattern significantly impacts various
City functions such as connectivity
and mobility, access to open space and
recreation, health and safety, and access
to other public services. All these factors
collectively contribute to the creation
of quality of life, which is crucial to help
people age in place as well as attracting
young families to the area.
INTRODUCTION
LEADING WITH COMMUNITY INPUT
What type of retail and services does La
Porte need more of?
Entertainment and
recreation66%
62%sit-down, full service dining
more/better healthy
grocery stores40%Public Meeting and Survey Comments
sylvan beach park
68%
What should attract visitors to La
Porte in the future?
1st RANKaccess to
the bay
“More entertainment at Sylvan Beach
like food, gift shops and stores”
“Keep warehouses and
industrial companies away
from residential areas”
“Better entertainment
corridors and improved
Main Street.”
“A destination part of town that incorporates more
variety and selection of retail and parks for everyone
to enjoy at times.”
Which historic and recreational
resources should be prioritized for future
enhancements?
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 35
FUTURE LAND USE MAP ZONING MAP
PurposesPurposes
• Outlook for the future use of land and
the character of development in the
community.
• Macro-level, general development plan.
• Basis for applying unique land use
regulations and development standards
in different areas of the City.
• Micro-level, site-specific focus.
UsesUses
• Guidance for City zoning and related
decisions (zone change requests,
variance applications, etc.).
• Baseline for monitoring the
consistency of actions and decisions
with the City’s adopted Comprehensive
Plan.
• Regulating development as it is
proposed, or as sites are proposed for
the future (by the owner or the City)
with appropriate zoning.
Inputs and ConsiderationsInputs and Considerations
• Inventory of existing land uses in the
City.
• Developing better area character and
identity as a core planning focus along
with basic land uses.
• The map includes a notation required
by Texas Local Government Code
Section 213.005: “A comprehensive
plan shall not constitute zoning
regulations or establish zoning district
boundaries”.
• Future land use map is referred to for
general guidance.
• Other community objectives,
such as economic development,
redevelopment, flood preservation, etc.
• Zoning decisions that are not
compliant with the FLUM will need
to be updated or changed when the
Comprehensive Plan is next updated.
FUTURE LAND USE AND ZONING
The future land use map is different from the zoning map in that it does not directly affect the regulation of land within the City
limits or the ETJ. Rather, it should be seen as a guiding document for determining appropriate land uses and development types. It
should be used by the City to guide decisions on proposed zoning and development standards. The following table shows a side-by-
side comparison of the purposes, uses, and considerations of the future land use map and the zoning map.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT36
FUTURE LAND USE
DASHBOARD
A future land use dashboard has been
developed for each land use category.
These dashboards outline a variety
of elements that help to define the
character and type of development that
is appropriate within each category,
in alignment with the intent and goals
of this Plan. Each dashboard includes
several components to help readers
understand the intent of that specific
land use category.
FUTURE LAND USE
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT
TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
APPROPRIATENESS TABLE
DENSITY
INTENSITY
SCALE
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
APPROPRIATENESS TABLE
DENSITY, INTENSITY, AND SCALE
PHOTO EXAMPLES
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 37
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
Each category section begins with a
general description of the land use
category, providing narrative details
about the overall intent of and land
use make up of each category. The
descriptions are a framework for how
each area is expected to develop or
redevelop in the future.
Descriptions are accompanied by sample
imagery to help visually demonstrate
the look and feel of the category. Each
category will vary in development type,
mix, intensity, and scale, as noted in the
dashboards and appropriateness tables
following the description.
APPROPRIATENESS TABLE
The appropriateness tables show the
ratio of residential and non-residential
uses expected for that category as well as
the expected mix of development types
present under each of those. These uses
can take the form of several different
development types; for example, an
office use could appear in a complete
neighborhood, an employment center,
a shopping center, or an activity center,
depending on it’s scale, form, and context.
The appropriateness of each development
type within a land use category is
illustrated using a scale of 0-3 shaded
dots.
0 shaded dots: Not appropriate
1-2 shaded dot: Appropriate under
given conditions
3 shaded dots: Overall appropriate
To note, parks, open space and civic uses
are considered appropriate across all
Land Use Categories and are considered
appropriate in both residential and
non-residential developments, and are
therefore not called out separately in the
development ratios.
PHOTO EXAMPLES
Photo examples are provided for each
land use to provide visual illustration of
the type of development appropriate for
the land use.
DENSITY INTENSITY AND
SCALE
DENSITY
The term housing or dwelling unit refers
to a single space that provides for all
the necessities of living, meaning it has
complete sleeping and living areas plus
at least one bathroom and kitchen. A
4-bedroom house is one dwelling unit and
a studio apartment is also one dwelling
unit.
The term density refers to the number of
dwelling units or jobs located in a specific
area, noted as an amount per acre. This
plan uses dwelling units per acre to
measure residential density and jobs per
acre to measure employment density.
Each category will have a target range of
densities appropriate for that land use.
INTENSITY
Intensity refers to how much of a
property or lot is built on, with either
buildings or accompanying development
elements such as driveways and parking
areas. For the purpose of this Plan,
Intensity is defined as:
Low: 0-50% lot coverage
Medium: 50-75% lot coverage
High: 75-100% lot coverage
SCALE
Scale refers to the height of the buildings
on a property or lot. For the purpose of
this Plan, Scale is defined as
Low-Rise: 1 to 2 stories
Low/Mid-Rise: 3 to 4 stories
Mid-Rise: 5 to 9 stories
High-Rise: 10+ stories
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT38
DEVELOPMENT TYPES
Each category also includes a set of identified development types and will have a primary or most desirable development type,
accompanied by secondary types with varying levels of appropriateness. This strategy allows the City to be flexible with market
demands that may change from time to time. Although primary types should remain consistent throughout the life of the Plan,
secondary types have the flexibility to change so long as they complement the primary type.
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
One housing or dwelling unit on a lot in a single stand-alone building. Generally, the
largest lots of all residential development types with low density, scale, and intensity.
Single-family homes may include Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) that is clearly
secondary to the main property unit. ADUs are often above a garage of the primary
unit, or at ground level either attached or detached from the primary unit. ADUs are
encouraged as a way to support diversity of housing choice and affordability, for both
the people that rent the ADU and the people that own the primary unit, as this rental
income can help offset mortgage payments.
DUPLEX HOMES AND TOWNHOMES
Two housing or dwelling units on a lot, usually sharing a wall.
MULTIFAMILY
Multiple units contained within a single building, with units usually stacked on top
of each other. Usually the individual units are for rent (apartments), but may be for
sale (condos). A higher-density multifamily may include multiple buildings on the lot,
creating a complex.
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 39
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL
Less intense commercial development, such as local retail, offices, restaurants, and
services to serve residents at a neighborhood scale.
GENERAL COMMERCIAL
More intense and large scale commercial development such as big box stores,
chain restaurants, offices, hotels usually located at major thoroughfares. General
Commercial uses need to be buffered from single-family residential development to
prevent any nuisances caused by them.
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
Light Industrial is manufacturing, processing, assembly, warehouse, and similar uses
that do not generate nuisances (noise, odor, dust, etc.) and are able to house the entire
operation inside the building, meaning there are no materials/products being stored or
work happening outdoors. They may also produce less heavy truck traffic than “heavier”
industry. This may include buildings that can adapt to and house a variety of tenants
and/or uses, such as offices, warehouses, and production or research space.
HEAVY INDUSTRIAL
Industrial uses (manufacturing, processing, assembly, warehousing and similar) that do
not fit under Light Industrial above.
PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
Consists of parks, recreational facilities, and open spaces. Generally considered
appropriate or compatible within all land use categories. Park design should be
contextually sensitive and provide the types of amenities appropriate for the
surrounding land uses. This means parks and open spaces in residential versus non-
residential areas may be very different.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT40
LAND USE ACRES PERCENTAGE
Large Lot Residential 1,408.2 11.1%
Low Density Residential 2,568.8 20.3%
Medium Density Residential 423.5 3.4%
High Density Residential 165.5 1.3%
Mixed Use 27.5 0.2%
Main Street 55.9 0.4%
Neighborhood Commercial 27.2 0.2%
General Commercial 628.1 5.0%
Business Industrial 346.1 2.7%
Light Industrial 1,395.8 11.0%
Heavy Industrial 452.2 3.6%
Public / Institutional 683.6 5.4%
Parks and Open Space 744.9 5.9%
ROW and Unplanned Areas 3,612.0 28.6%
Outside City of La Porte Jurisdiction 98.6 0.8%
Total 12,638.0 100.0%
FUTURE LAND USE
CATEGORIES
The future land use map is composed of
13 Land Use Categories. Each category
was created by analyzing existing
conditions coupled with recent market
trends and the La Porte community’s
vision. These categories determine
the type of land use and development
that will reshape the City’s current
development patterns and reach the
goals of this Plan.
Table 2. Future Land Use Acreages
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 41
Note:
A comprehensive plan shall not
constitute zoning district regulations
or establish zoning district boundaries.
--1. �(;l!)
--, I I
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I
I/NASA, USGS, EPA, NPS, USDA
FUTURE LAND USE IZ:I Airport District Opportunity Area m:I Bay Area Boulevard Opportunity
Area ml Broadway Corridor Opportunity
Area m Entertainment District
Opportunity Area
1Z:1 Main Street Opportunity Area 1
a::::I Main Street Opportunity Area 2 m Sylvan Beach Opportunity AreaL7 Low Density Residential D Large Lot Residential
-Mid Density Residential
-High Density Residential
Mixed Use
-Main Street
-Neighborhood Commercial
-Commercial
Business Industrial
Light Industrial
-Heavy Industrial
-Public / Institutional
-Parks and Open Space
Outside City of La Porte
Jurisdiction
----Bike Paths
-Hike and Bike Trail
La Porte City Limits
,. _ ... � La Porte ETJ
0
I
0.5 1 Miles
I
Map 4. Future Land Use Map
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT42
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Small lot single-family detached housing appropriate
in this land use category. Lot and site design may
accommodate an ADU to the side or rear; ADU should
be clearly secondary to the primary residence.
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
LARGE LOT RESIDENTIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Large Lot Residential classification is
for detached single-family homes on large
lots. Homes are generally farther apart
than homes in a traditional residential
subdivision and may differ from the
traditional neighborhood pattern. This
designation is intended to protect existing
large lot neighborhoods such as the
Lomax Area. Agricultural, residential, and
some non-residential uses that support
the residential development, such as
parks, recreation facilities, and schools,
may be appropriate in the area.
DENSITY
0-1 units per acre
INTENSITY
Low
SCALE
Low-Rise
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 43
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Small lot single-family detached housing appropriate
in this land use category. Lot and site design may
accommodate an ADU to the side or rear; ADU should
be clearly secondary to the primary residence.
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Considered appropriate if similar in character and lot
standards to single-family detached.
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Low Density Residential classification
is for single-family detached homes
in a traditional neighborhood pattern
where each dwelling unit is located on an
individual lot. Some additional residential
development types such as duplexes,
townhomes, and multifamily may be
allowed based on compatibility with
adjacent uses. The level of density may
vary between neighborhoods or within
the same neighborhood to encourage
diverse housing types. Residential and
some non-residential uses that support
the residential development, such as
parks, recreation facilities, and schools,
may be appropriate in the area.
DENSITY
3-8 units per acre
INTENSITY
Low
SCALE
Low-Rise
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT44
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes Small lot single-family detached housing appropriate in this
land use category.
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
May be considered appropriate if the development is
neighborhood scale and located in transition zones to buffer
lower density residential uses from more intense uses.
Neighborhood
Commercial
Generally appropriate with site design compatible with
adjacent lower density uses. Appropriate in that it provides
for retail, office, and services at a scale compatible with
and supportive of surrounding neighborhoods. Promotes
walkability and 10-minute neighborhoods.
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within all
Land Use Categories.
MEDIUM DENSITY
RESIDENTIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Medium Density Residential
classification is for attached and
detached single-family residential
developments such as duplexes and
townhomes. The purpose of this land
use classification is to provide a higher-
density residential development with
a balanced mix of residential and
associated land uses. Residential and
some non-residential uses that support
the residential development, such as
parks, recreation facilities, and schools,
may be appropriate in the area.
DENSITY
9-12 units per acre
INTENSITY
Low to Medium
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 45
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
Appropriate in that it provides for retail, office, and
diverse housing options at a scale compatible with and
supportive of surrounding neighborhoods. Promotes
walkability and 10-minute neighborhoods.
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
DENSITY
12-20 units per acre (Garden Style
Apartments)
20-30 units per acre (Modern/Mixed use
style apartments)
INTENSITY
Medium to High
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
The High Density Residential
classification is primarily intended
to provide multifamily housing with
higher density, such as apartments and
condominiums. The density range for this
use may vary significantly based on the
location of the development. Residential
and some non-residential uses that
support the residential development,
such as parks, recreation facilities, and
schools, may be appropriate in the area.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT46
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Appropriate with higher density missing middle
housing.
Multifamily Overall appropriate.
Neighborhood
Commercial
Generally appropriate with site design compatible with
adjacent lower density uses.
General Commercial
Generally considered appropriate to provide essential
commercial and retail options to services adjacent
uses.
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
DENSITY
3-20 units per acre
INTENSITY
Low to Medium
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
MIXED USE
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Mixed Use classification is intended
to incorporate varying uses, such as
office, retail, commercial, and residential
in one area. Mixed use development can
take the form of vertical or horizontal to
integrate different uses within the area.
Mixed use development is intended to
promote walkability and may incorporate
amenities such as plazas, public seating,
and pedestrian infrastructure.
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 47
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes Considered appropriate with character and lot
standards compatible with the Main Street District.
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Considered appropriate with character and lot
standards compatible with the Main Street District.
Multifamily
May be considered appropriate as vertical mixed use
with character and lot standards compatible with the
Main Street District.
Neighborhood
Commercial
Generally considered appropriate as vertical mixed
use with character and lot standards compatible with
the Main Street District. Local retail and services
should be encouraged in this land use category.
General Commercial
Generally considered appropriate as vertical mixed
use with character and lot standards compatible with
the Main Street District. Local retail and services
should be encouraged in this land use category.
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
MAIN STREET
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Main Street classification is intended
to promote a mix of commercial and
residential uses and preserve the
unique character of the traditional Main
Street area. Development in this area
supports a higher-density development
pattern to encourage a more walkable
and lively commercial environment.
Small-scale local commercial is more
conducive to this development type over
larger auto-centric commercial. Limited
mixed use multifamily residential and
medium-density single-family homes are
appropriate to support the commercial
uses.
DENSITY
20-30 units per acre
INTENSITY
Medium
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT48
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily May be considered appropriate to encourage mixed
use development and walkability.
Neighborhood
Commercial
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Neighborhood Commercial
classification includes a variety of
lower-intensity commercial uses
at the community level that can be
appropriately located adjacent to
residential uses with limited negative
impacts on those uses. This category is
intended to serve as a transition zone
between lower-intensity residential uses
and General Commercial uses.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
Low to Medium
SCALE
Low-Rise
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 49
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
GENERAL COMMERCIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The General Commercial classification
represents a wide variety of goods
and services at the regional level. The
scale of the commercial development
may vary significantly based on the
location of the development. Where the
General Commercial classification is
located adjacent to existing or proposed
residential development, buffering and
screening should be in place to reduce
the negative impacts on the residential
development.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
Medium
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT50
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
Overall appropriate; retail and services such as
restaurants, lodging, etc. that cater to the needs of
the workers in this area should be encouraged.
General Commercial
Light Industrial Considered appropriate with high-quality design
standards.
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
BUSINESS INDUSTRIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Business Industrial classification
provides for the establishment
of industrial development that is
compatible with surrounding or
abutting residential districts. Uses are
limited to administrative, wholesaling,
manufacturing, office or industrial
business parks, and related compatible
uses. Industrial uses with outdoor
storage or other operations are not
appropriate within this designation.
Office and commercial developments are
appropriate within this designation.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
Medium
SCALE
Low-Rise
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 51
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
Overall appropriate; retail and services such as
restaurants, lodging, etc. that cater to the needs of
the workers in this area should be encouraged.
General Commercial
Light Industrial Considered appropriate with high-quality design
standards.
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Light Industrial classification is for
a variety of manufacturing and storage
uses without outdoor operations. These
areas should be located along major
thoroughfares for easy transportation
access and be screened and buffered
from adjacent residential areas. Office
and commercial development may be
appropriate within this designation to
support the industrial development.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
Medium
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT52
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
Overall appropriate; retail and services such as
restaurants, lodging, etc. that cater to the needs of
the workers in this area should be encouraged.
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial Appropriate when the intended development is not
toxic to adjacent uses.
Open Space Appropriate when adjacent uses do no create a toxic
environment for the users of the open space.
HEAVY INDUSTRIAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Heavy Industrial classification
includes areas devoted to manufacturing,
storage, distribution, business/operations,
assembly, and processing. This land
use category might include more
intense industrial development, which
may involve outdoor storage, and/or
activities involving toxic material. These
areas should be located along major
thoroughfares for easy transportation
access and be screened and buffered
from adjacent residential areas. Office
and commercial development may be
appropriate within this designation to
support the industrial development.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
Medium to High
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 53
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space Generally considered appropriate or compatible within
all Land Use Categories.
PUBLIC/INSTITUTIONAL
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
The Public/Institutional classification
is for uses that serve a public purpose
or public entity, such as government
buildings, schools, libraries, and utilities.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
Low to Medium
SCALE
Low to Low/Mid-Rise
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT54
DEVELOPMENT TYPE APPROPRIATENESS CONDITIONS
Single-Family Homes
Duplex Homes and
Townhomes
Multifamily
Neighborhood
Commercial
General Commercial
Light Industrial
Heavy Industrial
Open Space On the FLUM, this land use category generally denotes
park uses already in existence.
PARKS AND OPEN SPACE
PURPOSE AND CHARACTER
This category includes existing public
parks and recreation areas, open spaces,
natural habitat areas, and areas within
the floodplain. These areas should be
preserved as public and neighborhood-
oriented open left in a naturalist
state. Limited development within this
classification, such as recreation, storage,
or maintenance facilities, should support
the associated public space.
DENSITY
N/A
INTENSITY
N/A
SCALE
N/A
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 55
AIRPORT DISTRICT
OPPORTUNITY AREA
ASSESSMENT
The Airport District Opportunity Area
encompasses the La Porte Municipal
Airport and the commercial development
adjacent to the airport along Spencer
Hwy. that supports and compliments
airport development. La Porte Municipal
Airport is a general aviation airport that
provides aviation facilities for commercial
and private use. The airport is maintained
and operated by the City’s Airport
Division. The airport’s service area
includes manufacturing, petrochemical,
oil, and manufacturing services industries
that require support from businesses and
services that can affect aviation demand
in the area.
OPPORTUNITY AREAS
The future land use map identifies six opportunity areas in the City of La Porte. These areas present unique opportunities for
development that can benefit the City economically and socially. The purpose of introducing Opportunity Areas as part of the
future land use map is to ensure specialized development efforts in these areas to spur change. The Opportunity Area serves as
an overlay to focus efforts and create a sense of place for each area in addition to the base future land use designations. For each
Opportunity Area, the current conditions are assessed, a vision for future development is created, and implementation strategies
are provided. The following are draft descriptions for the Opportunity Areas.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Implement and prioritize strategies
outlined in La Porte Municipal
Airport Business Plan
• Strengthen the Airport Brand
• Increase revenue by
developing hangars for
aviation use and solar farm for
non-aviation properties.
• Engage the community,
and reactivate the Airport
Advisory Board
• Attract small and local businesses
to the opportunity area.
VISION
The Airport District Opportunity Area
is envisioned to be a commercial area
encompassing the La Porte Municipal
Airport and adjacent properties, including
a number of aviation and non-aviation
uses. The La Porte Airport Business Plan,
adopted in 2017, recommends strategies
to improve the airport’s financial
performance, economic development, and
operation. The plan identifies On-Airport
Businesses as an opportunity for the
airport.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT56
Map 5. Airport District Opportunity Area
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 57
BAY AREA BOULEVARD
OPPORTUNITY AREA
ASSESSMENT
The Bay Area Boulevard Opportunity
Area is bordered by Spencer Hwy., Bay
Area Blvd., W. Fairmont Pkwy., and the
rail line. The area is primarily vacant,
with some development on the periphery,
including a gas station and some light
industrial uses. The area poses challenges
for development due to environmental
concerns and land use restrictions
prohibiting residential development.
VISION
The Bay Area Boulevard Opportunity Area
is envisioned to be developed as a mixed
use district with a variety of commercial
and industrial uses, including restaurants,
retail, office parks, and light industrial
uses. Commercial development will be
located along Bay Area Blvd. to buffer the
adjacent residential development, and a
mix of office and industrial will also be
located on the site to encourage a mix of
business types. The area would benefit
from incorporating parks, trails, and
sidewalk connections wherever possible
to promote health and active living in the
area.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Improve sidewalk connectivity.
Identify appropriate locations for parks and trail networks within the area.
Attract retail, restaurants, and other personal services to the area.
Create proper buffering between the district and adjacent residential uses.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT58
Map 6. Bay Area Boulevard Opportunity Area
Bay Area.pdf
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 59
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Improve sidewalk connectivity and
bike infrastructure to enhance
access to multiple destinations.
Utilize incentives and other tools to
attract appropriate retail and local
businesses to the area.
Improve access to existing parks
and other recreational facilities.
Improve existing parks and
recreational facilities.
Facilitate adaptive reuse and
infill development of vacant or
underutilized properties along
Broadway St.
BROADWAY CORRIDOR
OPPORTUNITY AREA
ASSESSMENT
The Broadway Opportunity Area is
located along S. Broadway St. from B. St.
to Wharton Weems Blvd. and south of
W. Fairmont Pkwy. The area comprises
a mix of uses, including commercial,
institutional, and low-density residential
uses north of W Fairmont Pkwy and
commercial, medium-density residential,
low-density residential, and recreational
uses south of W Fairmont Pkwy.
VISION
The Broadway Opportunity Area is
envisioned to be developed as an
economically vibrant mixed use corridor
with access to multiple destinations.
More intense commercial uses should
be located north of Fairmont Ave. The
area should provide residents and
visitors access to numerous retail and
recreational destinations through
improved active transportation
infrastructure. Appropriate buffering
should also be developed to separate
residential uses from commercial uses
along Broadway Street.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT60
Map 7. Broadway Opportunity Area
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 61
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
OPPORTUNITY AREA
ASSESSMENT
The Entertainment District Opportunity
Area, located south of W. Fairmont Pkwy.
and west of SH 146, is a predominantly
commercial area comprising chain
restaurants and hotels. Existing
vacant parcels within the area provide
opportunities for new development.
VISION
The Entertainment District Opportunity
Area is envisioned to be a family-
friendly, mixed use, commercial district
with hotels, restaurants, and other
recreational uses. The area will provide
opportunities for people to gather
and access local restaurants, art,
and recreation. The area will have an
accessible pedestrian network for people
to access different attractions within the
district.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Improve and maintain sidewalk
connectivity within the area.
Encourage local small businesses
such as cafes, art galleries, and
family-friendly entertainment such
as cinemas and bowling alleys.
Utilize incentives and other appli-
cable economic development tools
to attract desired development
types for the area.
Create distinctive branding for the
area and develop its image as an
emerging community center for La
Porte.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT62
Map 8. Entertainment District Opportunity Area
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 63
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Leverage the Texas Main Street
Program to revitalize Main Street.
Attract local businesses to Main
Street to ensure the economic
vitality of the area.
Create distinctive branding for
Main Street that reflects the
unique character of the area.
Improve walkability and bikeability
in the opportunity area.
Implement consolidated parking
solutions to meet the parking
demand in the area.
Continue to support and expand
upon the success of existing Main
Street events.
Develop a plan for Main Street to
specifically address development,
connectivity, economic
development opportunities, and
business development within the
district.
Engage community in planning
efforts and build partnerships with
stakeholders and property owners
on Main Street.
MAIN STREET OPPORTUNITY
AREA
ASSESSMENT
The Main Street Opportunity Areas
extends from SH 146 to S. Brownell St.
and comprise several local businesses,
government buildings, and residential
development. Vacant or underutilized
buildings within the area present
opportunities for adaptive reuse of
existing buildings and to introduce
additional entertainment-type uses
that build on the success of existing
businesses. The historic main street
character and traditional development
pattern make this area of the City
unique and are supported through the
development of small local businesses
within the district.
VISION
The Main Street Opportunity Area is
envisioned to be developed as a vibrant
mixed use district offering residents
and visitors access to downtown living,
local businesses, and small offices while
preserving the area’s unique character.
Revitalization efforts for this area
will focus on adaptive reuse and infill
development to continue the existing
urban fabric within the district. Additional
improvements to sidewalk connectivity
and pedestrian safety will provide
walkable connections to adjacent
residential and commercial uses and
serve to promote a pedestrian-friendly
environment. Branding and programming
for the district will continue to reflect
the unique character of the area as a
destination within La Porte and the heart
of the community.
The Main Street Opportunity area
comprises two parts - the Main Street
Core and the Main Street Transition. The
Main Street Core extends from SH 146
to S Iowa Ave. Main Street Core focuses
on the traditional main street style
development with vertical and horizontal
mixed use development. The Main Street
Transition includes the area extending
from S Iowa Ave to S Brownell St and
serves as a transition zone between
the Main Street Core and surrounding
residential uses. The transition area may
incorporate more traditional suburban-
style development that supports the Main
Street Core.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT64
Map 9. Main Street Opportunity Area
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 65
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Improve and maintain sidewalk
connectivity within the area.
Encourage local small businesses
such as cafes, art galleries, and
family-friendly entertainment that
is sensitive to nearby residential
development.
Utilize incentives and other
applicable economic development
tools to attract desired
development types for the area.
Create distinctive branding for the
area and develop its image as an
emerging community center for La
Porte.
Coordinate with Harris County to
implement the strategies proposed
in the Sylvan Beach Park Master
Plan.
SYLVAN BEACH
OPPORTUNITY AREA
ASSESSMENT
The Sylvan Beach Opportunity Area
consists of residential, commercial, mixed
use, and recreational development along
Sylvan Beach extended from S. Brownell
St. to S R St. The area currently houses
Sylvan Beach Park, which is a recreational
asset for the community. In addition, the
area consists of local businesses such
as an art gallery, beauty studio, and
transport services. A Master Plan for
Sylvan Beach Park has been developed
by Harris County, which will guide
development in the area.
VISION
The Sylvan Beach Opportunity Area
is envisioned to be developed as a
vibrant mixed use neighborhood while
retaining its existing character to provide
opportunities for recreation and a variety
of housing options. The area will provide
opportunities for people to gather
and access local restaurants, art, and
shopping. The area will have an accessible
pedestrian network for people to access
different attractions within the district.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT66
Map 10. Sylvan Beach Opportunity Area
DRAFT LAnD uSE AnD DEVELopmEnT 67
DRAFT
TRANSPORTATION AND
MOBILITY
4
DRAFT
DRAFT
An efficient transportation network is
crucial to the day-to-day functioning
of the city. It plays an important role in
ensuring access to healthcare, services,
education, and employment. The City of
La Porte faces unique challenges related
to transportation as the City being a
major industrial center. This chapter
provides an overview of the existing
transportation network in La Porte and
recommends strategies for transportation
improvements to reduce the negative
impacts of freight traffic, improve
alternative modes of transportation,
and keep up with market demand and
changing technologies.
INTRODUCTION
LEADING WITH COMMUNITY INPUT
Top ranked transportation priorities
Complete streets that accommodate
bikes, transit, cars, and pedestrians1
2 A connected sidewalk network
Off-street bike and pedestrian trail
network3Public Meeting and Survey Comments
HIKE AND BIKE NETWORK
55%
What do you think will be the most
critical issues facing La Porte in the
future?
1st RANKManaging heavy truck
and passenger car
traffic
“Too much heavy industrial traffic. You can no
longer drive down Fairmont Pkwy at 55mph. It
is not inviting for citizens and visitors.”
“Improve Walkability” “Improve Major Roadways
and Sidewalks”
“La Porte should create its own transportation system
along with creating bike lanes around town to further
promote community. The car traffic gets unbearable
at times and La Porte should be a more walkable and
public transportation oriented city.”
Which historical and recreational
resources should be prioritized for future
enhancements?
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 71
PREVIOUS COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
The 2012 Comprehensive Plan and the 2018 Comprehensive Plan Update identify
multiple strategies for roadway improvements, sidewalk improvements, and
leveraging available funding opportunities.
H-GAC SOUTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY SUB-REGIONAL STUDY
The Southeast Harris County Subregion encompasses city areas west of SH
146. The study identified strategies to improve traffic safety in the subregion
based on public input, existing conditions, and future growth estimates. The
study provides area-wide, corridor, and intersection improvements that can help
solve issues related to freight traffic, traffic congestion, active transportation,
and traffic safety in La Porte. Map 11 shows the location of recommended
improvements in La Porte.
2014 TRUCK TRAFFIC, ROUTE, TRUCK PARKING, AND ORDINANCE UPDATE STUDY
This study assesses the current truck operation in La Porte to guide updates
to the Truck Ordinance and provide strategies for addressing freight-related
concerns in the City. The study recommends modifications to the designated
truck routes (shown in Map 13), parking improvements along truck stops,
designating truck stops, and modifications to the truck ordinance and
enforcement.
2020 PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN
The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan, adopted in October
2020, recommends strategies to improve walkability, accessibility, and
promote traffic safety. The recommendations from the plan will help connect
active transportation infrastructure to important destinations such as parks,
entertainment, and Main Street while enhancing traffic safety.
PREVIOUS PLANS AND STUDIES
In developing this chapter, the
project team reviewed transportation
recommendations from previous
plans and policies to identify
strategies that can be prioritized as
part of the transportation planning
process. The transportation-related
recommendations in this plan incorporate
those recommended in some of the
previous studies conducted by various
agencies for the City of La Porte. The
recommendations outlined in this chapter
also build on the future land use plan,
community vision, and market analysis.
The plans and studies listed to the right
are informed by an extensive analysis of
crash data statistics, future projections,
existing infrastructure analysis, etc. The
recommendations from these plans that
have not been fully implemented should
be prioritized and implemented alongside
proposed implementation action items.
Successful implementation will need
coordination with existing plans and
policies.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT72
SE Harris -Recommendations
Esri,HERE,City of Houston,HPB,Texas Parks &Wildlife,Esri,HERE,
Garmin,GeoTechnologies,Inc.,USGS,EPA
Dark Gray Canvas Reference
Intersection Improvements
Proposed Ped/Bike Facilities
Trail
Shared Use Path
Corridor Improvements
Resurface
Active Transportation
Complete Street
None
Dark Gray Canvas Base
6/7/2023 0 1 20.5 mi
0 1.5 30.75 km
1:75,000
Map 11. Southeast Harris County Proposed Ped/Bike Facilities and Corridor Improvements
SE Harris -Recommendations
Esri,HERE,City of Houston,HPB,Texas Parks &Wildlife,Esri,HERE,
Garmin,GeoTechnologies,Inc.,USGS,EPA
DarkGrayCanvas Reference
IntersectionImprovements
Proposed Ped/Bike Facilities
Trail
Shared Use Path
Corridor Improvements
Resurface
Active Transportation
Complete Street
None
Dark Gray Canvas Base
6/7/2023 0 1 20.5 mi
0 1.5 30.75 km
1:75,000
Intersection Improvements
Trail
Shared Use Path
SE Harris -Recommendations
Esri,HERE,City of Houston,HPB,Texas Parks &Wildlife,Esri,HERE,
Garmin,GeoTechnologies,Inc.,USGS,EPA
Dark Gray Canvas Reference
Intersection Improvements
Proposed Ped/Bike Facilities
Trail
Shared Use Path
Corridor Improvements
Resurface
Active Transportation
Complete Street
None
Dark Gray Canvas Base
6/7/2023 0 1 20.5 mi
0 1.5 30.75 km
1:75,000
Resurface
Active Transportation
SE Harris -Recommendations
Esri,HERE,City of Houston,HPB,Texas Parks &Wildlife,Esri,HERE,
Garmin,GeoTechnologies,Inc.,USGS,EPA
Dark Gray Canvas Reference
Intersection Improvements
Proposed Ped/Bike Facilities
Trail
Shared Use Path
Corridor Improvements
Resurface
Active Transportation
Complete Street
None
Dark Gray Canvas Base
6/7/2023 0 1 20.5 mi
0 1.5 30.75 km
1:75,000
Complete Street
None
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 73
EXISTING NETWORK
The dominant mode of transportation in
La Porte is personal automobiles, which
is consistent with the neighboring cities
and the Houston Metro Area. The City is
situated along two major highways and
a railroad. State Highway (SH) 225 is a
heavily traveled roadway in the region,
accommodating more than 83,5921
vehicles per day measured West of
SH 146. SH 225 is a locally designated
hazardous cargo route, making it
desirable for many industries and an
important link for La Porte residents and
businesses to the overall region, state,
and nation.
State Highway (SH) 146 is another
heavily traveled roadway in the region,
accommodating more than 71,411
vehicles per day measured at the count
location north of Main Street (Texas
A&M Transportation Institute, 2021).2 SH
146 extends to Houston to the East and
Interstate 10 in West Texas. SH 225 is a
locally designated hazardous cargo route,
making it desirable for many industries
and plays a role in linking La Porte
residents and businesses to the overall
region, state and nation.
1 2013 La Porte Retail Analysis & Merchandising Plan
2 2021 La Porte, Morgan’s Point, and Shoreacres Hazardous
Materials Truck Transport prepared by Texas A&M Transportation
Institute
SH 146 extends all the way to Baytown,
SH 99 and beyond to I-10. Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
and Harris County own Rights-of-Way in
the City, creating a need for coordination
between different agencies to implement
road improvements.
Union Pacific Strang Yard sits within La
Porte’s City limits. In 1997, Union Pacific
inherited the site after its merger with
Southern Pacific Transportation Company
(Southern Pacific Railroad). Union Pacific
has conducted cleanup activities to
this site under the oversight of state
regulators.3 In addition, the La Porte
Municipal Airport located on Fairmont
Ave and Spencer Pkwy provides aviation
facilities for private and commercial use
of La Porte area citizens and businesses.
The City experiences a high freight traffic
volume which puts pressure on the
existing transportation network, causes
bottlenecks, as well as leads to safety
issues for the residents and travelers.
La Porte is an industrial city and thus,
planning for freight traffic is a crucial
component to ensuring connectivity
and mobility as well as efficiency of the
transportation system. The designated
3 https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/dioxin-
study-response-it-220928.htm
freight routes are shown in Map 13.
Though the City has designated freight
routes, trucks tend to travel on local
roads occasionally to services such
as restaurants, lodging and to make
deliveries. The City needs to plan for
additional services and amenities along
designated truck routes to provide drivers
improved access along those routes and
in turn, reduce congestion and conflicts
on local roads.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT74
Map 12. Existing Transportation Network
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 75
Map 13. Designated Truck Routes
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT76
LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION
Land use and transportation are closely
linked to each other. The land use pattern
in an area affects travel behavior and vice
versa. This is especially true for La Porte,
which experiences a significant volume
of freight traffic that impacts the day-
to-day activities of the City. The land use
pattern for La Porte needs to be designed
to minimize the negative impacts of
freight traffic on less intense uses such as
residential and recreational. In addition,
commercial uses need to be placed on
major arterials to ensure maximum
footfall and maintain the economic
vitality of the City.
An appropriate mix of uses might also
aid in reducing automobile dependency
and improve access to public areas
and services by alternative modes of
transportation. Improved pedestrian and
bicycle access and safety were identified
as major themes through community
engagement. The future land use plan
takes the land use-transportation
interactions and community input into
consideration to plan for a safer, more
accessible, and connected La Porte.
In addition to a future land use plan
that is sensitive to transportation-
related needs, La Porte should initiate
a full Master Transportation Plan
(MTP) to ensure that future mobility
improvements align with land use goals
moving forward. An MTP is a multimodal,
comprehensive guide for all types of
transportation growth. Most MTPs should
include a full network inventory and
up-to-date Thoroughfare Plan, roadway
design standards or typical design for
functional classifications that support
the goals of the Comprehensive Plan,
and be supported by ongoing analysis.
The Thoroughfare Plan, specifically,
designates the location and type of
roadway facilities that will be needed
to meet long-term demand. It is not a
list of construction projects (Capital
Improvement Plan), but a tool that allows
the City to preserve space for corridors in
the future.
As La Porte continues to direct land
use and transportation projects in
harmony with one another, the MTP and
Thoroughfare Plan will also be needed so
that future development projects do not
conflict with long-range expansion plans.
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 77
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION MODES
Access to alternative/active
transportation modes can help improve
public health and promote transportation
equity. The City aspires to create walkable
and bikeable neighborhoods complete
with accessible pedestrian infrastructure,
and trail connections where appropriate.
Walk-bike network facilities, land use
patterns, and traffic safety significantly
impact people’s mode choices. For this
reason, it is important to create safe
shared streets within the City to provide
alternative transportation options for
residents and visitors.
SIDEWALKS
Pedestrian infrastructure characteristics
such as connectivity, continuity, width,
barriers, and overall condition can
impact walkability and physical activity.
Improved, connected, and safe sidewalks
can positively impact people’s decision
to walk more and create active and
vibrant neighborhoods in La Porte. The
City currently lacks adequate sidewalk
infrastructure to provide end-mile
connectivity for its users. Moreover,
improving sidewalk connections will
improve access to health services,
grocery stores, schools, etc., especially
for people with limited mobility options.
The City can also leverage local,
state, and federal funding to improve
pedestrian infrastructure. Pedestrian
infrastructure is also important for
aiding people to age in place. Sidewalk
improvement and connections will
be most beneficial in the Main Street
Opportunity Area, Entertainment
District Opportunity Area, Northside
Neighborhood Opportunity Area, and the
Broadway Corridor Opportunity Area.
Detailed recommendations for improving
pedestrian infrastructure are provided in
the later sections of this chapter.
TRAILS
La Porte currently has 15 hike and bike
trails, including two bike lanes. The 2020
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
Master Plan provides goals and strategies
for the development of the trail network
in the City. La Porte should continue to
implement the actions and initiatives
from the 2020 Parks, Recreation, and
Open Space Master Plan. In addition, the
City can explore the introduction of trails
for cyclists and pedestrians in the Lomax
area that connect to the arena and can be
used for horseback riding.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT78
BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE
In addition to bike trails, shared-use
paths, wherever appropriate, will help
connect people to multiple destinations.
La Porte can benefit from connecting
trails to improved off-street and on-
street bike infrastructure paths and
bike racks. Proper signage and signals
should also be installed to ensure traffic
safety for bicyclists. The 2020 Parks,
Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan
recommends strategies for creating city-
wide bicycle connectivity. The City of La
Porte should continue to implement the
strategies outlined in the master plan.
PUBLIC TRANSIT
La Porte is serviced by the Harris County
Transit System, which offers fixed-route
bus service in the area. The bus service
connects the City to destinations within
and beyond the City limits. Improvements
in the pedestrian-bike infrastructure
along the major transit stops can help
provide end-mile connectivity to residents
and visitors. The City should continue
to work with Harris County to ensure
accessible and dependable transit options
for the community.
GOLF CARTS
Golf carts are used widely in La Porte
by residents, especially for short trips.
Currently, the high-speed traffic on
the streets compromises the safety of
golf cart users in the City. Also, golf
carts create safety issues for the more
vulnerable users of the road such as
pedestrians and bicyclists. Improving
safety for all users of the road is
important to maintaining the multimodal
transportation system in La Porte. La
Porte can benefit from shared use paths,
reduced speed limits on streets with a
high volume of golf cart traffic, improved
signage, and safety education for golf
cart users.
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 79
TRAFFIC SAFETY
Ensuring safety for all users of the
road is especially crucial in La Porte,
given the high volume of freight traffic
passing through the City. Map 14 and
Map 15 illustrate the location of traffic
crashes in La Porte in the last five years
(2018-2022), highlighting traffic crashes
resulting in fatalities, traffic crashes
involving freight, and traffic crashes
involving pedestrians and bicyclists. Most
of the fatal traffic crashes occurred on W
Fairmont Parkway and near SH 146.
PEDESTRIAN AND
BICYCLIST SAFETY
Traffic crashes involving pedestrians
and bicyclists, shown in Map 14, were
concentrated near major intersections
throughout the City. This is important
because it provides a starting point for
understanding where improvements are
needed most urgently to ensure safety
for more vulnerable users of the road.
Local law enforcement can provide
insights into traffic safety. The Planning
Department can partner with Law
Enforcement to solicit public comment
to help identify the most problematic
streets and intersections that should be
prioritized for safety improvements.
Using public engagement to prioritize
safety improvements will strengthen
public support for future projects and
provide evidence to demonstrate public
engagement in grant applications.
Future roadway improvements related to
vulnerable users can also be included in
the proposed Master Transportation Plan.
FREIGHT SAFETY AND
MODE SEPARATION
Map 15 shows the location of traffic
crashes involving freight within the City.
Most freight-related crashed occurred on
SH 146, SH 225, and Fairmont Pkwy., which
are designated hazard cargo and truck
routes. Freight traffic forms a significant
percentage of the modal share in La Porte,
making trucks a part of the day-to-day
activities in the City. It is crucial to plan for
traffic safety and congestion management
within the City. La Porte should continually
coordinate with TxDOT to carry out street
and intersection improvements on SH 146
and SH 225 to improve road safety for all
users.
Separating freight traffic from other
modes of transportation, such as cars,
pedestrians, bicyclists, can help reduce
potential conflict. The City can explore
amending the zoning ordinance to
accommodate stops for freight movement
to better control traffic and freight
activity on City streets. In addition, traffic
calming measures on busy streets can
be beneficial along with creating buffers
to separate freight traffic on streets
with a higher volume of pedestrians and
bicyclists.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT80
Map 14. Traffic Crashes and Fatalities
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 81
Map 15. Crashes involving Freight, Pedestrians, and Bicyclists
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT82
TRANSPORTATION SECTOR DISRUPTION
In addition to being vital to people’s day-
to-day functioning within communities,
an effective transportation network is
one of the most important contributors
to a region’s economic success. While La
Porte was primarily a resort town in its
beginnings, it has long centered around
a rail line, and the chemical industry of
World War II helped lift La Porte out of
the depression. Today, there is no denying
the important role that freight and
movement of goods through the City now
play in supporting local, statewide, and
national industries.
Several technological advancements
are proving to be disrupters in the
transportation industry, many for the
better. These include electrification,
automation, telecommuting, mobility as
a service, and big data, among others. As
La Porte moves forward, particularly in
developing a transportation master plan,
it is essential to consider these disruptors
as advantages or hints that provide
insight into how the community might
prepare for its transportation future. The
City should also use region-wide data
and tools available through H-GAC to
arrive at informed projections related to
demographics and travel behaviors.
Over the past 30 years, goods being
delivered by truck in Texas have doubled.
Furthermore, electric and autonomous
vehicle technology is already being
deployed in the freight realm with respect
to things like convoys, but interactions
between freight and commuter traffic
throughout the state will continue
to change as these disruptors and
innovations evolve. La Porte’s reality as
an industry town requires a mutually
beneficial network that does not interrupt
the value brought to the City by public
amenities such as parks and recreational
amenities as well as by economic
development.
While separation of freight and commuter
traffic is ideal from a safety perspective,
the City should seriously consider
increasing accommodations for trucks
and truck operators, as freight traffic
is only expected to increase with the
continued expansion of internet retail and
other types of e-commerce. The reality
is that La Porte is an industry town.
Creating convenient, centrally located,
and designated areas within the City for
critical services such as lodging, food,
and fuel for freight and freight operators
actually allows La Porte to more closely
guide the growth and development of
the community by being mindful to
separation of uses. If drivers do not have
designated accommodations, this freight
traffic is likely to become less predictable
and therefore less safe.
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 83
FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS
There are a variety of sources of funding for the development and implementation of transportation capital and planning projects
in La Porte. By investing in partnerships with a variety of agencies, a combination of public and private funds may be leveraged to
meet the City’s long-term goals. Samples of funding opportunities are described below.
LOCAL & REGIONAL FUNDING
Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
CIP development is completed in
conjunction with the budgeting process
and can include both planning and
programming items. City offices can work
to allocate resources to meet capital,
operations, and maintenance goals and
keep a transparent record of priorities.
Roadway Capital Recovery Fees
Capital recovery fees, or impact fees,
are a long-term solution to meeting
additional demand for transportation
as the City continues developing and
changing. After adopting a program
structure, administration of the impact
fee program is paid for in part by the fees
themselves. This means La Porte can
potentially see a relatively quick fiscal
return on an action like this.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
(H-GAC) & Harris County
H-GAC typically has competitive and
cooperative funding available to advance
projects and programs that also meet
regional transportation goals. Mobility
projects such as safety improvements,
safety plans, or bicycle/pedestrian
facilities should make the best possible
use of these opportunities. Generating
support from agencies such as law
enforcement, LPISD, EDC, Chamber of
Commerce, TxDOT, and other City offices
can strengthen this opportunity.
STATE & FEDERAL FUNDING
Rebuilding American Infrastructure
with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)
This competitive discretionary program
administered by the US Department of
Transportation focuses on investments
in surface transportation infrastructure
that have significant local or regional
impact. Any unit of local government,
public agencies, or transit agencies,
among others, are eligible to apply. RAISE
may also be applied to new infrastructure
that supports freight movement, such as
bridge connections.
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement (CMAQ) Program
The CMAQ Program supports programs
and projects aimed at improving air
quality and reducing congestion.
Transportation facilities such as trails and
paths that reduce automobile trips and
those not exclusively for recreational use
are eligible.
Transportation Investment Generating
Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program
This USDOT competitive funding program
supports a variety of innovative projects
that must improve quality of life, support
economic development, and provide
environmental benefit. The program
favors “shovel-ready” projects.
Ultimately, involvement by a greater
number of partner agencies and
high rates of public and stakeholder
engagement will positively position La
Porte to be able to implement a variety of
projects and programs.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT84
RECOMMENDATIONS
Historically, the City of La Porte has
put forth many useful transportation-
related recommendations through
previous planning efforts. Transportation
and Mobility Action Items shown in the
Implementation chapter span program
development, capital projects, and
additional studies. In addition to these
official recommendations, there are
several ongoing trends that La Porte
should monitor and plan around as the
City continues developing.
Firstly, remote work has changed
commuting patterns nationwide. The
COVID-19 crisis made it clear that
resiliency can mean not only being ready
for natural or climate disasters, but also
public health events that significantly
alter the way people move. An MTP, as
previously described, can address these
variables as they relate specifically to La
Porte. Additionally, freight movement,
however critical to the community and
economy, can be a massive disruptor,
as outlined in earlier sections. La Porte
should consider initiating an intermodal
freight plan that covers dealing with
mode conflicts, hazmat routes, service
delivery, and proximity to schools and
other sensitive receptors.
Moving forward, identifying the most
critical transportation connections
for all modes, pinpointing methods to
more closely curate truck movements,
considering preferred trade-offs, and
proactively pursuing transportation effort
funding are important steps to ensure
actionable improvements continue.
The performance metrics table in the
Implementation chapter should be
monitored and updated as projects are
completed or as long-range goals shift.
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 85
Map 16. Pedestrians and Bicyclists Traffic Crashes
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT86
DRAFT TRAnSpoRTATion AnD mobiLiTy 87
DRAFT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
5
DRAFT
INTRODUCTION
LEADING WITH COMMUNITY INPUT
What are the best ways to ensure that
all residents can prosper?
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND
ENTREPRENEURS1
2 PROVIDE WORKFORCE TRAINING SO PEOPLE
ARE PREPARED FOR THE WORKFORCE
ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING3Public Meeting and Survey Comments
AUTHENTIC DOWNTOWN
66%
What should attract visitors to La
Porte in the future?
58%
Unique shopping and
entertainment
“Provide incentives to attract businesses that
will bring people from the metro area here
instead of the other way around.”
“Good restaurants with a
variety of flavors, more retail.”
“Need more
grocery stores.”
“Downtown La Porte needs to be revamped. Make it inviting by
opening up the vacant buildings with boutiques, specialty shops,
etc, it could be a thriving part of La Porte like other small towns
(Pearland, Boerne, Brenham). So much opportunity.”
In 2040, La Porte will be known for:
This chapter incorporates an overview
of local and regional real estate
characteristics and trends together with a
look at historical and projected economic
and demographic trends to arrive at a set
of quantitative forecasts of development
potential in La Porte. This analysis by
Leland Consulting Group (“LCG”) is
intended to help guide the updated
La Porte Comprehensive Plan with a
fresh look at market conditions and
development prospects for the City. The
analysis within each land use category
(i.e., residential, retail, and industrial)
includes descriptions of challenges and
market-supported opportunities that
La Porte could pursue over the coming
years to help meet housing and economic
development goals within the context of
the updated Comprehensive Plan.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 91
MARKET CONTEXT
La Porte is one of many smaller cities
forming the southeastern edge of the
massive Houston metroplex. The City
has evolved from a free-standing small
town into a highly interconnected
suburb with at least two predominant
“identities.” It manages to be both a vital
hub of industry for regional petroleum
processing and import/export logistics
activity, while at the same time remaining
a relatively affordable, family-friendly
bayside community, with manageable
commutes into the heart of the metro but
considerably less hustle and bustle than
Houston proper.
This historical dual character of La
Porte as both an industrial town and
a bedroom community presents both
advantages (strong tax base, employment
opportunities, civic involvement, etc.) and
challenges (traffic, environmental, land
use compatibility, etc.) for its residents
and employers.
Over the past two decades, La Porte-
based firms have become increasingly
reliant on in-commuting to fill local
positions – a trend that will hopefully
reverse course, at least somewhat, with
some of the recent housing additions.
While it is unrealistic to expect all or even
most La Porte employees to also live in
the City, enabling every person to find
both a home and a job within La Porte
will help to stem the increasing morning
and evening traffic.
As the City has filled in over the years,
the low-hanging fruit of easily buildable
land assemblies has dwindled, leaving a
more challenging environment for both
residential and commercial developers
looking to keep up with increased
demand for housing and industry. Future
expansion will require more creativity
on the part of both private and public
sectors to carve out new projects,
including redevelopment opportunities,
that can create a trickier landscape
of infrastructure, flood safety, and
environmental compatibility requirements
on remaining sites.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT92
Map 17. La Porte and Comparison Geographies
COMPARISON
GEOGRAPHIES
This market analysis relies on a number
of different geographic areas to build
appropriate comparisons depending
on the topic. The City limits of La Porte
are typically included in comparisons
throughout the analysis, sometimes
along with other nearby incorporated
municipalities, such as Deer Park,
Seabrook, Baytown, and Pasadena.
A custom geography referred to as
Southeast Harris County was drawn to
help contextualize certain broader sub-
regional indicators (including retail and
residential demand) and to give a sense
for La Porte’s “fair share” of the sub-
regional market. Finally, Harris County
and the Houston metropolitan area are
used as points of comparison in some
cases, along with the U.S.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 93
Source: U.S. Census and ESRI
Figure 16. Nine-County Houston
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
Figure 17. Annual Population Growth
Rate, 2010 to 2020, La Porte and
Comparisons
Source: U.S. Census, ESRI
GROWTH AND KEY
DEMOGRAPHICS
Future residential population growth in La
Porte and the surrounding area is one of
the most important drivers of economic
activity over the comprehensive planning
horizon, especially in regard to the
demand for housing and support for retail
activity.
Many complex regional factors come
into play in shaping population growth,
including birth and death rates,
employment dynamics, and migration
patterns, but simply understanding the
trajectory of recent growth can often be
the best starting place for forecasting
upcoming population changes.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the
official population count in the City of La
Porte was 35,124, and the City may have
(unofficially) tipped the 37,000-resident
mark in 2022, after growing 0.9 percent
annually from 2010 to 2022.
This annual rate of recent growth was
faster than the U.S. overall (0.7 percent)
and the Southeast Harris County sub-
regional comparison (0.6 percent), but
just under half the annual rate for the
Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area
(MSA) overall – one of the nation’s
fastest-growing major metroplexes.
Figure 18. Income and Educational Attainment of Residents, La Porte versus
Comparison Areas
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT94
Map 18. Population Density and Resident Wages by Quartile, La Porte Area
Going back to 2000 and comparing
against an expanded group including
other nearby cities, La Porte’s population
has grown by 12 percent in total – more
cumulative percentage growth than its
neighbor, Pasadena (5 percent), but less
than the U.S. overall, which is tied with
Deer Park at 18 percent.
Map 18 shows the geographic distribution
of (employed) residents in the region,
with dots sized to show density and
shaded to represent relative wages
(purple is highest). For the most part, La
Porte residents are in the upper half of
regional wages, with some exceptions
generally clustered toward Downtown.
Outside La Porte, wages generally skew
lower towards Pasadena and higher to the
south toward Clear Lake, Friendswood,
and League City. Large gaps are evident
where natural and industrial features limit
residential density entirely.
La Porte’s income and education profile
is typical of an area with a strong blue-
collar industrial presence, with far higher
median household incomes than the
metro area and nation as a whole despite
having a much lower share of adults
with four-year college degrees. Quality
vocational and on-the-job training in this
job environment can translate well into
steady, high-paying work.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 95
Source: LEHD On the Map, based on 2019 estimates (latest available)
Source: LEHD On the Map, based on 2019 estimates (latest available)
EMPLOYMENT
CONDITIONS
Employment in the U.S. dipped briefly
during the height of COVID-19 in 2020
but has rebounded to new heights in
2021 and 2022, with local Houston-area
jobs following suit. Unemployment is
near historic lows both nationally and
regionally (3.3 percent nationally, 4.3
percent for Houston Metro in September
2022. While that is generally positive
for job-seekers, the tight labor market
creates hiring and retention problems for
employers and contributes to the wage
side of the on-going inflation crisis.
La Porte establishments employ
approximately 24,000 workers,
representing 11.4 percent of the Southeast
Houston submarket. From 2014 to 2019,
La Porte employment increased by a
robust 4.3 percent annually, faster than
the already impressive 3.5 percent annual
growth across the Southeast Harris
County submarket.
As shown in Figure 19 , La Porte’s
employment mix is made up primarily of
the construction, professional services,
and logistics sectors involved in the
chemical manufacturing as well as port
distribution industries. Unlike other
markets where construction jobs are
concentrated in homebuilding, La Porte’s
construction employment is more likely
Figure 19. La Porte Workplace Employment by Industry Group, 2019
Figure 20. Shifting La Porte Commuting Patterns, 2002 to 2019
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT96
Source: LEHD On the Map; and Leland Consulting Group
to be engaged in building and maintaining
industrial facilities for manufacturing or
logistics firms.
Workplaces in La Porte have become
increasingly dependent on workers
commuting in from outside the City,
as shown in Figure 20 on page 96.
This dynamic is generally undesirable
as it detracts from the quality of life
for workers having to commute long
distances, reduces the sense of civic
ownership that comes from having
a workforce made up largely of local
residents, and adds to traffic congestion.
Reliance on out-commuting is particularly
high in the construction, manufacturing,
logistics, and professional services
(primarily engineering-related) industries,
as shown in Figure 21. Conversely, but to
a lesser extent, La Porte houses more
healthcare, retail, and education workers
than its local firms employ – fueling net
out-commuting in those industries.
To the extent that La Porte can attract
more workers willing to both live and
work in the City (primarily through
quality-of-life and transportation
improvements), both in-commuting and
out-commuting impacts can be reduced
over time. Encouraging a housing mix
that is better tailored to those workers
and providing civic amenities with broad
appeal can help in that regard. It is also
possible that persistently higher gasoline
Figure 21. La Porte Industry Employment Levels by Place of Residence and Place of
Employment
prices may increase demand for housing
located closer to places of work in
general.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 97
Source: U.S. Census Building Permit Survey, City of La Porte
RESIDENTIAL MARKET
Market demand for new residential
development has been unusually strong
in recent years, driven by exceptionally
high multifamily absorption. The
residential market, both in the Houston
metro area and throughout the urban
U.S., is characterized by high demand
and insufficient supply production.
This dynamic resulted in low vacancies
(especially in the single-family market)
and spiraling home prices and rents.
Residential development activity in La
Porte was relatively slow during the 2009
to 2012 recession period but has again
ramped up in the years since, with record
housing permit years in 2019 through
2022 – averaging just over 400 annual
permits, driven by an especially active
multifamily market in 2019 and 2020, as
illustrated in Figure 22.
Figure 22. La Porte Building Permit Activity, 2000 to 2022
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT98
Source: U.S. Census Building Permit Survey
Figure 23 shows the same building
permit activity data for La Porte, with
the height of each circle representing
the average valuation per unit of the
homes constructed in that year (with no
adjustment for inflation). The size of the
circle and label indicates the exact count
of units, and the color indicates single-
family versus multifamily (2+ units in a
building).
With the exception of a relatively
exceptional year in 2014 when 62 higher-
end homes were built in Bayside Crossing,
valuation for single-family construction
from 2000 to 2019 held steady within a
range between $100,000 and $175,000.
Permit valuation for 2020 jumped along
with the market-wide rise in home resale
pricing, surpassing $250,000, on average,
in 2022.
Per-unit construction valuation for
multifamily housing averaged less than
half of single-family values in 2002 and
2005, with that value gap widening for
the 600 multifamily units permitted in
2019 and later.
Figure 23. La Porte Building Permit Activity by Type and Valuation, 2000 to 2022
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 99
Source: U.S. Census Building Permit Survey
Figure 24 compares the permitting
activity of La Porte with that of nearby
cities. Comparisons are limited to cities
with active permitting (more than five
units annually) and, with the exception
of Baytown, are all within the Southeast
Harris County submarket used in this
report.
Figure 24. Building Permit Volumes Since 2010, La Porte and Comparison Cities
The comparison is striking in that, despite
the much larger overall sizes of Baytown
and Pasadena, and the impressive
population growth in Seabrook since
2000, La Porte has issued the most
permits (1,153) over the past three years,
by far, than any nearby comparison city.
In fact, only La Porte issued more permits
in the three years from 2020 through
2022 than in the two prior five-year
periods.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT100
Source: U.S. Census Building Permit Survey
SINGLE-FAMILY SUPPLY
CONDITIONS
Houston’s perennially hot housing market
was stronger than expected in 2020, set
records in 2021, and remained robust in
early 2022, but since early fall 2022, both
Houston and the nation began to see signs
of a general market slowdown. Higher
interest rates, higher home prices, and
greater economic uncertainty gave way
to stagnant or falling prices and mounting
inventories and sellers began opting to
wait for signs of stability.
According to the Houston Area Realtors
(HAR), single-family sales in December
2022 slipped by a third compared to
December 2021. However, most industry
experts do not foresee as much of a
prolonged dip in pricing or sales as was
seen in the 2009-10 national recession or
even the 2014 regional downturn driven by
the fracking industry bust period.
La Porte has historically been a good
value in terms of housing costs relative
to other Houston Metro options. However,
even with the current slowdown, the
dramatic rise in home prices over the
past two to three years, when coupled
with rising mortgage interest rates and
general inflation, is leading to affordability
problems for prospective buyers even in
lower cost cities like La Porte.
The relative locations of recent single-
family and townhome sales are shown in
Map 19 – well distributed around town.
With the exception of a few townhouses
anchoring the affordable end of the price
scale, most newer homes have been sold
in the $250,000 to $450,000 range. The
concentration in Morgan’s Landing has a
wide mix of prices including the only new
homes above $450,000.
Map 19. Recent Single-Family Home Sales, New Construction (Post-2019), by Price
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 101
Source: CoStar and Leland Consulting Group
MULTIFAMILY SUPPLY
CONDITIONS
Map 20 shows the location of existing
and recently constructed multifamily
apartments in La Porte and the
surrounding Southeast Harris County
area.
Post-2017 construction is highlighted in
darker orange, including the two major
apartment complexes recently completed
in La Porte – the 350 unit project at
Morgan’s Landing completed in 2020 and
the 294-unit Hawthorne at Bay Forest
project completed in 2021.
The area’s multifamily inventory is
concentrated most heavily in Pasadena
and southwest of La Porte across
northern Friendswood, Clear Lake City,
Webster, and into western Seabrook.
Most standing inventory in Pasadena is of
older construction. Newer construction
and pipeline activity is most prevalent in
those areas to the south.
Map 20. Multifamily Inventory, Southeast Harris County, Highlighting Recent Construction
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT102
Source: CoStar and Leland Consulting Group
Map 21. Multifamily Pipeline Projects, Southeast Harris County Area, Fall 2022
Map 21 shows the locations of apartments
in the development pipeline – either
under construction (as of Fall 2022) or
proposed.
A 295-unit project, all one-bedroom units
(Hawthorne at Fairmont), is proposed for
the west side of La Porte, on Fairmont
Parkway just south of the ballfields at
Pecan Park.
The largest proposed competitive
complex in the area is an 850-unit
proposed project in north Friendswood.
Deer Park and Seabrook each have one
large proposed project (298 and 322
units, respectively).
Although the need for rental apartments
may rise as higher mortgage rates keep
for-sale housing out of reach for many,
it is not uncommon for one or two
proposed projects to fall by the wayside
in a recessionary period, should one
materialize.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 103
Figure 25 shows average La Porte asking
rents tracking along just below the
Houston Metro average. The addition
of the two large, somewhat upscale
apartment projects in La Porte in 2020
and 2021 has brought the two averages
closer together than in previous years.
Figure 25. Average Multifamily Asking Rents, La Porte and Houston Metro, 2010 to
2022
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT104
Source: U.S. Census and City of La Porte
RESIDENTIAL DEMAND
To arrive at a reasonable forecast
of housing demand to inform
comprehensive planning efforts, was
assumed a 1.0-percent annual citywide
household growth rate over the coming
decade. This is slightly above La Porte’s
average annual growth over the past
decade (0.9 percent) but is conservative
when viewed against recent record-
setting permitting activity.
Beginning with a 2022 base year count
of approximately 13,606 households,
this growth rate assumption yields an
increase of 1,423 households over the
course of ten years.
Housing unit growth should be slightly
higher than household growth to allow
for a comfortable vacancy rate and some
limited demolition activity. This 10-year
production need is estimated at just
under 1,500 units.
That need can be distributed across
household income groupings and typical
owning versus renting behavior, assuming
relatively steady resident incomes and
household sizes (consistent with the past
decade). Because of for-sale housing
affordability pressures, a slight growth in
the percentage of renters within La Porte
is assumed, from 26 percent currently
to just over 28 percent for the forecast
period.
This calculation results in estimated
demand of 420 rental units and 1,075
ownership units over the coming decade.
Comparing this to estimated growth
(using similar calculations) across the
larger Southeast Harris County area
suggests that La Porte would need to
capture a 22-percent share of housing
growth in the submarket.
There are a few sites with residential
development possibilities, including
the parcel east of Morgan’s Landing
(where environmental concerns must be
overcome) and near the intersection of
McCabe and Highway 146 (where there
are infrastructure challenges). There may
also be smaller scale, but more compact,
mixed-use possibilities near the Five
Points park/plaza area and even smaller,
more opportunistic redevelopment
opportunities elsewhere along Main
Street, given appropriate zoning
flexibility. Such developments could add
variety and character, boost pedestrian
activity downtown, and help curtail
increasing dependence on in-commuting.
Figure 26. 10-year La Porte Housing Demand
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 105
Source: CoStar and Leland Consulting Group
Map 22. Commercial and Multifamily Properties, La Porte and Southeast
Harris County
COMMERCIAL AND
MULTIFAMILY REAL ESTATE
MIX
Map 22 shows the local geographic
context of commercial properties
(including apartments) in La Porte and
the surrounding Southeast Harris County
area. As illustrated, the bulk of the area’s
large-scale industrial development can
be found in a ring around La Porte, with
some smaller industrial properties in the
City’s interior along State Highway 146.
Some brief facts on La Porte’s mix of
commercial and multifamily real estate
include:
Approximately one-half of the 50.2
million square feet of industrial space
in the Southeast Harris County area
shown can be found in or around the
perimeter of La Porte.
Highway 146 is also home to La Porte’s
concentration of hospitality properties,
where about 85 percent of the City’s
1,050 hotel rooms can be found
near the highway’s intersection with
Fairmont Parkway.
La Porte has almost no office
development, with those uses primarily
clustered locally around the Clear
Lake/Webster area to the south of the
City.
La Porte has just over six percent of
the 24.2 million square feet of retail
space found in Southeast Harris
County, as larger-format retailers are
drawn to Pasadena (especially around
Macroplaza Mall and the Fairmont
Parkway interchange with the Sam
Houston Tollway) and to the Clear
Lake/NASA vicinity, centered around
Baybrook Mall.
Multifamily developments are clustered
in those same areas within the
region, with some five percent of area
apartments (2,300 units) falling within
the La Porte City limits.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT106
Source: CoStar and Leland Consulting Group
RETAIL MARKET
Map 23. Existing Retail Inventory, La Porte and Vicinity
RETAIL SUPPLY CONDITIONS
In the long term, “brick and mortar”
retailers in Houston and across the
country are busily adapting to the on-
going threat of online retailers like
Amazon – looking for ways to accentuate
and leverage the experiential aspects of
shopping and dining in ways that online
vendors cannot. This trend is particularly
relevant to walkable commercial districts
like historic main streets that can offer
a desirable sense of place for shoppers
and diners. From the perspective of
municipalities like La Porte, this can yield
important quality of life benefits for local
residents and employees while increasing
retail resilience against internet
competition.
As shown in Map 23, La Porte is home to
considerably less retail than its neighbors
to the west and southwest. The City
had 1.6 million square feet of standing
inventory, or just over six percent of the
25.2 million square feet across Southeast
Harris County overall.
Of that La Porte total, just 65,000
square feet was of recent (post-2016
construction), compared to about 1.3
million square feet across the Southeast
Harris County area.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 107
Source: CoStar and Leland Consulting Group
Map 24. Retail Supply pipeline, La Porte and Southeast Harris County
In comparison, the City of Seabrook has
just over 900,000 square feet of retail
space, of which just 29,000 square feet
was of recent construction.
Both La Porte and Seabrook have
the disadvantage of reduced overall
population density within a given radius
due to adjacency to the Bay. Local and
regional retailers tend to prefer inland
locations, except for certain specialty
stores and dining establishments that
can benefit from the added sense of
place provided by waterfront locations.
A pipeline retail projects, either under
construction, planned, or proposed, is
shown in Map 24. Just one 10,000 square
foot proposed project is within La Porte’s
boundaries, with most pipeline activity
found in competitive areas located in the
Clear Lake City/League City area to the
south or in Pasadena to the west.
Again, La Porte’s physical characteristics
– adjacent to Galveston Bay, surrounded
by pockets of heavy industry, and
generally lower density in terms housing
-- present a challenge for prospective
retailers who require certain minimum
rooftop densities (e.g., population within
a 3-mile radius) in their site-selection
process. As such, most chain tenants will
continue to locate further out toward
Pasadena and Clear Lake.
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT108
RETAIL DEMAND
Retail demand follows growth in
market area households, with some
additional demand for dining, groceries,
and personal services expected due
to increases in employment, on the
assumption that commuting workers
residing outside the City will spend at
least some amount locally, especially
during the lunch hour.
Typically, this employment-based demand
is assumed to come primarily from
office workers, with industrial employees
tending to bring a lunch or eat in some
in-facility commissary. However, based
on Placer visitation data and discussions
with local restaurant owners, lunchtime
business is generated by both office and
industrial workers.
Placer is a subscription data provider
using anonymous cell phone tracking
data to gather a wealth of valuable
information on visitor foot traffic. Any
individual store, shopping center, or
district can be analyzed for daily or
weekly visitor counts, prevailing time-of-
day and day-of-week visitation patterns,
and trip-chaining behaviors. Using this
geographic data on customer home and
work locations, the true “trade areas”
for stores in the study area and at key
competitive locations can be generated.
LCG estimates total 10-year retail and
dining demand ranging from 60,000 to
90,000 square feet, due to anticipated
household growth of approximately 1.0%
annually. This new demand is spread
across many store categories, however,
and may come in the form of many
smaller tenant additions rather than a
major new retail center or big box store.
As a result of this demand, the
assumption is that industrial employment
growth could add as much as 15,000
to 25,000 square feet of additional
demand, primarily in the form of dining
and personal services, but also helping to
bolster some grocery demand.
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 109
THE IMPORTANCE OF
EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL
The share of Amazon and related
delivery-based retail jumped during
COVID-19 shutdowns and then largely
receded -- but online sales have resumed
growth and continue to create risk for
brick-and-mortar retailers everywhere.
Dining, specialty shops, and other retail
categories where direct physical/sensory
experiences are important appear to be
most resistant to online competition,
meaning that retail/dining districts
like Main Street in La Porte may have
an advantage over big box-dominated
centers – but that advantage needs to
be leveraged with design and amenity
investments like streetscaping, creative
merchandising, outdoor seating, and
other placemaking enhancements that
accentuate the experience.
La Porte’s unique, independent Main
Street restaurants have a proven ability
to draw loyal customers from a wider
market area than typical retailers. As an
example, Map 25 shows the actual trade
area for El Toro (a Main Street restaurant)
– based on where 75 percent of visitors
reside (weighted by frequency of visits).
Map 25. Trade Area (Visitor Home Locations) for El Toro Restaurant on Main Street,
La Porte
Source: Placer.ai; and Leland Consulting Group
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT110
Source: Placer.ai and Leland Consulting Group
RETAIL LEAKAGE AND
VISITATION
With the exception of categories like
apparel and home furnishings, where
spending is drawn to major malls and
regional centers, La Porte actually has
very little net leakage of retail spending
to stores outside its boundaries. In
other words, for most store categories,
La Porte has a measurable surplus in
the amount of retail sales taking place
within its boundaries relative to the
combined spending potential of its
resident households. While many La
Porte residents regularly shop outside
the City limits for goods and services,
that leakage is generally more than
made up for by how much non-residents
spend in La Porte (again, except in the
case of department stores, apparel, and
home furnishings, where there is some
moderate net leakage).
Figure 27 shows a comparison of annual
visits, based on Placer foot traffic data,
for seven different grocery stores
that are either in La Porte or that
draw a substantial number of La Porte
residents as customers. It also shows
foot traffic from the La Porte Walmart
for comparison, which is a major grocery
store. The Kroger comparison alone
illustrates the strength of the La Porte
location relative to nearby same-chain
comparisons.
Figure 27. Visitation Statistics for Supermarkets in La Porte and Neighboring Cities,
2021
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 111
Figure 28 illustrates the impressive
foot-traffic generation potential of La
Porte’s Sylvan Beach. Over 2021, with the
exception of four winter months, Sylvan
Beach consistently generated more
monthly visits than the three most active
Main Street restaurants combined. In the
peak season from May to July, the beach
drew between 69,000 and 79,000 visits
each month, more than triple the visits to
the three restaurants.
Analysis of the home origins of these
visitors shows the attraction drawing
visitors from across the entire Houston
metropolitan area. Visitor draw is
particularly high in census areas with
below average income, suggesting
that for many, Sylvan Beach is an
affordable “stay-cation” destination
that can be visited multiple times per
year. The attraction power of Sylvan
Beach represents a potential retail
opportunity – adding one or more dining
or small convenience goods shops in the
immediate vicinity of Sylvan Beach to
take advantage of the consistently high
visitation during Houston’s extended
warm months.
Source: Placer.ai and Leland Consulting Group
Figure 28. Visits to La Porte Attractions: Sylvan Beach and Main Street Restaurants,
2021
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT112
Source: CoStar and Leland Consulting Group
INDUSTRIAL MARKET
La Porte industrial activity is largely
driven by a of mix manufacturing,
including large chemical plant operations,
with generally well-organized and
predictable operations/distribution, along
with a large and growing concentration of
relatively decentralized logistics activity
in the form of independent trucking and
smaller warehousing operations – mainly
serving the diverse flow of container
goods entering and leaving the Port of
Houston.
La Porte is currently home to 14.0 million
square feet of industrial and flex space,
representing approximately 28 percent
of the 50 million square feet in the
Southeast Houston area overall (with just
10 percent of its population).
Although there is a strong industrial
presence in La Porte, with nearly 14.0
million square feet of industrial and flex
space combined, much of the industrial
inventory associated with La Porte lies
just outside the City along its north, west,
and south perimeter.
Including this perimeter inventory, the
La Porte immediate vicinity includes
nearly 24.0 million square feet of space.
This may even understate the level of
industrial activity, since many heavy
Map 26. Industrial and Flex Inventory, Southeast Harris County,
Showing Recent Construction
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 113
Map 27. Industrial Supply Pipeline, La Porte and Southeast Harris County
Source: CoStar (mid-2022 data) and Leland Consulting Group
industrial facilities are made up of tanks,
yard storage, and other structures not
typically counted as leasable inventory.
Industrial development has been very
active in the La Porte area. Almost 3.6
million square feet of all industrial and
flex space within the City of La Porte
was built in 2017 or later – more than a
quarter of all standing inventory.
Including La Porte perimeter properties
brings the total of recent (2017 or later)
construction to 7.1 million square feet – or
28 percent of standing inventory.
INDUSTRIAL/FLEX DEMAND
As shown in Figure 29 on page 115,
based on overall 1.8-percent annual
employment growth (with different rates
across industry types, scaled based
on state-produced forecasts for the
metropolitan area), the Southeast Harris
County area could add just over 41,000
jobs over the next decade.
With assumptions about usage of
industrial space and square footage
averages per employee across sectors,
calibrated against known existing
inventories, that job growth should lead
to approximately 10.8 million square feet
of new demand across the submarket.
Although it is difficult to predict the
exact nature of future industrial demand,
CiTy oF LA poRTE CompREhEnSiVE pLAn DRAFT114
it is likely that La Porte will capture
close to its historical share of Southeast
Harris County industrial growth, or
approximately one-quarter of the subarea
total.
Based on those official projections of
Houston Metro employment growth by
industry category, inventory growth
trajectory, and assumptions about
typical square footage requirements per
industrial employee, LCG estimates that
the Southeast Houston submarket area
could see 10-year growth in industrial
demand of between 8.0 and 12.0 million
square feet, of which La Porte could
capture between
2.0 and 3.0 million
square feet on a fair-
share capture basis.
The loosely-
organized and free-
flowing nature of the
independent trucking
and warehousing
activity around
La Porte is clearly
important to the
regional economy
but is increasingly
a headache for
residents and some
local retailers in
terms of traffic
congestion, noise, air
pollution, and road quality.
It is difficult to accurately anticipate the
form and timing future industrial demand,
but La Porte will face important decisions
on how best to locate new industrial
activity, especially if it comes in the
form of additional logistics (trucking and
warehousing) activity, given the traffic
and nuisance issues surrounding those
land uses already.
One possibility for future industrial
location may lie in pending decisions by
Union Pacific Railroad to put their Strang
Yard property (and potentially others) for
sale on the open market for development.
Railroads are typically reluctant to give
up land holdings, so this rare opportunity
will need to be approached with care by
both the City and prospective developers.
Finally, ongoing international conflicts
are creating market dynamics that are
difficult to predict, but that generally
involve disruptions to global supply
chains for petroleum and agricultural
products. Likely impacts on La Porte
and the Houston region may include
increased demand and competition for
domestic petroleum and petrochemicals.
Figure 29. Employment Growth Projections and Industrial Demand, Southeast Harris County
INDUSTRY GROUPS
2019
ESTIMATED
JOBS
PROJECTED
ANNUAL
GROWTH
2022
ESTIMATED
JOBS
2032
PROJECTED
JOBS
10-YR
PROJECTED
JOB GROWTH
ESTIMATED
PERCENT IN
INDUSTRIAL
SPACE
ESTIMATED
INDUSTRIAL
S.F. PER JOB
PROJECTED
INDUSTRIAL
DEMAND (10-
YR)
Public Administration 5,171 0.6%5,231 5,545 313 10%500 15,655
Healthcare 19,002 2.1%19,821 24,475 4,654 3%500 69,816
Retail 17,171 1.2%17,580 19,777 2,197 3%500 32,948
Education 13,410 1.3%13,750 15,580 1,831 3%500 27,463
Other Services 6,419 1.6%6,621 7,734 1,112 30%500 166,826
Hospitality & Leisure 19,602 3.3%20,911 28,888 7,978 3%500 119,663
Mining (Oil & Gas)4,438 1.6%4,584 5,388 805 60%600 289,635
Manufacturing 18,238 1.4%18,761 21,610 2,849 95%500 1,353,392
Transport,
Warehousing,
Wholesale 23,185 1.5%23,908 27,877 3,968 90%1,500 5,357,444
Professional Svcs 43,592 1.6%44,961 52,482 7,521 5%500 188,013
Construction & Utilities 37,504 1.9%38,912 46,787 7,875 50%800 3,149,852
Totals 207,732 -215,041 256,143 41,102 - - 10,770,706
*Based on official Houston/Galveston Region 2020-2030 Forecast
DRAFT EConomiC DEVELopmEnT 115
RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES
In addition to providing a sense for the approximate expected quantities of future demand by land use type, the market analysis for
La Porte indicates support for a number of strategic directions for housing and economic development:
ENCOURAGE EXPERIENTIAL
AND SMALLER-SCALE RETAIL
Encourage experiential and smaller scale
retail that focuses on dining to improve
the local quality of life and provide
amenities for area employees. Such an
approach relies on establishing a strong
sense of place (with supportive public
amenities) to help compete against
online and big box retailers by enhancing
the shopping and dining experience.
Opportunity areas include Main Street,
areas next to Sylvan Beach, and in a
potential entertainment district near
lodging concentrations at Fairmont
Parkway and Highway 146.
STRENGTHEN MAIN STREET
REVITALIZATION
Strengthen Main Street revitalization
efforts to capitalize on the existing
experiential assets of Main Street and
promote a critical mass of small-scale
retail businesses. Assignment of an
existing staff member or acquiring
additional staff as a Main Street
revitalization coordinator, at least on a
part-time basis, could help support this
initiative.
CONSIDER HIRING AN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTOR
Consider the cost-benefit trade-offs in
hiring a salaried economic development
director. Regional economic development
organizations already work to attract and
retain large industrial employers to La
Porte and surrounding bay communities
(and most La Porte employees will live
outside the City). In addition, there may
be a limited upside in the amount of new
retail that can be attracted to La Porte,
given the physical constraints on nearby
rooftop density.
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT116
PROVIDE FOR A RANGE OF
HOUSING TYPES
Allow for a range of housing types that
diversify La Porte’s housing stock to meet
the needs of growth and help to stem the
trend toward increased commuting into
the City.
FACILITATE INNOVATIVE
DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES
It is important to plan ahead for a
housing development environment
that provides creative approaches to
the development of smaller and more
challenging sites. While the predictions
in this report represent reasonable
targets for the initial decade of the
comprehensive planning period, it is
likely that land capacity constraints will
begin to substantially slow the pace
of residential growth in La Porte in
later years without more flexibility and
innovation in development.
DRAFT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 117
DRAFT
IMPLEMENTATION
6
DRAFT
INTRODUCTION
This section of the plan describes the
implementation plan necessary to realize
the recommended actions identified
as part of the Comprehensive Plan.
Implementation is an important part of
the comprehensive planning process and
can prove to be a challenge without the
correct tools and resources in place. The
implementation plan must be prioritized
to guide short-term, mid-term, and
long-term strategies in order to balance
timing, funding, resources, and capacity.
The continued participation of all
responsible entities will be crucial
in implementing the recommended
actions. There are multiple aspects of
the plan that require participation by
various parties, such as the adoption
of regulations, administration of the
development code, and partnering with
different public and private organizations.
Each individual or group involved with
the Comprehensive Plan has a vital role
to play in the implementation of the plan
based on their authority or expertise.
CITY COUNCIL
The key responsibilities of the City Council are to decide and establish priorities, set time
frames for when actions should be initiated and completed, and determine the financial
resources to be made available for implementation efforts.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
The Planning and Zoning Commission is charged with making recommendations to the
City Council regarding zoning and the Comprehensive Plan. In this role, the Planning
and Zoning Commission acts as the connection between City Staff and City Council. It is
important for the commission to remain knowledgeable about the Comprehensive Plan
and to make sound recommendations in the best interest of the City.
CITY STAFF
City Staff is involved in the most direct application of the Comprehensive Plan. They are
responsible for administrating the plan through the zoning ordinance, subdivision codes,
and other regulations influenced by the Comprehensive Plan. City Staff works directly
with developers and property owners to translate the vision in the Comprehensive Plan
to the built environment through the administration of these ordinances.
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Implementation of the Comprehensive Plan is not solely on City resources. Entities like
private developers, federal agencies, or local nonprofit organizations are useful resources
to implement specific recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan. These entities can
provide resources and support for elements of the plan to assist the City in completing
particular tasks. Partnerships can take the form of public-private partnerships (PPP),
grant funding, establishment of programs, and other various methods.
RESIDENTS/LA PORTE COMMUNITY
Community involvement is crucial at all stages of the planning process including after
the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. La Porte community can play an important role
in ensuring that the recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan are being implemented
by being proactive and communicating their concerns to the City Staff as well as the
elected officials.
RESPONSIBLE ENTITIES
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 121
MAINTAINING THE PLAN
UPDATING THE PLAN
The Comprehensive Plan is intended
to be a living document that allows
for flexibility as the priorities of the
community change. Over time there are
changes in political, economic, physical,
technological, and social conditions that
influence the development of the City,
and the Comprehensive Plan should
be reviewed and regularly updated.
If the plan is to reflect the goals of
the community and remain relevant,
it must be reviewed periodically to
ensure the plan elements, policies, and
recommendations are still applicable.
There are two types of amendments to
the plan: minor amendments and major
amendments.
MINOR AMENDMENTS MAJOR AMENDMENTS
Minor amendments can be proposed at
any time, such as specific changes to the
Future Land Use Plan related to particular
development applications or public
improvement projects. Minor amendments
can be addressed by the City as they arise or
may be documented and compiled for a more
thorough evaluation via an annual review
process. For example, this is how and when the
results of another specialized plan or study
may be incorporated into this plan.
More significant plan revisions and updates
should occur no more than every five to ten
years. Major updates involve reviewing the
current conditions and projected growth
trends; re-evaluating the policies and
recommendations of the plan (and formulating
new ones as necessary), and adding to,
modifying, or removing recommendations
in the plan based on their implementation
progress.
ANNUAL PROGRESS
REPORTING
After adoption of the plan, it should
be reviewed every year and a report
prepared for the City Council. This
annual review will ensure the plan does
not remain static and amendments are
made as needed. It is also important to
ensure that policies and ordinances are
consistent with recommendations of this
plan.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AUDITS
In addition to annual progress reporting,
it is recommended that the City should
conduct a thorough audit of the content
and outcomes of the Comprehensive
Plan and recommend necessary revisions
every five years. This effort should
involve participation from different
City departments, elected officials, and
community members. The review should
consider any changes in demographics,
economy, and societal factors that may
impact development in La Porte.
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT122
PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE STRATEGIES
Plan implementation is often achieved through one of two methods: proactive and reactive implementation strategies. While both
are effective in putting the recommendations of this Plan into action, using a balance of both approaches will better set the City up
for success in this goal. Examples of proactive and reactive strategies are provided below.
PROACTIVE STRATEGIES
Proactive strategies are those that the
City leads in seeking implementation
of the Plan’s recommendations and
actions. City-initiated efforts are effective
because they may occur immediately but
may prove costly regarding staff time and
City resources. Examples include:
Updating policies, such as
Capital Improvement Plans
(CIPs), thoroughfare plans, and
development codes to achieve the
recommendations identified within
this Plan.
Initiating zoning changes within
target areas to encourage
development that is compatible with
the land use designations within this
Plan.
Acquiring property from private
individuals and entities in strategic
locations to ensure responsible
development and engineering
practices.
REACTIVE STRATEGIES
Reactive strategies involve opportunities
brought to the City on a case-by-case
basis rather than those the City seeks
out independently. These strategies rely
on elected and appointed officials to act
with the recommendations of this Plan
in mind, placing further emphasis on the
continuing updates and communication
of the Plan suggested in this chapter.
Examples include:
Assessing rezoning requests against
the intent and purpose of the future
land use categories established in
this Plan.
Reviewing development applications
for compliance with the adopted
development standards and the
intent of this Plan.
Updating the recommendations and
actions of this Plan based on public
feedback and initiatives
CONTINUING EDUCATION
AND TRAINING
While City staff and management may
be familiar with the comprehensive
planning process and how it impacts
day-to-day decisions, others not involved
in the planning field, including those
appointed to assist in implementation,
may not be readily familiar. For this
reason, educational materials and
work sessions with the Planning and
Zoning Commission, City Council, and
other key groups involved in the Plan’s
implementation are recommended. The
goals of such training may include:
Establishing an understanding
of the rules and responsibilities
of each party related to the
implementation and maintenance of
the Comprehensive Plan.
A review of the Plan’s content and
how it relates to the decisions and
actions of each involved party.
A review of the Plan’s
Implementation Table in order to
establish a basic understanding
of the Plan’s priorities and
timelines related to fulfilling
recommendations.
As new individuals are elected and
appointed in positions tasked with
promoting and implementing the findings
of this Plan, continuing education and
training efforts must be provided as
needed. Educational materials, such as
summary brochures and handbooks,
will assist when transitioning between
decision-makers.
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 123
PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS
The plan contains over 35
recommendations. While each
recommendation serves to further
the vision and goals identified by the
community, implementing these can
seem overwhelming. For this reason, ten
top priority recommendations have been
identified that will help create
momentum for implementation. These
priority recommendations are identified
keeping in mind the available resources
and capacity of the City.
The top priority recommendations related
to land use, transportation, and economic
development are identified. Completing
these recommendations will help the
City gain momentum as well as set the
stage for a majority of the remaining
recommendations.
Implement recommended
strategies for Broadway
Opportunity Area
Implement recommended
strategies for Entertainment
District Opportunity Area
Prepare a Main Street Master
Plan
Coordinate with Harris
County to implement the
Sylvan Beach Park Master
Plan
1
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT
2
3
4
TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Adopt a Master
Transportation Plan and
Thoroughfare Plan
Implement Previous and
Planned Transportation
Efforts
Construct New Trail
Segments as designated
in the 2020 Parks,
Recreation, and Open
Space Master Plan.
1
2
3ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Hire an Economic
Development Director
focused on Infill and Main
Street Development
Evaluate Incentives to
Promote Main Street
Development
Create an Entertainment
District
1
2
3
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT124
IMPLEMENTATION
The most common issues with
comprehensive plans is the lack of
actionable recommendations that clearly
outline the initial steps that a city must
take in order to begin implementing
recommendations. Thus, it was the
goal of this plan to break down each
prioritized recommendation into a
checklist that clearly outlines the who,
what, when, and where of each item—but,
most importantly, HOW to accomplish it.
The implementation table is organized
by topics discussed throughout the plan
and contains recommendation related to
land use and development, transportation
and mobility, and economic development.
The tables include the priority
recommendations established by City
staff and the CPAC during the planning
process. Action items will be used to
assess progress annually and determine
priority budget items, successful projects,
and obstacles to implementation. If a
recommendation is evaluated in the
future and found to have had little to no
progress made toward accomplishment,
it will indicate a need to reevaluate the
relevancy of the recommendation or
identify issues preventing its successful
implementation.
In developing the recommendation for
this plan, recommendations from the
2012 Comprehensive Plan and 2018
Comprehensive Plan Update were
reviewed to identify action items that
have not been completely implemented,
are still relevant to guide development
in the City and align with the guiding
principles and vision of the plan.
The previous comprehensive plan updates
were informed by extensive community
input. The implementation table identifies
actions that relate to the previously
identified recommendations to ensure
that the community’s vision is preserved
and reflected in the recommendations of
this plan.
IMPLEMENTATION TABLE ELEMENTS
ACTION KEY AND
DESCRIPTION
The action key provides the reader
with a simplified reference number for
the specific action item. The reference
numbers are deduced based on the topic
of the recommended action and contain a
two-letter abbreviation and an associated
reference number.
Actions or short titles are specified
for each recommendation along with a
detailed description of the recommended
action.
REC #ACTION ITEMS
APPROPRIATENESS TABLE
ACTION KEY AND DESCRIPTION
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 125
IMPLEMENTATION TIME FRAME
This Plan provides a phased approach to
implementation to help the City identify
achievable actions in the new future and
distinguish them from long-term actions
that might need extensive studies and
preparation. The recommended actions
are categorized into the following time
frames.
Short-Term (1-3 years): Actions that
are typically “low-hanging fruit”
or easier to achieve because they
do not require a large amount of
capital.
Mid-Term (4-7 years): Actions that
may require more planning and
capital than the short-term 3-year
horizon.
Long-Term (8-10 years): Actions that
generally need a large amount of
capital, require significant planning
and coordination for completion or
other steps must take place before
implementation. In some cases,
there may be opportunities to make
some initial progress in the short- or
mid-term.
Ongoing (10+ years):
Recommendations that do not
have a specific timeframe for
implementation, are continuously
implemented, or should be revisited
regularly throughout the life of the
recommendation or implementation
of the Plan.
ACTION TYPE
The table identifies each action as
Project, Program, Partnership, Policy,
Relationship, or Study. This distinction
assists the City in identifying the
individuals or groups responsible for
carrying out the action and plan for
proper resources and staffing.
Project - A project or capital
improvement to be completed.
Program - Development of new
program or enhancement of an
existing program.
Policy - Development of a new
policy or an update to an existing
regulation or City policy.
Partnership - Partner with outside
organizations or agencies to
coordinate on an initiative or
complete an action.
Study - A plan or study to be
completed.
KEY ENTITY AND PARTNERS
Assigning the key implementing entity
responsible for following through on
an action is essential to implementing
the suggested recommendation. This
portion of the table sets the responsible
department or group within the City
and potential partnerships with other
departments or other external entities
that may assist with completing the
action. Communication with these
individuals and groups is essential to
explain their roles and expectations when
implementing this Plan.
ACTION TYPE
ACTION TYPE
KEY ENTITY
KEY ENTITY
PARTNERS
PARTNERS
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT126
POTENTIAL FUNDING
SOURCES
Leveraging available grants and funding
opportunities will be crucial in realizing
the recommendations proposed in this
Plan. The implementation table lists some
potential funding sources that can help
provide funding in full or in part for each
action item. These funding sources can
be updated as additional funds/grants
become available in the future.
FUNDING SOURCE
POTENTIAL FUNDING
SOURCES
TIME FRAME
IMPLEMENTATION TIME
FRAME
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 127
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
LU-1
Conduct Small Area Plans for the identified Opportunity Areas
Conduct small area plans for the identified Opportunity Areas. The
plans may include recommendations for economic development
incentives, land use, wayfinding and branding, streetscape,
connectivity, and infrastructure improvements as needed. These
plans should be created in partnership with the City, land and
business owners, adjacent property owners, and other stakeholders.
PD H-GAC Plan/Study
H-GAC
Livable
Centers
Program
LU-2
Implement recommended strategies for the Bay Area Boulevard
Opportunity Area
Implement and prioritize strategies recommended for the Bay Area
Boulevard Opportunity Area to realize the vision for the area.
PD _Project/
Action City Budget
LU-3
Implement recommended strategies for the Broadway
Opportunity Area
Implement and prioritize strategies recommended for the Broadway
Opportunity Area to realize the vision for the area.
PD _Project/
Action City Budget
LU-4
Implement recommended strategies for the Entertainment
District Opportunity Area
Implement and prioritize strategies recommended for the
Entertainment Opportunity Area to realize the vision for the area.
PD _Project/
Action City Budget
LU-5
Implement recommended strategies for the Airport District
Opportunity Area
Implement and prioritize strategies recommended for the Airport
Opportunity Area to realize the vision for the area.
PD _Project/
Action City Budget
LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT128
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
LU-6
Implement recommended strategies for the Sylvan Beach
Opportunity Area
Implement and prioritize strategies recommended for the Sylvan
Beach Opportunity Area to realize the vision for the area.
PD HC Project/
Action City Budget
LU-7
Coordinate with Harris County to implement the Sylvan Beach
Park Master Plan
Coordinate with Harris County to implement the recommended
actions in the master plan.
PD
PR HC Project/
Action City Budget
LU-8
Implement recommended strategies for the Main Street
Opportunity Area
Implement and prioritize strategies recommended for the Main
Street Opportunity Area to realize the vision for the area.
PD _Project/
Action City Budget
LU-9
Prepare a Main Street Master Plan
Prepare a Master Plan for Main Street that identifies
recommendations for wayfinding, branding, design, connectivity,
parking solutions, and applicable solutions. Leverage the Livable
Centers Program offered by the Houston-Galveston Area Council
(H-GAC) as an option to conduct a Livable Centers Planning Study
for Main Street. Consider changing the boundary of the Main Street
District to include the Main Street transition area as outlined in the
Main Street Opportunity Area.
PD H-GAC Plan/Study
H-GAC Livable
Centers
Program
LU-10
Conduct assessment to align Zoning and Future Land Use Plan
Update the zoning and overlay districts to ensure alignment with
the Future Land Use Plan and assess the potential to introduce new
overlay districts based on the Opportunity Areas. Review zoning
annually to ensure continued alignment with the Future Land Use
Plan.
PD -Project/
Action City Budget
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 129
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
LU-11
Adopt a Unified Development Code
Adopt a Unified Development Code for the City of La Porte to
consolidate all development-related regulations, including zoning
ordinance, subdivision regulation, design standards, and approval
procedures.
PD -Project/
Action
City Budget
FEMA
LU-12
Encourage Infill Development
Encourage infill and redevelopment within the City limits wherever
appropriate to utilize existing infrastructure and promote
revitalization. Review and amend the City’s development ordinances
to identify and resolve regulatory impediments to infill development,
redevelopment, and revitalization.
PD -Project/
Action
City Budget
TIRZ
LU-13
Implement Capital Improvement Projects
Implement prioritized projects identified in the CIP. Establish a
methodology for using the Comprehensive Plan to inform the
development of the City’s CIP ensuring budgetary decisions are
addressing the City’s long-range vision and goals.
CMO
PW PD Project/
Action CIP
LU-14
Introduce Wayfinding and Branding
Place distinctive wayfinding signage and branding for La Porte and
proposed Opportunity Areas that reflect the unique character of
different areas in La Porte.
CMO
PD -Project/
Action
City Budget
TxDOT
City Pride
Sign
Program
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT130
TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
TM-1
Adopt a Master Transportation Plan and Thoroughfare Plan
Create and adopt a Master Transportation Plan to guide the policy
goals of La Porte’s multimodal transportation network. This should
include an adopted Thoroughfare Plan and roadway design standards
to preserve right-of-way and plan for the long-term development of
the thoroughfare system. The Thoroughfare Plan should include the
recommended connections from the 2012 Comprehensive Plan and
recommendations from this 2023 Comprehensive Plan.
PD
PW - Plan/Study City Budget
TM-2
Construct New Trail Segments as designated in the 2020 Parks,
Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan
Coordinate with Parks and Recreation and Public Works Departments
to construct new trail segments as designated in the 2020 Parks,
Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan.
PR
PW PD Project/
Action City Budget
TM-3
Create a Roadway Safety Action Plan
Use USDOT guidelines to create a Roadway Safety Action Plan aimed
at using data analysis to characterize safety problems and address
the most significant transportation risks. Use the opportunity
to apply for a Safe Streets For All (SS4A) grant to fund the
development of the plan.
PW
Police PD Plan/Study City Budget
H-GAC
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 131
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
TM-4
Coordinate with Regional Transportation Efforts
Coordinate with regional transportation efforts and entities such
as Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) and Harris County to
align the Thoroughfare Plan, capital improvement projects, and City
policies with regional efforts to ensure continued collaboration and
leverage funding and partnership opportunities. Continue a working
relationship with Harris County to reconcile freight-related needs
and opportunities.
PD
H-GAC
HC
TXDOT
Program/
Partnership City Budget
TM-5
Prioritize Safety Improvements using Public and Agency Input
Gather information from local law enforcement and solicit public
input to prioritize streets and intersections with high volume of
traffic crashes for safety improvements.
PW
Police PD Plan/Study -
TM-6
Promote Multimodal Safety through Public Education
Conduct public education seminars relating to safety while on foot,
bicycle, or using golf carts. This should include motorist and non-
motorist best practices for shared spaces.
PD
Police LPISD Program/
Partnership City Budget
TM-7
Implement Previous and Planned Transportation Efforts
Continue to implement the recommendations from previous plans
and policies summarized in the Priority Transportation Projects
Catalogue.
PD
PR
PW
-Project/
Action City Budget
TM-8
Enhance Connectivity in the Lomax Area
Explore opportunities to enhance connectivity by all modes of
transportation in the Lomax area for the purposes of recreation,
safety, and emergency access and management.
PD
PR -Project/
Action City Budget
TM-9
Establish Roadway Capital Recovery Fees
Establish a capital recovery fee program for La Porte in order to
accommodate orderly growth and facilitate the implementation of
CIP projects and future improvements.
PD -Project/
Action
Capital
Recovery Fees
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT132
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
TM-10
Construct Shared-Use Pathways near Existing Roadways for
Multimodal Use
Partner with Harris County and TxDOT to construct shared-use paths
with adequate safety signage and lighting in areas experiencing high
volumes of pedestrian, cycle, and/or golf cart traffic. Incorporate
design elements that separate modes where possible for safety
purposes.
PD
PR
HC
TxDOT
Project/
Action City Budget
TM-11
Establish a Landscaping Ordinance focused on Rights-of-Way
Explore adopting a landscaping ordinance focused on right-of-way
for the purposes of traffic calming and safety. Leverage community
partnerships for the implementation of new guidelines.
PD
PR -Project/
Action City Budget
TM-12
Establish Clear Multimodal Signage throughout the City
Partner with Harris County and TxDOT to create and place
permanent signage for wayfinding, branding, freight routes, and
sidewalks/shared-use paths, which can accommodate golf carts,
bicycles, and pedestrians.
PD
PR
PW
HC
TxDOT
Project/
Action
City Budget
HC
TM-13
Improve Lighting along Roadways
Partner with Harris County and TxDOT to improve lighting along
roadways to improve visibility and safety for pedestrian and
vehicular traffic.
PW HC
TxDOT
Project/
Action
City Budget
HC
TM-14
Coordinate with Public Works to Implement Intersection
Improvements along Main Street and at the Five Points
Intersection
Continue coordinating with Public Works to evaluate the cost, safety,
and aesthetic options for improvements along Main Street and at the
Five Points intersection that focus on safety and pedestrian mobility.
PW
PD HC Plan/Study City Budget
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 133
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
ED-1
Hire an Economic Development Director focused on Infill and
Main Street Development
Hire a full-time Economic Development Director. The position should
focus on placemaking, building partnerships with stakeholders,
support for local entrepreneurs, and events, to support the ongoing
revitalization efforts in Main Street and promote a critical mass of
small-scale retail businesses. The Economic Development Director
should also focus on infill development in La Porte.
CMO
EDC -Project/
Action
Sales Tax
Revenue
ED-2
Evaluate Incentives to promote Main Street Development
Continue policies to encourage development of mixed-use, smaller-
scale businesses that focus on dining and other experiential
retail, especially on Main Street. Remove requirements to
provide additional staff parking for new development. Evaluate
opportunities for City development of shared parking lots to reduce
parking burden on individual businesses.
EDC
PD -Policy/
Regulatory -
ED-3
Develop a Housing Diversity Policy
Explore policies to broaden the range of housing types and price/
rent points to help diversify La Porte’s housing stock and meet
the needs of growth, which can help to stem the trend towards
increasing reliance on in-commuting. For example, consider
potential of inclusionary zoning policies to require some minimal
amount of workforce-affordable housing units for new residential
developments above some threshold size.
CMO
PD -Policy/
Regulatory -
ED-4
Encourage Sylvan Beach Retail
Allow and encourage small-scale retail and food service activity
adjacent to Sylvan Beach to complement strong visitor traffic from
March to October.
PD -Policy/
Regulatory -
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT134
#ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION
TIME FRAME
KEY
ENTITY PARTNERS PROJECT
TYPE
POTENTIAL
FUNDING
SOURCES
ED-5
Review Infill Policy and Incentives
Work with private developers to identify common barriers to
residential and mixed-use development on smaller and more
difficult infill sites in La Porte. Explore creative policy approaches
(review of financing strategies to fund extension of utilities,
e.g., Underwood GC properties) to overcome common barriers
to help meet the demand for growth and expansion. Evaluate
progress and effectiveness of ongoing efforts such as updates to
fill dirt regulations and driveway variances in areas where those
infrastructure hurdles impede development.
EDC
PD -Program/
Partnership -
ED-6
Create an Entertainment District
Explore the creation of a designated entertainment district focused
on visitor-oriented dining and family-friendly entertainment venues
near the existing lodging development at Fairmont Pkwy and Hwy
146. Design policies and public infrastructure investments to best
overcome existing hurdles to development.
PD -Policy/
Regulatory -
Key Entities
CC - City Council
CMO - City Manager’s Office
EDC - Economic Development Corporation
HC - Harris County
H-GAC - Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementation Time Frame
Short-Term (1-3 Yrs)
Mid-Term (4-7 Yrs)
Long-Term (8-10 Yrs)
Ongoing (10+ Yrs)
LPISD - La Porte Independent School District
PD - Planning and Development
PR - Parks and Recreation
PW - Public Works
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 135
PERFORMANCE METRICS
Specific action items and performance metrics have been developed to support implementation of the recommendations laid out
in this Comprehensive Plan. Metrics demonstrate progress towards achieving the vision and guiding principles set forth at the
beginning of the process, while the action items outline the steps and resources needed to see progress within the performance
metrics.
The City will need to track and analyze certain data points in order to accurately track the progress of each defined metric.
Appropriate metrics are described in the following Performance Metrics Table, which describes each metric as well as outlines the
desired trend, what the metric indicates, and potential data sources.
CHAPTER METRIC INDICATING DATA SOURCE BASELINE TARGET
LAND USE
% of developed area
(excluding Agriculture,
Agriculture with SF,
Vacant, Waterbody)
as mixed use and/
or nonresidential
land uses, excluding
industrial
More accessibility to goods and services within
the City; reducing the need for residents to visit
other cities for goods and services, keeping
sales tax dollar in the City; greater potential for
3rd places that connect residents to the City
identity.
City GIS Analysis
(state
land use codes
by parcel
per Guadalupe
CAD)
20%30%
% of households
within 2 miles of a
fresh food seller
Reduction in food deserts; resulting in improved
health outcomes, access to goods and services,
and dependence on personal automobiles.
City GIS Analysis 94%>95%
% of zoning that is
consistent with future
land use map
Responsiveness of regulatory environment
to the direction of the community vision, as
operationalized by this Plan.
City GIS Analysis 97%>98%
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT136
CHAPTER METRIC INDICATING DATA SOURCE BASELINE TARGET
TRANSPORTATION
AND MOBILITY
Average commute
time or distance for
residents
Increasing access to employment and
opportunities in the City; decreasing household
transportation costs.
U.S. Census,
2021 American
Community
Survey 5-Year
Estimates
25.4 minutes
<25 minutes
(Maintain
since the state
average is 26.6
minutes and the
national average
is 26.8 minutes)
% of street ROW
dedicated to
sidewalks, bike lanes,
and shared-use paths
for new streets and
reconstructed streets
Street designs are better balancing the needs
of pedestrians and treating the ROW as public
space and opportunities for placemaking;
wider sidewalk zones allow for activation of the
streetscape by local businesses.
City GIS Analysis
0%
(Setting target
from plan
adoption)
45%
Average walk score
and bike score ratings
Conditions are improving to make people more
likely to choose walking or biking for their travel
mode; neighborhoods are becoming more
complete with greater access to convenient
goods, services and activities.
https://www.
walkscore.
com/
professional/
research.php
Walk Score:
67 (Somewhat
walkable; Some
errands can be
accomplished on
foot)
Bike Score:
56 (Bikeable;
Some bike
infrastructure)
Walk Score:
>70 (70 - 89
is considered
Very Walkable
meaning most
errands can be
accomplished on
foot)
Bike Score:
>70 (70-89 is
considered
Very Bikeable
meaning biking
is convenient for
most trips)
$ Recovered from
Capital Recovery Fees
Greater funding available for transportation
improvements directly recoverable by the City.City Data $0
Monitored
annually based
on assessed
value
Number of crashes
involving a pedestrian
or cyclist annually
Greater safety for vulnerable road users.Texas CRIS 7 per year 0
Miles of planned roads
constructed based on
the Thoroughfare Plan
Completion of the Thoroughfare Plan
connections indicates a successful program and
movement towards controlled build-out.
City GIS Analysis
0
(Setting target
from plan
adoption)
Monitored
annually based
on planned
roadways
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 137
CHAPTER METRIC INDICATING DATA SOURCE BASELINE TARGET
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Median household or
family income
More disposable income and improved alignment
between employer and resident needs.
U.S. Census,
2021 American
Community
Survey 5-Year
Estimates
$78,665
Maintain since
La Porte's
median
household
income is higher
than the state
and county.
Sales tax per resident
La Porte is planning to add more retail and
entertainment, which will provide more
consumer activities within the City. Indicates
increased buying power and potentially
disposable income of residents.
U.S. Census
State &
Comptroller of
Public Accounts
$440 15% annually
Percentage of persons
in poverty
The City is attracting businesses offering higher
incomes.
U.S. Census,
2021 American
Community
Survey 5-Year
Estimates
10.7%12%
Travel spending per
resident
The City is attracting more visitors and visitor
spending.
Texas Travel
Research
Dashboard
(2022)
https://www.
travelstats.
com/dashboard/
texas
Total Direct
Spending: 107.0M
Local Tax
Receipts: 11.6M
Total Direct
Spending: 15%
annually
Local Tax
Receipts: 15%
annually
CITY OF LA PORTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT138
CHAPTER METRIC INDICATING DATA SOURCE BASELINE TARGET
HOUSING
% of housing in the
community other than
single-family detached
(% of Missing Middle
Housing)
The City has sufficient jobs, however, lacks
housing options which makes commuting to
and from La Porte a requirement, rather than a
choice. Increased diversity of housing choices to
serve residents of differing needs and stages of
life.
U.S. Census,
2021 American
Community
Survey 5-Year
Estimates
26%40%
% of tree canopy
coverage
Indicating positive aesthetics and an
environment supportive of improved public
health outcomes, property values, equity, etc.
City GIS analysis
(U.S.
Forest Service
Tree
Canopy Cover)
8%>20%
Housing +
Transportation (H+T)
Index
Includes both housing and transportation costs
to show a more holistic picture of household
cost burden, as compared to housing costs
alone.
H+T Index
https://htaindex.
cnt.org/
47%
48%
(Maintain, which
is difficult while
growing)
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION 139