Fort Bend County Heritage Unlimited Museum: Recreational Site Plan Project

Texas Target Communities worked on a recreational site planning project with the people of Fort Bend County Heritage Unlimited Museum and City of Kendleton over the summer of 2016. The museum officials had approached TTC with a 3.6 acre site abutting their museum premises and the Kendleton cemetery. The design and planning was primarily aimed to get a tax exemption for the three acre recreational site, but it also focused on creating a place that resonates with the values of the community and the museum’s efforts in preserving the heritage of the county. Community meetings being a big part of this project, they guided TTC in understanding the project requirements and then deriving a customized design program for this project. The design solution comprised of design elements like a wall of remembrance - to pay homage to the noble souls of this county who served for the United States during war times, a storage facility for the museum, a multi-purpose pavilion - which could also be used by the Kendleton cemetery and for other ceremonial purposes, environmental education workshops and audio history walking tours for the kids in the county, a butterfly garden, a railway dinner and a 3D map-mural of Fort Bend County

Bastrop Asset Map Tool

Developed in partnerhsip with Bastrop Community Cares and the Texas Target Communities program at Texas A&M University by graduate students in the Master of Urban Planning program.A guidebook that describes the process for using ESRI online mapping platform to map social service assets in the community. The purpose of this map is to be use by social service providers and non-profit workers to point individuals or families to services and opportunities in the Bastrop County community

Thoroughfare Plan Tyler County, Texas

The Tyler County Thoroughfare Plan effectively translates the vision and goals of the county into measurable, functional objectives and recommendations to provide improved transportation and access within the county while also coordinating with surrounding counties. All modes of transportation are considered vital for the future of the county; therefore, all have been examined thoroughly, keeping in mind both the movement of people and freight.This thoroughfare plan is a long-term plan that identifies both the location and type of roadway facilities to meet the needs of projected growth within the county. The growth includes population, economy, and other factors that affect transportation infrastructure. Issues are addressed, and recommendations are made for both an immediate impact and for future impacts.Texas Target Communite

Southeast Texas Hike and Bike Plan 2037

As a response to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) 2040 by the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission Metropolitan Planning Organization (SETRPC-MPO), the South East Texas Hike and Bike Plan (SETHBP) was created for the Jefferson-Orange-Hardin three-county region. The plan will act as a roadmap for augmenting the current automobile- oriented transportation system with new and improved bicycle facilities as an alternative transportation option. Making bicycling safer and more convenient will have positive impacts on the region’s residents in terms of improved health and increased mobility options.The planning document presents a plan for the Jefferson-Orange-Hardin three-county region to act as a roadmap for augmenting the current auotomobile oriented transportation system with new bicycle facilities as an alternative transportation option. The plan also aims to connect major employment centers, schools, and recreational areas through bicycle faciliites for recreational and commuter travel

La Grange, Texas Housing Needs Assessment

A housing quality study was conducted to evaluate the current housing stock in the City of La Grange. It was found that the majority of housing is maintained or well maintained and that although the City has an older housing stock, it is very well taken care of. There has been no new residential construction since 2010 and the vacancy rate for owner occupied households is at zero percent. Housing tenure patterns show that many residents moved into their homes during the period of 2000 to 2009 and growth has continued since then. Housing is affordable within the City, especially for owner occupied households. The City is however, lacking in housing options for renters and the elderly.The City of La Grange has been experiencing growth at a higher rate than expected in the City’s comprehensive plan. Due to this, the City is nearing build out capacity and housing has become limited. Local real estate agents and developers have expressed concern to the City in regards to the limited housing options for their clients. In response, the City contacted Texas Target Communities at Texas A&M University to conduct a Housing Needs Assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to provide an inventory of current housing, identify future demand, and explore other possible housing related issues and, or concerns for the area.Texas Target Communitie

Southeast Texas Hike and Bike Plan 2037

As a response to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) 2040 by the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission Metropolitan Planning Organization (SETRPC-MPO), the South East Texas Hike and Bike Plan (SETHBP) was created for the Jefferson-Orange-Hardin three-county region. The plan will act as a roadmap for augmenting the current automobile- oriented transportation system with new and improved bicycle facilities as an alternative transportation option. Making bicycling safer and more convenient will have positive impacts on the region’s residents in terms of improved health and increased mobility options.The planning document presents a plan for the Jefferson-Orange-Hardin three-county region to act as a roadmap for augmenting the current auotomobile oriented transportation system with new bicycle facilities as an alternative transportation option. The plan also aims to connect major employment centers, schools, and recreational areas through bicycle faciliites for recreational and commuter travel

City of Buffalo Comprehensive Plan 2018-2038

The City of Buffalo Comprehensive Plan 2038 focuses on factors of growth and development including: public participation, development considerations, transportation, economic development, housing, and community facilities. The plan includes a Future Land Use Map, which increases development opportunities and indicates preferred or suitable land use for the city.The City of Buffalo Comprehensive Plan 2038 provides a guide for the future growth of the city. This document was developed by Texas Target Communities in partnership with the City of Buffalo. The document was developed through collaboration with Texas Target Communities (TTC) and a City Advisory Committee representing the City of Buffalo. The purpose of the collaboration was to assess current community conditions, develop goals, objectives, and implementation strategies related to future development & growth strategies, through a public participatory process, in order to help guide the future growth of the City

Waller County State of Community Report 2016

Waller County is on the northwest side of Harris County. It offers the best of a rural lifestyle and a short commute to the nation’s fourth largest city. Citizens of Waller County enjoy access to many social and economic opportunities already and the outlook for expanding access to opportunities is positive. Waller is set to grow ahead of the state and H-GAC 8 by 2050. The County expects an increasing Hispanic population, a trend seen throughout Texas. Approximately 34% of the population in Waller is college educated and 46% of residents are enrolled in schools and colleges. Waller County is a home to PVAMU and four (4) independent school districts (Hempstead, Royal, Katy and Waller). Proximity to Houston plays an important role in the economy of the County. Manufacturing and agriculture sectors lead the economy. These sectors are more specialized in the County in comparison to Texas. Education services follow in level of impact, due to the presence of many school districts and PVAMU. Employment ‘by place of residence’ has increased significantly, 40%, from 2004 to 2014. Texas in comparison increase by 25% over that span and the nation only increased by13%. Roughly, 19% of people in Waller County are living under poverty. Of those in poverty, the City of Prairie View has the most due to the student population at PVAMU. The County does not have many affordable housing units, but 40% of all homes are under $100,000. The City of Houston is rapidly encroaching upon Waller County, threatening to disrupt the rural lifestyle many County residents enjoy. As Houston expands, there will be an increase in impervious surface cover, which will increase the risk of flooding.In 1993 the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University, initiated the Texas Target Communities program (TTC) to provide technical assistance to small towns on issues related to land use planning and economic development. Today TTC, , in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, also works with rural counties and marginalized communities across Texas to provide technical support in keeping with Texas A&M’s mission as a land grant university. At the same time it serves as a “real world” learning laboratory for graduate students within coursework on campus. Students gain valuable planning experience while targeted communities receive valuable assistance they could not access otherwise and results in a positive difference in the quality of life for its residents. Communities are chosen for participation in TTC based on demonstrated need and their commitment to the planning process. The Waller County Strategic Planning Committee (WCSPC), with connections through Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), contacted The Texas Target Communities (TTC) program at Texas A&M University to develop the Waller County State of Community Report 2016 in anticipation of the development of a county strategic plan. In order to support the strategic planning efforts of Waller County, TTC program associates gathered data from a variety of disciplines related to the present state of the County. The TTC team then analyzed the data to identify potential areas for growth and development

Beautification of the Gateway Corridors and Historical Downtown of Columbus, Texas

This report presents “Master Plan and Landscape Improvement Plan for the Gateway Corridors in the City of Columbus, Texas”. It is a service-learning project funded by the City of Columbus, Texas through the Texas Target Communities Program and completed by a class of 23 undergraduates in Land 312 from the landscape architecture program at Texas A&M University during the spring semester 2020. The purpose of the project was to enhance the city’s gateway image and visitors’ first impression of the city, improve visitors’ sense of arrival sequence to the historical downtown district, and strengthen the linkage between Hwy 71, downtown area and Colorado River

Dickinson Comprehensive Plan 2015 to 2030

The City of Dickinson is located in Galveston County and is part of the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The City has historically been a residential community, serving the surrounding major metropolitan areas. Moving forward, the City of Dickinson plans to distinguish itself as a self-sufficient city with local opportunities for life, work, education, and play