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1. What is the Land Use Plan?

The Land Use Plan is a guiding document that outlines policy direction and guidance for development, redevelopment and land use decisions. The plan is not a regulating document. The Land Use Plan furthers the Comprehensive Plan’s overall vision and sets out a specific land use vision and goals for the city and outlines actions that will achieve those goals to ensure Sugar Land continues to thrive.

2. What is mixed-use zoning and what does the Land Use Plan say about it?

Mixed-use zoning brings together residential and nonresidential uses in walkable, pedestrian districts. Examples of mixed-use places include office, residential, retail, and restaurants. 

The Land Use Plan states that mixed-use development is a critical factor in maintaining the City's ability to continue to provide first-rate city services at one of the lowest property tax rates in the state. Continued commercial development is vitally important to Sugar Land from both an economic perspective as well as the civic services and amenities it provides to residents and visitors. The success of Sugar Land Town Square is a model for future walkable, mixed-use Regional and Neighborhood Activity Centers.

3. Is there public support for mixed-use zoning?

Yes. When we updated the Land Use Plan (a component of the City’s Comprehensive Plan, which serves as a guide to how the City should develop and redevelop and evolve over time to reflect changing conditions) in 2018, we heard through that process that residents wanted mixed-use type areas in our community. They wanted not just a mix of uses, but they want us to create places where people can gather outside of work, school and their homes.   

4. Why are we going through an update of the development code?

The City of Sugar Land is actively working on enhancing our community's quality of life through the implementation of new mixed-use zoning regulations. Amending the development code to allow for mixed-use areas within the City is an action step included in the Land Use Plan to accomplish this goal. These regulations are a direct response to the long-term shifts in market demands and demographic trends, as well as the desires expressed by our residents during the Land Use Plan update in 2018. These regulations aim to create vibrant Activity Centers that integrate offices, housing, retail, entertainment, and civic uses, providing spaces where people can gather outside of work, school, and their homes. With the introduction of two new mixed-use zoning districts, we strive to bridge the gap between residential and commercial land uses. 

5. Are you looking to change the entire development code?

No. These proposed changes are only meant to create mixed-use Activity Centers as identified in the 2018 Land Use Plan approved by City Council. 

6. What is an activity center?

An activity center is an area with a mix of uses, such as office, retail, residential and civic institutions, integrated together in a compact walkable area.  

7. How many activity centers are there and where are they located?

The Land Use Plan identifies:  

• Five (5) Regional Activity Centers (RACs) strategically located along regional highways to ensure intense commercial, retail and other high-traffic destinations are contained within designated areas and separated from single-family residential neighborhoods. Each RAC is intended to have its own unique identity providing different amenities for both residents and employees for entertainment, dining and shopping 
• Nine (9) Neighborhood Activity Centers (NACs) located on arterial streets, which are envisioned to be small mixed-use centers that act as a “Main Street” for nearby neighborhoods. These will largely be created through the redevelopment of older commercial areas and will minimize impacts on adjacent single-family neighborhoods by providing buffers and smooth transitions

8. What does the mixed-use zoning code aim to do?

The goal of the mixed-use zoning code and the proposed mixed-use districts is threefold. The mixed-use zoning code aims to:  

1. Create Vibrant Activity Centers: We are committed to developing Activity Centers that blend offices, housing, retail, entertainment, and civic uses, promoting a dynamic and engaging community environment - as envisioned by the Land Use Plan. 
2. Integrate Residential and Commercial Uses: The introduction of two new mixed-use zoning districts will enable the integration of residential and commercial land uses, fostering a cohesive environment where both can coexist and complement each other. 
3. Follow a Transparent and Fair Process: Creating these two mixed-use zoning districts does not automatically place this zoning on any property – that requires rezoning. All rezoning requests must go through a transparent, public, process that involves Planning & Zoning, and City Council approval.  Once the mixed-use zoning is in place, staff ensures development applications are compliant and achieve City Council’s vision. 

9. How long will this process take?

We have been hard at work since November 2020, with our zoning experts at Clarion Associates to research the best way to implement activity centers as discussed in the 2018 Land Use Plan. Writing the mixed-use zoning code, including researching comparison cities, has taken a little over a year. We anticipate presenting a final mixed-use zoning code to City Council in Fall 2023.   

10. We have rules for a reason. Why do these need to be changed now?

Much like a vehicle that needs an oil change, our zoning codes need regular maintenance to make good things happen. City Council’s #1 priority is redevelopment because we are a community at a crossroads where we can either proactively blaze new trails into the future or lose our competitive advantage. While our zoning regulations control certain aspects of development and generally perform well, we also recognize they can also be too controlling in other ways. Without updating our zoning standards to keep up with the market and real estate trends and with surrounding communities, our community loses the competitive advantage we’ve historically enjoyed.  

11. How large are activity centers compared to the rest of Sugar Land?

In terms of acreage, activity centers only comprise less than 7% of the City’s land.