Guidelines and Recommendations for TxDOT Involvement in Local Development Review (0-4429-P1)

The review of subdivisions and land development in the state of Texas has historically been the responsibility of cities and counties. With the exception of perhaps a few districts, over the years there has been limited collaboration between local jurisdictions and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the planning stages of development along state roadways. TxDOT involvement in local development review is important because decisions related to access and right-of-way along state roadways are made during the site development and platting stages of development. TxDOT's involvement in this process can serve as an important means to implement a statewide access policy, to protect and/or preserve state right-ofway, and to improve coordination in local thoroughfare and land use planning. Apart from preserving resources and money, TxDOT involvement in local development will foster more successful development of land and transportation facilities as a result of better coordination between the agency and local entities. Increased coordination and collaboration between TxDOT and local jurisdictions will result in better decision making, more integrated thoroughfare and land use planning, and create more successful and sustainable growth through planning. This report provides guidelines and recommendations for how TxDOT districts and/or area offices can and should be involved in the local development process, particularly in the review of site development plans and subdivision plats that affect state roadways. This product, PI, is also included in Report 0-4429-1, Methods and Benefits of TxDOT Involvement in the Local Development Process, and is in large part an extraction ofthe final chapter of Report 0-4429-1 into a stand-alone document containing only the guidelines and recommendations of the research. The guidelines and recommendations were developed based on fmdings and conclusions obtained from surveys of Texas cities, Texas counties, TxDOT districts, and the DOTs of many states around the country. Relative to the full 0-4429-1 research report, this document is intended to serve as a more easily utilized reference document for TxDOT districts and area offices involved in local development review.