Manvel Crossing developers will begin planning for construction by the end of July after Manvel City Council approved the master plan at its July 6 meeting, following revisions that added detailed drainage plans, a construction schedule and additional amenities.

Some context: The Manvel Crossing master plan, presented by BCS Capital Group, a Houston-based commercial real estate agency, failed in a 2-4 vote at the June 15 City Council meeting. The master plan, located along Hwy. 6 between Kirby Drive and Manvel Town Center, outlines proposed commercial development including a grocery store, Home Depot, fitness centers and other retail uses, documents show.

What residents need to know: The first building site is expected to be pad-ready by September 2027, but the timeline is subject to change based on market conditions, material availability and weather, according to presentation documents from the developer.

Pearland ISD's board of trustees will consider adding a new graduation requirement for ninth-grade students entering high school in the 2026-27 school year at its July 14 meeting.

What you need to know: If approved, incoming freshmen would be required to complete at least one college, career or military readiness, or CCMR, indicator to graduate.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is gathering public input regarding traffic congestion as part of its Regional Congestion Management process, per a news release. Officials said community members can participate through July 15 via an online survey.

H-GAC is a regional organization intended for local governments to consider and cooperate in solving area-wide issues.

The big picture: In order to better understand traffic and travel challenges across the Houston-Galveston region, H-GAC is developing a Congestion Management Plan, or CMP. The CMP will consider multiple counties, including Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller.

Participants of the survey will help identify traffic hotspots, understand how congestion affects varying road-users and inform future planning and investment decisions, per the news release.

One more thing: The survey should take around 10 minutes to complete, according to the H-GAC website, and will close for submissions July 15.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials announced the creation of a new C-level leadership position called chief operating officer and general manager.

In a nutshell: The new position—which will be filled by current Chief Revenue Officer Amber Burda—aims to unify strategic direction as well as align programming and strategy for the annual rodeo event, officials announced in a July 7 news release.

Burda has served as chief revenue officer since 2023, although she was initially hired in 2017 as the executive director of sponsorships, business and corporate development, where she led the creation of official rodeo sponsorships.

Sorting out details: Her focus will be on ensuring cross-departmental coordination to enhance operational efficiency, while aligning pricing and revenue strategies with the organization’s mission

In the new role, Burda will oversee most public-facing aspects of the rodeo, including:

• Mission

• Show operations

• Ticketing

• Sponsorships

• Stadium presentation

• The carnival

Burda will also be involved in the creation of the organization’s new agricultural complex along Hwy. 288, per the release.