The City of Magnolia, in partnership with the Magnolia Economic Development Corporation and the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is conducting a Livable Centers Study for Central Magnolia. The study will help identify opportunities for public improvements, including transportation, public space, housing, parks, community facilities, and public infrastructure. These recommendations will help guide future public investment decisions in Central Magnolia as the area experiences rapid growth.

Our community is trying to get ahead of this growth by strategically planning where new public infrastructure and investments should be located and how these decisions should be prioritized. Examples of this could be identifying which streets need to be improved, which areas need to have new sidewalks, or areas where landscaping and public art would help beautify an area.

Your input is needed to help the project team understand how you interact with Central Magnolia today, what challenges should be addressed, and what community priorities should be incorporated into future recommendations.

The Livable Centers Study Area (which is what we are referring to as “Central Magnolia”) is shown below and includes the heart of the historic Central Magnolia near the intersection of FM 1774 and FM 1488. It is generally bounded to the east by Magnolia Ridge Boulevard, to the south by the Magnolia Junior High School and Unity Park, and to the west by the Arnold Branch waterway. Its northern boundary includes commercial parcels located along FM 1488.

The survey below will take approximately 10 minutes of your time. H-GAC and the City of Magnolia appreciate your time for taking this survey. The results of the survey will act as the basis of the Plan’s recommendations, building from the community’s priorities and will result in public improvement recommendations that will improve the area’s aesthetics, traffic, and multimodal mobility.

Your responses are private but all comments may be published anonymously at the end of the study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Established in 2008, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC)’s Livable Centers Program works with local communities to reimagine auto-focused infrastructure, policies, and programs aiming to create mixed-use places that provide multi-modal transportation options, improve environmental quality, improve pedestrian safety, and promote economic development and housing options.

Livable Centers are places where people can live, work, and play with less reliance on their cars. They encourage a complementary mix of land uses designed to be walkable, connected, and accessible by multiple modes of transportation, including bus, bike, foot, or vehicle (multi-modal).

The City of Magnolia, like many cities in the Houston-Galveston region, sits within a rapidly growing corridor shaped by recent regional thoroughfare expansions.

Magnolia’s charm lies in its small-town atmosphere, which increasingly conflicts with the demands of rapid growth. Its car-oriented transportation network makes it challenging to meet the needs of residents. The lack of sidewalks, narrow streets, and railroad crossings make all modes of travel challenging. Poor neighborhood connectivity has created isolated pockets accessible only by car, aggravated traffic congestion at key bottlenecks, and has contributed to rising auto-pedestrian accidents and limiting access to education, employment, and essential services opportunities.

These gaps not only divide the community and hinder economic potential, but they also leave the city less prepared to respond to emergencies, underscoring the need for a more connected, resilient transportation network that can support both daily mobility and critical emergency response efforts.

The Livable Centers Study represents Magnolia’s commitment to a community-driven vision that enhances infrastructure while preserving its small-town identity. The Study will outline strategies to reduce car dependency by expanding pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, improve local sense of place through inclusive public space design, and will help the City plan proactively for future growth.

Once the center of town, the study area has seen economic decline and abandonment due to the widening of FM 1774/FM 1488 over the past five years. With FM 1774 complete, and FM 1488 nearing completion, the area is poised for re-development. The study area is bounded by FM 1488 to the north, Magnolia Junior High School and FM 1774 to the south, Magnolia Ridge Blvd. to the east, and Unity Park Dr. to Magnolia Business Park Dr to the west.

The study area features thriving neighborhoods, local businesses, 4 schools (with enrollment of ~3,500 students), parks, retail hubs, a business park, mixed-use development and community facilities. As Magnolia’s historic core, it must also maintain a distinct identity from other growing commercial areas.

The intent of the study is to develop a small area plan and action strategy in line with the community’s vision and the Livable Centers Program’s goals. The Livable Centers Study provides a voluntary vision and roadmap to improve the heart of Magnolia. The study will not change Magnolia’s regulations or how individuals may use their property.

The City of Magnolia (and others) may use the study’s research and recommendations to guide future decisions related to public infrastructure, city regulations and policy, and development. The implementation of any public recommendations arising from the Livable Centers Study will require future input opportunities such as public hearings.

The Livable Centers Study is a community-driven process. All community members and interested citizens are invited to participate.

Your voice is important. We hope to hear from groups including:

  • City of Magnolia residents
  • Residents of surrounding areas who shop, work, or gather in Magnolia
  • Long-timers and newcomers
  • Elected and appointed officials
  • Business owners and workers
  • Property owners in the study area
  • Homeowners associations, civic groups, and other community organizations

Information and feedback opportunities for the Magnolia Livable Centers Study will be posted on the project website. The project team will also attend community events to share information with the community and hear from attendees. These dates will be announced in the near future.

The study has a 12-month long planning timeline and is anticipated to be completed in early 2027. Once adopted, the city officials will be able to utilize this plan as a roadmap to direct future public investments, such as widening roads, new sidewalks, parks and open space, and other public realm improvements outlined in the final plan.