Waller County Commissioners Court opened a public hearing on Oct. 1 to consider establishing no-through-truck zones and installing signage on several residential streets in Peregrine Estates, a subdivision located between Morrison Road and FM 529 in Brookshire. The court later voted on the related agenda item and the motion failed on a 2-2 tie; the issue will return to a future agenda after the county attorney prepares guidance.

The hearing focused on five streets identified by residents and the county engineer as routes being used by heavy trucks cutting through the neighborhood: Davis Road (between Cochran and FM 362), Falcon Street, Peregrine Drive, Ridge and Quail Run Road in Peregrine Estates. County Engineer Ross said the locations were identified as cut-through truck traffic after field observations and consultation with the precinct commissioner. He told the court that "if the trucks are doing business along that road, we have to give them access," and that the engineering review aims to balance safety and access. Ross also said alternative truck routes exist but that trucks often take shorter paths through neighborhoods, which can damage roads built for lighter traffic.

Several commissioners who spoke said they were sympathetic to residents but urged a consistent, objective countywide policy rather than ad hoc decisions. One commissioner said numerous individual requests could create pressure to act inconsistently and recommended developing clear criteria—based on safety, road construction and alternative routes—so future petitions can be evaluated uniformly. County Attorney Uriel agreed to research the county's statutory authority and provide a memo on the county's powers to adopt weight- or route-based restrictions under state law; a commissioner asked for that memo by the next commissioners court meeting.

During a subsequent vote on the item (listed on the agenda as item 36), the motion to adopt the no-through-truck restrictions did not carry after a 2-2 tie. Court members did not record individual roll-call votes in the public discussion; the public record noted only the tie and the court's decision to place the matter on the next agenda after receiving guidance and proposed objective criteria.

The engineering office and several commissioners suggested using the Peregrine Estates request as a pilot while staff, counsel and the court work to draft objective criteria. Commissioners also discussed that restrictions generally cannot deny access to businesses located on the road and that enforcement or signage alone may not be appropriate when trucks are legitimately accessing property within a subdivision.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of the consent agenda: approved (no roll-call tally recorded in transcript).
- Items 37–40 (grouped): approved. Highlights: item 37 is a proposed grant application to the Houston-Galveston Area Council solid waste grant program to request $50,221.25 for five cameras to monitor illegal dumping (100% grant-funded if awarded). Item 39 authorizes reimbursement to the Texas General Land Office (GLO) for a deobligation remittance; the clerk read an amount of $1,022.41 in the meeting materials. The transcript also referenced a $259,075.40 deobligation that reduced a contract award and affected engineering fee caps under HUD rules and regulations. The county will submit a letter to the GLO and copy relevant agency contacts as part of follow-up.
- Item 41: approved (no tally recorded).
- Item 42: approved — increase to a contract (Pete Dawson) for drainage report reviews from $100,000 to $200,000; funding to come from permit fees.
- Item 43: approved — renewal/benefit confirmation for retiree health care (details in backup materials).
- Item 44: approved (no tally recorded).
- Item 45: approved — appointment of Ida as Waller County representative on the H-GAC (Clean Rivers) steering committee.
- Item 46: approved — nominations of Brenda Nichols and Tim Junik as candidates for the Waller County Appraisal District board of directors (these nominations will appear on a ballot distributed to all taxing entities that the appraisal district serves).
- Items 47–51: withdrawn from the agenda.

Why it matters: Commissioners framed the Peregrine Estates petition as a test case for a broader policy. A clear and objective county policy would guide future requests, limit ad hoc outcomes and help the court respond consistently when residents report truck damage or safety concerns. County staff and counsel will return with legal guidance and recommended criteria before the court takes final action on the specific Peregrine Estates signage request.

Ending: The no-through-truck item remains unresolved after the tie vote and will return to the court after the county attorney's memo and a proposed set of objective criteria are circulated for the court's review.