On Saturday, January 31, 2026, City Council met for their annual Strategic Visioning Retreat with a third-party facilitator, Patrick Ibarra of the Mejorando Group, alongside the City Manager’s Office, City Attorney, and department directors. Councilmembers were invited to share their desired legacy for their time on Council and existing strategic priority milestones were reviewed in addition to exploring additional milestones or action items.

Six new milestones were discussed (denoted below with an asterisk*) and several action items that support the strategic priorities were discussed, which are outlined below. Additionally, some items that were presented in the pre-retreat memo have been revised and consolidated following the retreat discussion to maintain consistency. Two existing milestones were updated (also denoted with an asterisk*). Presentation to Council for review and adoption of the updated Strategic Priorities and Milestones is tentatively slated for March 23, 2026.

Through the FY27 budget development process, we will continue to organize the budget and supplemental requests by Strategic Priority, further aligning our operations with the Council-adopted priorities and performance management initiatives.

Strategic Priority Updates

As part of the conversation during the retreat, a different perspective emerged in the context of viewing the Strategic Priorities in relation to the service delivery of the City of Pearland – the how, the what, and the why. These distinctions are important in considering that many of the things that we provide as a City fall under more than one priority, in addition to their contributions to making Pearland “The Community of Choice”, which was the official tag line adopted after the conclusion of the 2021 City Council Retreat. 

“How” we deliver the services isrealized through the foundational strategic priorities of Resilient Finances and Trusted Government. “What” we deliver can be seen through the Safe Community, Strong Economy, Sustainable Infrastructure, and Connected Community strategic priorities. These all fall under the “Why”, which is the overarching theme of the Strategic Priorities – the reasoning behind the services we deliver, to intentionally create The Community of Choice.

Organized below by Strategic Priority, the updated milestones underneath are inclusive of the recommended changes discussed at the recent Strategic Visioning Retreat.

Strategic Priority Updates

1. Trusted Government: Delivering transparent, high-quality, and accessible city services by developing cutting edge solutions, engaging with the community, and continuously improving our capabilities.
   1. Develop and implement a citywide framework for ethical artificial intelligence (AI) use that aligns with City of Pearland values and operational goals. *
   2. Monitor, assess, and respond to State legislative actions that preempt local authority, ensuring Pearland’s ability to govern effectively and advocate for community-specific needs. *
      1. Develop internal protocols and external engagement strategies to address multi-family housing proposals and future legislation implications for local zoning authority.

1. Strong Economy: Developing and investing in an attractive community that allows talent, entrepreneurs, and business to thrive for generations to come by supporting stable, steady growth, and unending opportunities.
   1. Driving future growth through redevelopment and reinvestment in older areas of the community.
   2. Continue work with governmental partners to secure state and federal funding.
   3. Continue the process to update the Unified Development Code, including reviewing the Planned Development process and ensuring alignment with the Pearland 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the Pearland Prosperity Plan.*
   4. Continue to nurture sports tourism initiatives including tournament recruitment, tournament servicing, and sports facility improvements.

1. Safe Community: Making Pearland a welcoming place by ensuring a safe environment and providing efficient and effective Public Safety services for residents, businesses, and visitors.
   1. Fire
      1. Evaluation of the effectiveness of coverage.
         1. Exploration of the cost of emergency response outside of the Pearland Citylimits. *
         2. Update the effectiveness of coverage study due to changes in the projectedcoverage area resulting from changes in state law (annexation). *
   2.  Police
      1. Expansion of the automated license plate reader (ALPR) flock cameras.
   3. Emergency Management
      1. Continuation of the Emergency Supply Warehouse project.
      2. Continue coordinated community planning for disaster preparedness and recovery through the Pearland Recovery Committee.

1. Sustainable Infrastructure: Building quality of life on a well-planned and maintained foundation of essential water, transportation, and flooding infrastructure, appealing amenities, and long-term value.
   
   (Policies and programs to manage each of the areas below, including schedules. The financial program behind each of the areas below to support implementation.)
   
   1. Streets & Sidewalks
   2. 1. 2023 bond program update
      2. Long term neighborhood revitalization program
   3. Water/sewer
   4. Motor pool
   5. Facilities
   6. Information Technology
   7. Drainage

1. Resilient Finances: Providing long-term community value through trusted stewardship and responsible financial management.
   1. Develop mid-range (3-5 years) financial planning including a strategic level overview for funding the internal service funds. *
   2. Review fund balance policy. *

1. Connected Community: Fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging opportunities to connect through multifaceted events, services, amenities, and gathering spaces.
   1. Implementation of projects from the 2023 Bond Program:
      1. Hickory Slough Sportsplex Phase II
      2. Independence Park Phase II
   2. Continue the Train Depot Renovation, Phase II.
   3. Continue implementation of the Cultural Arts Master Plan.
   4. Connecting with the Community - Implementation of organization-wide Customer Experience Management framework.
   5. Complete the update to the Parks, Recreation, Open Spaces & Trails Master Plan.

Staff Action Items

During the January 31, 2026, City Council Strategic Retreat, several items/initiatives were discussed. While these items are not strategic milestones, they are action items that will be addressed in the next several months. Italicized items below are remaining from FY25.

Trusted Government

Strong Economy

1. Utilize National Community Survey results to support budgeting and decision-making processes.

Safe Community

1. Provide the EMS collection recovery model and current statistics.
2. Provide historical data on police staffing per 1,000 residents.
3. Evaluate tools available to reduce running red lights including but not limited to traffic control devices, technology, public awareness campaigns, and enforcement.

Sustainable Infrastructure

1. Provide list of all roadway projects by funding mechanics including the 2023 bond program drainage projects that include roadway improvements.

Resilient Finances

1. Conduct a workshop on the implications of the end of TIRZ #2 (FY2030).

Connected Community

1. Explore transit options for the elderly, disabled, and non-emergency medical transports.
2. Explore the role of non-profit and other organizations in service delivery.

Council adopted the updated strategic priorities and milestones during the March 23rd regular meeting.