Where is Tomball?
Tomball is the northernmost town in Harris County, thirty miles north of downtown Houston. It sits at a higher elevation than most of the county. The 2020 Census counted 12,341 residents. The Census Bureau gives its land area as 13.01 square miles.
How did Tomball develop?
The area was a farming community on a land grant given to the heirs of William Hurd in 1838. In early 1907 the settlement was named Peck and became a station on the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway. On December 2, 1907, it was renamed Tomball for Thomas Henry Ball, who had helped route the railroad to the community. A post office opened in 1908.
Drillers struck oil west of town on May 27, 1933. Tomball incorporated on July 6, 1933, with a population of 665. A 1935 contract with the Humble Oil and Refining Company gave residents free water and natural gas for ninety years in exchange for drilling rights within the city limits. Tomball College opened in 1988.
Who governs Tomball, and who provides services?
Tomball operates under the council-manager form of government set by its charter. The council has a mayor and five members in numbered positions, all elected at large. The council sets policy, and the city manager runs daily operations and proposes the annual budget.
The city’s Customer Service and Utility Billing Department bills water, sewer, natural gas and garbage service. Public Works runs wastewater treatment plants on the north and south sides of town and maintains 11 lift stations.
Which school districts serve Tomball?
Tomball ISD covers 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County. School was first held in Tomball in 1908. In 1937 the Harris County School Board granted a petition for Tomball to form its own district.
What permit, property and flood rules apply in Tomball?
The City of Tomball Building Office handles building permits, and applications are submitted through the city’s SmartGov portal. The city lists the 2021 International Building, Residential, Mechanical and Plumbing codes as its applicable codes.
Tomball has zoning. City Council adopted Zoning Ordinance 2008-01 on February 4, 2008, and a Unified Development Code on January 1, 2026. The Planning Division answers zoning questions.
A floodplain administrator in the Public Works Engineering Division handles floodplain matters. The city’s floodplain page lists FEMA floodplain maps effective June 18, 2007, and Flood Insurance Study volumes for the Spring Creek and Willow Creek watersheds.