Council amends rezoning request, approves first reading to reclassify McCard Road parcels to General Business

The Pearland City Council on first reading approved an amendment to a rezoning ordinance (2000M-269) that changes the zoning designation of two parcels at 8402 and 8422 McCard Road to General Business (GB). The council voted to amend the applicant's requested General Commercial (GC) designation to GB and approved first reading 6-0.

Martin, a city planner, opened the public hearing by describing the application filed by Carlos Saenz on behalf of the property owner and summarized Planning & Zoning's discussion. Planning & Zoning had recommended the lesser Neighborhood Services (NS) district after earlier meetings. During the council discussion, the property owner identified himself at the podium as "Armando Lozano," said he had an existing office-warehouse building and a mobile home on the sites, and told council he had no plans to add additional warehouses and would remove the mobile home if GB were approved.

Council members questioned consistency with the comprehensive plan, uses allowed under various districts, and permitting costs. Councilmember Patel and others noted that GB would allow many of the uses the applicant seeks (restaurant, event center, music studio) by right, while office-warehouse expansion would require GC. One council member emphasized the permitting cost burden on the applicant: the zone change fee of $850 and conditional-use-permit fees of roughly $1,000 for each CUP requested.

After discussion, Member Chavarria moved to amend the ordinance to General Business; the amendment passed 6-0 and the amended ordinance passed first reading 6-0. Council instructed staff that the item will return for second reading on the next meeting for final action.