Designer seeks zoning help so former church at 502 West Water Street can become a business

Alfred Guerrero, a designer working for the property buyer, asked the Freeport Planning and Zoning Commission during public comment to consider changing the zoning of a former church at 502 West Water Street so the buyer can open a business there.

The request came during the commission’s public‑comment period; commissioners said they could not take action that night and advised Guerrero to submit plans so staff could place the item on a future agenda. Chair, Planning and Zoning Commission, noted that notices and legal posting are required and that the commission cannot decide the matter outside a posted agenda.

Guerrero told the commission he had already invested in the property’s rehabilitation and the parking lot, saying, “I already put a lot of concrete on the parking lot, and, I'm ready to keep going on on the inside.” He asked for guidance after learning that permits were being held pending zoning review.

Commissioners and staff described next steps. The chair advised Guerrero that his proposal is not an agenda item that night and invited him to provide a set of plans for the next planning and zoning meeting. A staff member suggested that Shelby and Yvette could assist with the application and review, and the chair said staff could include the plans in the next meeting packet.

One commissioner warned that the property sits in a residential area and that rezoning it for commercial use could amount to spot zoning, which the commissioner said would be illegal. The chair reiterated that staff and commissioners could review Guerrero’s plans at the next meeting but could not change zoning that night.

Guerrero was told how to proceed: leave a set of plans with staff and work with Shelby and Yvette so the proposal can be placed on the commission’s agenda for formal consideration at the next planning and zoning meeting.