Lubbock Planning and Zoning Commission approves five rezoning requests, forwards cases to City Council

The City of Lubbock Planning and Zoning Commission on March 20 unanimously approved five zone-change requests and will forward each to City Council for final consideration on April 22.

The approvals covered zone case 3520 (DNT Farms), zone case 1901-A (7 B Building & Development LLC for Bullson Inc.), zone case 3519 (Red Canyon Development LLC), zone case 3518 (Redeemer Church of Lubbock), and zone case 3521 (Barbara Beck). All five votes were recorded 7-0 in favor at the commission meeting.

Staff presenters described each proposal, its relationship to the city’s future land use map and the zoning ordinance, and notification counts sent to nearby property owners. Shane Spencer summarized zone case 3520 as a request by Hugo Reed and Associates on behalf of DNT Farms to change from SF-2 (low-density single-family) to LI (light industrial) for property north of East Bluefield Street and east of North Guava Avenue; staff said the future land use map designates the parcel for industrial uses and recommended approval. For zone case 1901-A, staff said the request would consolidate mixed zoning on the tract and make it auto-urban commercial (AC); staff reported 26 notices sent with 4 responses in favor and one in opposition. Sam Braquin presented zone case 3519 (request to rezone to AC) and noted that the future land use map designates the area for low-density residential but that the site is at a principal arterial intersection and could form a retail node. Will Stevens, the applicant’s representative, told the commission that roughly six acres are planned for a corporate office for a car-wash operator.

Will Stevens and Jamie McGar presented zone case 3521, which seeks to rezone land from SF-2 to NC (neighborhood commercial) west of Milwaukee Avenue and north of 104th Street. One resident, Kevin Kenny, testified in opposition and asked for a delay so he could get more information about buffers and uses. City staff and the applicant said most developable land will front 104th Street because much of the parcel lies in a playa/flood area; staff described the required buffer between NC and SF-2 as a Type B buffer yard: "10 feet with 2 canopy trees, 4 ornamental trees per 100 feet." The commission nonetheless approved the rezoning 7-0.

All five cases were described by staff as conforming to the zoning ordinance or consistent enough with the comprehensive plan principles to approve, and staff said the cases would be forwarded to City Council for public hearings on April 22.

Votes at a glance - Zone case 3520 (Hugo Reed & Associates / DNT Farms), SF-2 to LI — motion to approve (mover: Mr. Wood); outcome: approved, 7-0. - Zone case 1901-A (7 B Building & Development LLC for Bullson Inc.), NC & MDR to AC — motion to approve (mover/second: not specified on record); outcome: approved, 7-0. - Zone case 3519 (AMD Engineering LLC for Red Canyon Development LLC), SF-2 to AC — motion to approve (mover/second: not specified on record); outcome: approved, 7-0. - Zone case 3518 (AMD Engineering LLC for Redeemer Church of Lubbock), SF-2 to HC — motion to approve (mover/second: not specified on record); outcome: approved, 7-0. - Zone case 3521 (AMD Engineering for Barbara Beck), SF-2 to NC — motion to approve (mover: Mr. Wood; second: Mr. Hartwig); outcome: approved, 7-0.

Several applicants said they currently have no detailed site plans and that rezoning is intended to allow future sale or development; in two cases applicants said they plan to consolidate parcels or remove split zoning prior to development. A staff member noted that some parcels include floodplain or playa lake areas that will limit the amount of land available for development; for one parcel staff and the applicant said roughly "30%" of the property can be reclaimed/developed up to the 500-year flood elevation. The commission’s approvals were unanimous and will be considered by City Council during public hearings scheduled for April 22.

Less immediate agenda items included approval of prior minutes and a work-session item; Chair and staff confirmed the list of cases that will go to council and closed the meeting.