Laredo planning commission tables rezoning request for 1702 Oak Lane after neighborhood opposition

The Laredo Planning Commission opened a public hearing on a request to rezone Lots 11 and 12, Lot 937, Eastern Division (1702 Oak Lane) from R-1 (single-family) to R-2 (multifamily) and then voted to table the request at the applicant's request.

The applicant is Project Martinez Legacy LLC; Abraham Martinez is listed as the owner and Miguel Gomez as the applicant's representative. During the hearing a staff member told the commission that "the applicant has asked us that we put this on hold or table." The commission granted the request to table while leaving the public hearing record open.

Adjacent neighbors turned out to oppose the rezoning. Roland Santos, who said he is adjacent to the property, told the commission he and his neighbors were opposed and presented a signed petition. "We are completely opposed to it," Santos said. Other speakers recorded on the sign-in list included Viola Ibarra, Randy Sotto, Laura Eligaza and Claudia Espinosa.

The commission first opened the public hearing, allowed comments from those on the record, then a commissioner moved to table the item. The motion carried. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote breakdown by name for the tabling motion; minutes show the chair stated "Motion carries." The item will return to a future agenda when the applicant is ready to proceed.

Why it matters: a change from R-1 to R-2 would allow multifamily uses on a parcel described in the application; nearby residents said they oppose that change and presented a neighborhood petition. The tabling preserves the status quo zoning while the applicant and staff consider next steps.

The commission did not vote on a final rezoning ordinance at the meeting; it only tabled the request after public comment and the applicant's request to hold the item.