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Commission approves zone change to allow Sunflower Sports Center near Dripping Springs and Centennial High
Summary
The commission voted to rezone a 20.87‑acre former quarry from I‑3 (heavy industrial) to C‑3 (regional commercial) to allow development of the Sunflower Sports Center, a proposed multi-sport indoor facility with outreach and scholarship programs.
Doña Ana County’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zone change March 13 to reclassify 20.87 acres on Dripping Springs Road from I‑3 (industrial) to C‑3 (regional commercial) to permit the Sunflower Sports Center, a proposed multi-sport indoor recreational facility.
Staff told the commission the parcel had previously been rezoned for mining operations in 2012 and later zoned I‑3 under the Unified Development Code. The applicant, the Sam Center Foundation, presented a conceptual plan for a roughly 48,000‑square‑foot indoor complex (phase 1) with parking, outdoor gathering space and trail connections to nearby recreational infrastructure and the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. The foundation described scholarship and outreach components intended to expand youth access to team sports and to host regional tournaments.
Staff found the requested C‑3 zoning consistent with the Comprehensive Plan goals cited in the staff report — including encouraging recreational choices, supporting new community amenities near growth areas and providing facilities that support active lifestyles — and recommended approval. Staff also noted access would be from Dripping Springs Road, a county‑maintained major arterial, and that further design, stormwater mitigation, road improvements and fire and building requirements would be addressed at site‑plan and permitting stages.
Applicant Michael Burson described the project as a memorial and community investment (the Sam Center Foundation was organized following the death of the applicant’s daughter) and outlined a timeline that anticipates site reclamation beginning in spring and phased construction thereafter. Burson said the foundation has secured initial funding commitments and will work with sports‑facility consultants for programming and operations.
The commission approved the zone change after a second and roll‑call. Commissioners and staff emphasized that approvals do not bypass required engineering, drainage, access permits or building permits; those requirements must be satisfied during subsequent permitting and site‑plan review.
