Planning commission approves several rezonings, plats and a schedule change; committee hears traffic and access concerns

The City of Laredo Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 16, 2025 approved multiple rezoning requests, preliminary and final plats, extensions and a schedule change, and discussed coordinating traffic and internal street layouts on forthcoming residential development.

Actions at the meeting included approval to rezone approximately 18.7 acres south of Sierra Vista Boulevard and west of Cuatro Guentos Road from B-3 Community Business to R-1A single-family reduced-area district for a residential project (item 7b); approval to rezone the east half of Lot 2, Block 248 Western Division at 914 Coke Street from R-2 multifamily to B-3 community business (item 7c) over staff objections; and approval to rezone Lot 8, Block 261 Eastern Division at 1907 Monterrey Street from R-3 mixed residential to R-1A (item 7d) with staff support.

On plats, commissioners gave preliminary consideration and approval, subject to edited staff comments, to the Las Ave Subdivision preliminary plat, a proposed 123-lot residential subdivision. Wayne Johnson of 4S Engineering, speaking for the plat applicant, said the developer and staff had agreed to remove a requirement to provide an additional connection to Cuatro Guentos Road and requested that the final internal street layout be coordinated with the traffic department during the city’s one-stop-shop review. Johnson told the commission the development team preferred “the street layout to be coordinated during the one-stop shop with the traffic department.”

The commission approved several final plats (items 9a–9e) and granted two six-month extensions for final plat approvals (items 10a–10b). Members also reopened and approved two final items (9c and 9d) subject to staff comments after an abstention was resolved.

The commission voted to change the time and venue for the regular Feb. 20 meeting because downtown streets will be closed for a youth parade. Commissioners selected Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon in the first-floor conference room at City Hall; commissioners also discussed hybrid/virtual participation options for members who cannot attend in person and asked staff to confirm legal requirements for virtual attendance for this statutory body.

Votes at a glance - Item 7b (rezoning, ~18.7 acres south of Sierra Vista Blvd and west of Cuatro Guentos Rd): staff supported; commission approved (motion to close public hearing and support staff recommendation). - Item 7c (rezoning 914 Coke St to B-3 for proposed taxidermy use): staff opposed; commission voted to go against staff recommendation and approved the rezoning after public comment and debate. - Item 7d (rezoning 1907 Monterrey St to R-1A): staff supported; commission approved. - Item 7_8a (preliminary plat, Las Ave Subdivision, proposed 123 lots): approved subject to staff comments edited as presented. - Items 9a–9e (final plats): approved. - Items 10a–10b (six-month extensions of final plats): approved. - Item 11a (change meeting time/venue for Feb. 20): commission selected Wednesday at noon, first-floor conference room, pending staff confirmation of legal details for virtual participation.

What commissioners and speakers emphasized during the meeting was coordination with traffic staff on internal street layouts and removing an explicit required connection to Cuatro Guentos Road for the Las Ave subdivision; staff and the developer agreed to resolve final configuration during the city’s one-stop-shop review. A neighborhood speaker raised concerns about noise, parking and suspected chemical discharge at a different rezoning site along San Bernardo and Coke Street during the 914 Coke Street discussion.

The commission adjourned after handling all items on the agenda.