City Plan Commission approves four land‑use requests, postpones officer election and subcommittee update for four weeks

The El Paso City Plan Commission approved four staff‑recommended rezoning and special‑permit requests and voted to postpone the election of officers and a Comprehensive Plan Subcommittee update for four weeks.

Staff presented Items 5 through 8, each of which the commission approved after brief presentations and no public speakers. Item 5 would rezone 0.5 acres at 7750 Alabama from C‑1 commercial to AO (apartment office) to allow up to 20 efficiency apartments; Item 6 would rezone 0.38 acres at 8172 Lode Avenue from Ranch & Farm to R‑2 for a single‑family residence; Item 7 is a special permit and detailed site plan to allow a government use building (a 2,213 sq. ft. addition to an existing fire station) at 6500 North Mesa Street; Item 8 is a special permit and detailed site development plan to allow an 11‑unit, two‑story infill apartment building with reduced rear and side‑street setbacks at 506 Randolph Drive (property in an A2 district with a historic overlay). Staff recommended approval for each item and the commission adopted the recommendations by motion, with no public comment recorded for these items.

Highlights and outcomes

- Item 5 (7750 Alabama): Staff said the site is approximately 0.50 acres and the conceptual plan proposes a two‑story building containing 20 efficiency apartments and 20 parking spaces; the AO district allows a maximum density of up to 29 units. The applicant, TJ Karam, concurred with staff comments and the commission voted to approve. Public notices were mailed on 2025‑06‑20; no written comments were received.

- Item 6 (8172 Lode Avenue): The property is roughly 0.38 acres. The applicant, Luis Sorenda, confirmed concurrence with staff comments. Staff recommended approval and the commission approved the rezoning; no public comments were received and public notices were mailed on 2025‑06‑20.

- Item 7 (6500 North Mesa Street): Staff presented a special permit and detailed site plan to allow an addition to an existing fire station; the addition is described as a garage for emergency vehicles and the project meets the dimensional and parking standards cited in El Paso City Code. Carlos O'Dame with the fire department concurred with staff; the commission approved the special permit and site plan.

- Item 8 (506 Randolph Drive): The item requested reduced rear and side‑street setbacks for an infill apartment project in an A2 district with a historic overlay. The project previously received a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Landmark Commission on 05/13/2024 and the Sunset Heights Neighborhood Association expressed support in April 2024; staff recommended approval and the commission approved the special permit and detailed site plan.

Postponement of items 9 and 10

Commissioners then debated whether to proceed with item 9 (election of officers) and item 10 (Comprehensive Plan Subcommittee update) given absences. After discussion, the commission voted to postpone both items for four weeks. The roll call for the postponement recorded the following votes: Commissioner Sal Masood — Aye; Commissioner Hansen — Aye; Commissioner Carrillo — Nay; Commissioner Apollaca — Aye; Commissioner Rodriguez — Nay; Commissioner Padillo — Aye. The motion to postpone passed 4–2.

Next steps

Each approved rezoning or special‑permit recommendation will be forwarded as required by procedure; where a detailed site plan is required, staff and applicant indicated those subsequent steps will follow. The postponed items will be placed on the agenda four weeks later for action or further discussion.