Council approves Hillcrest street vacations and rezoning despite residents' concerns

Corpus Christi City Council voted this afternoon to approve a set of street vacations and land-use changes affecting the Hillcrest and Washington Coles neighborhoods, after more than two hours of public testimony from residents and community advocates.

Residents who spoke during the agenda item warned council members that the street closures and the zoning changes requested by Port of Corpus Christi interests would limit evacuation routes, threaten the area’s historic fabric and accelerate industrial encroachment. “That closure of these roads, I think, is gonna further limit evacuation routes,” resident Jim Klein said during public comment, echoing others who said the proposed changes would make it harder for neighbors to leave in an emergency.

Council members ultimately approved the ordinance vacating the small segment of Nueces Street between Port Avenue and Coke Street and adopted amendments to zoning cases involving port properties, including a change to CG-2 (general commercial) with a…