Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rezoning North Industrial topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Temple planning commission backs rezoning of roughly 921 acres for North Industrial Park expansion
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Commission on Nov. 17 recommended approval of a rezoning from agricultural to light industrial for about 921 acres intended for the North Industrial Park expansion; the move is advisory and will proceed to City Council, and residents raised questions about infrastructure costs and odor complaints from an existing bottling plant.
The Temple Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval on Nov. 17 of a rezoning request to change roughly 921 acres from agricultural to straight light industrial, a step planners say aligns the site with the city’s comprehensive plan and advances a proposed North Industrial Park expansion.
Senior planner Christina Strickland told the commission the property is being considered for annexation and that the annexation will appear at City Council for first reading Nov. 20, with zoning matters scheduled for a first reading Dec. 4 and a final reading Dec. 18. "This is a straight rezoning case from agricultural to light industrial," Strickland said, noting utilities and right-of-way needs will be determined at later planning and platting stages.
Why it matters: The rezoning would move a large swath of largely undeveloped, agricultural land into an industrial designation that allows light manufacturing, distribution centers, data centers and similar uses. Staff said the request is consistent with the future land-use map and that services and any required infrastructure will be addressed during subsequent platting and utility agreements.
Public concerns centered on who pays for infrastructure and the local impacts of industrial growth. Resident Ken Lutz asked whether the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) or the city will bear development costs and whether annexed property owners will face higher utility bills; commissioners and staff said zoning is an early procedural step and that infrastructure financing and utility extensions are typically worked out later in developer agreements and through the EDC or private developers.
Separately, a nearby resident who gave a 7933 Old Howard Road address reported recurring sewer odor they attribute to a nearby Niagara bottling facility. Staff said code enforcement will investigate the complaint and clarified that the resident’s parcel is not being annexed in this rezoning but had received a courtesy notice because of proximity within the 200-foot notification boundary.
BJ Little, a representative of Turley Associates speaking for the EDC, explained that the EDC currently owns some northern parcels and that the plat recently submitted covers only the south portion; he said the EDC is advancing zoning and annexation steps now while platting and more detailed development plans will follow.
The commission’s approval was unanimous. Commissioners recommended the rezoning to City Council, which will consider annexation and zoning readings on the schedule Strickland described.
