Planning and Zoning Commission approves rezoning request for Lubbock Turf property, forwards case to City Council

The Lubbock Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Monday to approve Zone Case 788B, a rezoning request from Low Density Single-Family to Residential Estates for a property used to grow turf, and directed staff to forward the case to City Council for first reading on Jan. 13, 2026.

Jamie McGar of the city planning department told commissioners that 166 notification letters were mailed about the application and staff received one in favor and one late opposition that fell outside the notification area. McGar said the proposed Residential Estates district "conforms to" the Future Land Use Map and characterized Residential Estates as a "more restrictive" residential district than what currently surrounds the property. McGar also said the site will need to be platted before any further development.

The applicant, Jerry Hart of R2M Engineering, said the property is used to grow turf for Lubbock Turf LLC and described a recent issue in which the owner began constructing a barn and was informed by city staff that the current zoning did not permit that structure. "He had no idea that he couldn't build a barn on the current zoning," Hart said, and added the owner "needs some place to keep his equipment in safely." Hart said the owner is not proposing to divide the property and intends to continue turf operations there long-term.

No members of the public rose to speak in opposition or in favor during the public hearing. After the hearing concluded, a motion and second were made to approve the rezoning; Chair James Bellenson called the question and announced the motion carried 7 to 0. Bellenson then stated the case will go to City Council for first reading on Jan. 13, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.; the chair corrected an earlier misread date during the meeting to confirm the Jan. 13 date.

The staff report noted nearby features including Estacado High School, the Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, and Mackenzie Park. The staff presentation referenced the city's Master Thoroughfare Plan (2018) and the Future Land Use Map in describing existing streets and land-use designations. Staff also noted a discrepancy in the transcripted street names; the staff presentation refers to the property as being west of North Ivory Avenue and south of East Itasca Street, while a later line references East Erskine Street. The record should be checked against the official staff report and legal description for the precise parcel boundaries.

Procedural business earlier in the meeting included approval of the commission's Nov. 6, 2025 minutes. The chair announced the minutes approval carried unanimously (the transcript records the vote as "7 to 0" though one line in the recording reads "Motion carries 1, 6, 7 to 0," which appears to be a transcription error). With no further business, Chair James Bellenson adjourned the meeting at 6:07 p.m.

The commission's decision to forward Zone Case 788B starts the city review process on the rezoning request; City Council's first-reading consideration is the next official step. For the precise legal description and staff analysis, refer to the city's case file for Zone Case 788B and the staff report submitted to the commission.