Commission unanimously backs recommending reduced AG setbacks to Town Council after public objections

The commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Town Council consider text amendments to Article 5 of the Unified Development Code (case 25-UDC-4) that would align setback requirements for the agricultural (AG) zoning district with those in the town's rural-residential classification.

The change, staff said, is intended to match the land-use plan and allow property owners in AG-zoned parcels to use more of their land. Town staff noted the AG district was created on Oct. 13, 2022, to apply where the primary use is a ranch or farm and that the commission's action is a recommendation to Council; Council is scheduled to consider any rezoning of properties over 20 acres at its Feb. 12 meeting.

At a public hearing, two residents told the commission they opposed what they described as 'forced zoning'—the involuntary reclassification of parcels from rural residential to AG. "You are forcibly changing our zoning from rural residential to AG, which limits what we can do with our property," said Michael Savo, identifying himself as an affected property owner on Florence Road. Savo said the original change would have denied the ability to build on roughly 25 acres of his land and that he would accept voluntary rezoning but not a forced change.

Rena Harderman, who identified herself as a Northlake resident and seventh-generation Texan, urged the commission not to forward the recommendation to Council and said increasing minimum lot-size requirements from 5 acres to 20 acres "takes the use of that property away from us." Harderman also said poor road conditions limited attendance and suggested that those conditions suppressed public participation.

Staff told commissioners the item before them was a text amendment to change setback standards, not the rezoning action itself. A staff member said Council had asked for reduced setbacks; the commission's recommendation on setbacks would be used by Council when it considers rezoning of qualifying parcels.

Earlier in the meeting the commission approved routine business: a motion to accept the Dec. 9 meeting minutes (moved by a commissioner and seconded), which carried unanimously. Later, after public comment and brief discussion limited to the setback change, the commission moved to approve the recommendation on the proposed Article 5 text amendments; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

The commission closed the public hearing at 05:45 and adjourned at 05:48. Council is expected to take up any rezoning of parcels over 20 acres once it reviews the commission's recommendation.