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Edinburg Council approves rezoning and purchases, tables road-widening variances; approves parking garage change order
Summary
The City Council voted to approve multiple public-hearing rezoning items and procurement requests (including a $136,442.40 sewer camera and a parking-garage change order to remove newly discovered underground tanks); it also approved a 9-foot fence variance 3–2 and tabled road-widening variance requests because of transmission poles.
Edinburg — The City Council approved a package of development and procurement items Wednesday, including several rezoning requests, a change order for the downtown parking garage to remove newly discovered underground tanks, and the purchase of a sewer inspection camera.
Councilmember (Speaker 13) moved to approve public-hearing items A through E, a motion that passed unanimously. The packet included rezoning requests and other land-use matters presented by planning staff and applicants.
On item 8a (a subdivision buffer/variance related to The Woodlands at Jackson), after a discussion about privacy, drainage and masonry-versus-cedar fencing, the council voted 3–2 to approve the applicant's variance request allowing a hybrid 3-foot masonry / 6-foot cedar wall to reach a 9-foot height in places. Planning staff said a full 9-foot masonry wall would be structurally feasible if properly engineered but noted higher cost and drainage considerations.
The council discussed two separate right-of-way/road-widening variance requests on Rogers Road (items 8B and 8C). Applicants explained that high-voltage transmission poles in the right-of-way prevent construction of the ultimate thoroughfare profile; developers said they will widen the road "as much as we can up to the transmission poles," but had not provided written plans. Councilmembers favored written commitments and escrow in some cases as a means of future accountability; the council ultimately voted to table both items pending written plans showing the maximum feasible widening.
On procurement, the council authorized purchase of a sewer camera system from Rosh USA through the Sourcewell cooperative contract (No. 120721-RAU) not to exceed $136,442.40, to help utilities diagnose underground leaks. The consent agenda also included change order No. 1 to the downtown parking garage contract: staff reported four newly discovered underground tanks needing excavation and disposal ($49,953) and a $29,800 allowance to add a white pigment to the concrete finish; staff confirmed earlier county testing when 11 tanks had been found previously.
The council also approved appointments of Mayor Omar Ochoa as primary representative and Dan Diaz as alternate to regional boards and approved the consent agenda including the garage change order.
No formal action was announced after the council's executive session, and the meeting was adjourned.
