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Planning panel approves preliminary plat for Bowman Commercial Center after right‑of‑way and flood‑mitigation discussion
Summary
The commission approved the preliminary plat for Bowman (Belmont) Commercial Center, after developer representatives discussed a requested reduction in right‑of‑way width (from the city’s 90‑foot typical to 76 feet), dedication of additional ROW for future North Loop extension, and dependencies on county flood mitigation and FEMA CLOMAR review.
The Socorro Planning and Zoning Commission voted Sept. 2 to approve the preliminary plat for the Bowman (Belmont) Commercial Center, a roughly 24‑acre commercial subdivision on North Loop Drive and Belmont Road owned by Clint Land Holdings Company LLC. Staff recommended approval after presenting the plat and site photos.
Commissioners raised questions about a variance tied to a proposed reduction in the required right‑of‑way from the city's typical 90 feet to 76 feet. City staff confirmed the variance was not included in the introduction language and said it will be submitted with the final plat. Jorge Escarte of CA Group, representing project engineering, explained the design choice, saying much of the reduction comes from the parkway portion of the section and that the proposed pavement would be about 6 feet narrower than the 90‑foot typical. "The majority, about 8 feet, is we're taking away from the parkway... So it's 4 feet on each side," Escarte said, and described the approach as a type of "road diet" intended to reduce vehicle speeds.
Escarte said the developer will dedicate additional right‑of‑way for future extension of North Loop and that most site frontage will be accessed from Bowman, not North Loop. He said a traffic signal at the intersection has been programmed with TxDOT and the city but that TxDOT groups signal work and the contractor procurement schedule means exact construction timing is not certain. On flood mitigation, Escarte said the developer is coordinating with a county project to build a large retention pond; he said the developer cannot finalize a CLOMAR until the county completes its work and provided a procedural timeline: CLOMAR preparation takes about six months and FEMA review about a year, and that county timing could push full development planning out several years.
After discussion, a motion to approve the preliminary plat was made and seconded; the commission voted to approve. The chair announced the motion carried. The developer and staff will return with final‑plat documents and any required variance requests and coordinate with county and utility providers on infrastructure timing and CLOMAR/FEMA processes.
