Planning commission backs expansion of Hamby electric substation with concrete screening

The Mesquite Planning and Zoning Commission on June 9 recommended that City Council approve an application to rezone and amend the comprehensive plan to allow an expansion of the Hamby electric substation at Gross Road.

Staff planner Tiara Clark told commissioners the roughly 2.3-acre property is currently split-zoned and that staff recommends changing its future land-use designation to "utilities" and rezoning it to PD Light Commercial to permit the substation expansion. "Staff recommends approval of the zoning change to PD Light Commercial along with the comprehensive plan amendment," Clark said during her presentation.

The applicant proposes modifications to the city's screening requirements so that, instead of a tree-buffer, the expanded area would be enclosed by an 8-foot precast concrete wall. Ashley Miller, a siting specialist with Encore, said the company is purchasing the property from the city and plans to "install our 8-foot masonry screening wall around the entire station" and remove the existing chain-link fence.

Commissioners asked whether the project would add new equipment types, how transformer oils and maintenance would be handled, and what would happen to a small creek on the site. Clark and staff engineering advised that the expansion would include standard transformers and A-frame structures and that any work affecting the drainage channel must comply with the city's drainage and engineering-design requirements. As staff put it, "they'll still have to comply with the city's drainage and engineering design requirements," and a drainage study will be required.

One commissioner pressed on tree mitigation and fees in lieu; Clark said the ordinance contains language that exempts franchise public utilities from the tree-preservation portion of the ordinance, meaning the applicant would not be required to pay a fee-in-lieu or replant trees as part of this approval. Commissioners retained the ability to add stipulations if they wished.

After questions and brief deliberation, the commission voted to recommend approval. The motion carried unanimously; staff and the applicant said the case will move to City Council for consideration on Monday, July 7.

Next steps: City Council will review the rezoning and comprehensive-plan amendment; engineering and site-specific studies (including drainage) will be required during site-plan review.