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Nugent Road residents urge council to reject rezoning, cite traffic and process failures
Summary
Several Nugent Road homeowners told the Abilene City Council they oppose changing a wedge of land from agricultural/open space to commercial, citing increased truck traffic, effects on property values and concerns that Planning & Zoning recommendations and notifications lacked transparency.
Residents along Nugent Road used the council’s public comment period to press the city to reject a proposed rezoning that would convert a rural wedge of land near FM 600 from agricultural/open space to commercial use.
Multiple speakers described Nugent Road as a quiet, rural residential area and warned that rezoning would bring additional truck traffic, noise and decreased confidence for buyers and builders in the area. “The road can’t take it,” said Bill O’Neil, who identified himself as a Nugent Road resident, explaining concerns about potholes, an aging bridge and the impact of commercial trucks. Sue L. Moore noted that homes in the area range in value from $260,000 to $735,000 and asked councilors to preserve the neighborhood’s character.
Other speakers raised procedural objections. Kathy Bunkley said a Planning and Zoning recommendation that had been denied in early meetings appeared later to be approved without adequate outreach, and she urged council to visit the site and review the process. Jimmy Rogers, a recent property purchaser, said the sale did not disclose possible zoning changes and told the council he was considering legal action if the rezoning proceeded.
The mayor closed public comment and noted that item 18 on the agenda was a first reading, not a final action, and would return to the council for final consideration at a later meeting. No final vote on the Nugent Road rezoning took place at this session.
Council and staff did not rebut the neighborhood claims at length during the meeting; staff indicated notifications had been sent for the broader case (a presenter said notifications were sent but none were returned) and that Planning & Zoning had recommended specific setback conditions for a separate planned-development case discussed later in the meeting.
