City Plan Commission approves multiple plats and rezonings; Masood recuses on consent item

The El Paso City Plan Commission approved a series of subdivision and rezoning items during its April 23 meeting, voting to advance plats and zoning changes for residential and commercial development across the city and extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Staff presentations recommended approval for several items and commissioners generally followed those recommendations. Mirna Aguilar of Planning & Inspections presented West River Manor Unit 1 (16.85 acres, 47 family residential lots, dedication of 21 feet of right-of-way along Strahan Road) and recommended approval of the plat and an exception request; the commission approved the item after brief questions about sidewalks.

Blanca Perez presented a major combination application for 6017 Strahan (2.6 acres, one residential lot) and explained that the applicant requested exceptions to avoid dedicating 10 feet of additional R.O.W. and to waive a 5-foot sidewalk in order to match existing neighborhood conditions; staff recommended approval and the commission approved the request.

Mirna Aguilar presented Hacienda Del Loyo Unit 2 (39.53 acres, 90 single-family lots). Staff recommended approval with a condition requiring landscaping of the rear of double-frontage lots per Title 19; the commission voted to approve with that condition after confirming there had been public notice and minimal inquiries.

Alejandra Gonzalez presented related items 7 and 8: a comprehensive plan future-land-use amendment (O-3 agriculture to G-7 industrial/wareyards) and a matching rezoning (AO special contract to C-4 special contract) for a 24-acre vacant site southeast of Americas Avenue to accommodate commercial/light industrial development; staff recommended approval and the commission approved both items together. The planning division reported no written opposition had been received by the meeting date.

Alejandra Gonzalez later presented item 9, a rezoning of a 0.87-acre vacant parcel north of Vista Del Sol from R-3 residential to C-1 commercial to allow a medical office; staff recommended approval with a condition requiring a 10-foot landscape buffer adjacent to residential zones, and the commission approved that rezoning with the condition.

Earlier in the meeting, staff recorded a correction to the minutes and a consent-agenda recusal by Commissioner Masood for an item on which he had a conflict; the commission approved the corrected minutes and the consent agenda.

The meeting concluded with recognition of Masood's last day on the commission and a formal adjournment.