Lufkin City Council approves rezoning of 2013 Culverhouse Street to allow plant nursery

The Lufkin City Council approved on second reading an ordinance to rezone property at 2013 Culverhouse Street to a local business district, clearing the way for a proposed plant nursery.

The public hearing and vote occurred during the council's regular meeting. City planning staff summarized the application as a second-reading request covering Tracts 458 and 459 on the Barela Anastasio survey, totaling approximately 0.67 acres and currently vacant. Staff said the site is designated as commercial on the city's future land use map and that surrounding parcels include commercial zoning to the north and west and residential small to the east and south. Staff also reported that 14 mailed notices to property owners within the 200-foot buffer produced no responses and that the Planning and Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended a local business zoning district at its April 13 meeting to improve compatibility with nearby residences.

A council member, Mike Parker, moved to approve the ordinance specifying local business zoning for the parcels at 2013 Culverhouse Street; after a clarification by staff, the motion received a second and passed by voice vote. The mayor announced the motion carried.

The ordinance was approved on second reading at the meeting and the council announced there would be no executive session that evening. The staff presentation indicated the rezoning is intended to allow a plant nursery; the council did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript, and the action was recorded as approved by voice vote.

Next steps for the applicant or any required permit approvals were not specified during the meeting.