Socorro City Council approves plats and 50-foot height variances for logistics park buildings

The Socorro City Council on March 11 adopted ordinances approving preliminary and final plats and variances to raise the maximum allowable building height from 45 feet to 50 feet for two parcels in the Socorro Logistics Park.

City Planner Loren Kimo told the council the requests cover Sakoro Logistics Center Unit 6 (a 42.74-acre lot) and Unit 7 (a 35.28-acre lot), both zoned ICMUD. Staff recommended approval of the plats and the height variances, and the planning and zoning commission voted 4–0 on March 3 to support both requests.

The variances would permit industrial development with a 50-foot maximum height where the city code’s Section 46-451 subsection D currently limits heights to 45 feet. "In summary, the request is for approval of a preliminary plat, final plat, and variance request for the height requirements to allow a 50-foot maximum allowable building height instead of the 45-foot maximum height limitation," Kimo said.

A representative of the applicant, Mr. Graeda of CA Group, told the council the variance is intended to keep the new buildings consistent with existing structures in the logistics park. "It's so that it keeps in line with the existing buildings that are currently out there ... They're all 50," he said.

There were no members of the public signed up to speak during either public hearing. The council recorded motions and seconds to adopt the ordinances; when asked for oppositions or abstentions, none were raised and the mayor announced the motions carried.

The ordinances apply to the identified lots within block 5 of the Socorro grant (El Paso County tax survey references provided in staff backup). Staff and the applicant were present to answer council questions about zoning, lot sizes and site plans.

After approving the ordinances for Units 6 and 7, the council voted to delete agenda items 10–12 and adjourned the meeting at 6:15 p.m.