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Mission City Council approves rezonings, smoke‑shop distance rule and several contracts and grant actions
Summary
Council adopted a zoning change for a parcel along Inspiration Road despite resident safety concerns, approved a multi‑family rezoning, adopted a 1,000‑foot smoke‑shop distance ordinance, and authorized procurement and contract awards including Tyler Technologies merchant services and a GLO‑funded drainage contract.
The Mission City Council on March 10 approved multiple ordinances and procurement items, including a controversial rezoning request, a multi‑family zoning change, a smoke‑shop distance ordinance, and several contract awards and grant applications.
Rezoning and public comments
The council voted unanimously to rezone a property at the southeast corner of Inspiration Road and Mile One South from single‑family residential to neighborhood commercial (ordinance 5786). During the public hearing, resident Christina Lopez said the proposed rezoning threatened neighborhood safety and character: “This is our backyard,” she said, urging the council to consider traffic and the quiet character of the area. Thomas Morgan, another nearby homeowner, pointed to prior collisions at the intersection and pressed staff for traffic data, sidewalks and design setbacks. A developer representative said the immediate proposed use would be a Border Town meat market; staff and council discussed asking the developer to provide a masonry block wall buffer at the rear of the commercial lot to address neighbor concerns. The rezoning passed unanimously.
Housing and zoning changes
Council approved a separate zoning amendment converting a single lot in the Las Cumbres subdivision from R2 (duplex/forplex) to R3 (multi‑family) to allow six apartment units; the applicant’s engineer, Milo Salenas, said the proposal will fit required parking and gate‑stacking distances. The council approved the change (ordinance 5787).
Smoke‑shop distance ordinance
The council adopted an amendment to the zoning ordinance establishing a 1,000‑foot minimum radius for smoke shops and tobacco stores measured from schools, daycare homes, youth centers, recreational facilities, parks, churches, hospitals and existing smoke shops (ordinance 5788). Staff said the policy aims to reduce youth access and curb secondary sales of illegal paraphernalia; the measure passed unanimously.
Contracts, procurement and grants
Council approved the consent agenda (items 10–23), which included grant applications for police and fire departments and equipment purchases; approved the quarterly investments report; and authorized a sole‑source procurement to integrate Tyler Technologies merchant services with city accounting software (one‑time fee cited in the meeting and annual maintenance). The council also authorized an award for stormwater and drainage upgrades (resolution 2049) in a total amount of $984,924.97 contingent on Texas GLO approval. Finally, the council approved the third reading of a franchise ordinance granting AP Texas a non‑exclusive franchise through Dec. 31, 2045 (ordinance 5789).
Votes
Most roll‑call and voice votes recorded during the meeting were unanimous. When vote tallies were spoken, council members signaled 'I' for approval and motion outcomes were recorded as unanimous where noted.
Next steps
Staff indicated that site plans and additional design details (including buffer walls and traffic studies) will be reviewed during subsequent plan‑review and permitting processes, and that any incentive negotiations for major private projects will return to council for review and possible action.
