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Commission approves temporary worker housing on Military Drive with five-year removal condition
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a 25-acre planned development to host temporary worker housing, imposing a five-year removal condition after staff recommended approval; residents voiced concerns about traffic, density and flooding, while a Dyess Air Force Base official said the base is not the project sponsor.
The Abilene Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve Z20-26-32, a request to change about 25 acres on Military Drive from agricultural open to a planned development to allow temporary worker housing, with a condition requiring removal of units five years after approval.
Clarissa Ivy, a planner for the city of Abilene, presented the staff recommendation and the five-year condition, saying the proposal would revert the site to agricultural open space if the condition is enforced. Multiple residents opposed the rezoning during public comment. "If you're thinking this is a good idea you don't live or drive on Military Drive," said Ralph Hatcher, who said traffic backups, flood risk and a projected 600 residents make the plan unsuitable for the neighborhood.
Michael Van Slack, a neighbor, told commissioners he supported keeping the site in agriculture and said he had seen similar temporary housing developments produce crime and congestion. "It doesn't bring good things," Van Slack said, summarizing his opposition.
Preston Smith of Dyess Air Force Base told the commission Dyess was not sponsoring the project and that the base will not place junior airmen in off-base units under military standards, while acknowledging the installation's housing pressures. "Dyess has no part of this project," Smith said. He added base growth has increased housing demand but said any environmental-impact studies on mission changes remain incomplete.
Clint Rosenbaum, representing Alamo City Land Development and Rosenbaum Engineering, said the proposal is intended to house temporary construction workers tied to large contracts at the nearby base. He described the development as a temporary solution and said the owner supports the five-year removal condition. "Once the five years runs out, all of this is gone and pulled up and it goes back to agricultural open space again," Rosenbaum said.
Commission discussion emphasized the temporary nature of the proposal and the need to balance neighborhood impacts with regional housing shortages tied to construction and base activity. The motion to approve, carried by roll call, included the staff conditions; the commission did not attach additional operational requirements such as shuttle service at the time of the vote.
The action was approved at the meeting; commissioners recorded affirmative roll-call responses for the motion and the plan will proceed to the next procedural step required by city rules.
