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| Builder Mike Garza |
At the City Commission meeting 9/17/2013 Brownsville building contractor Mike Garza saw the majority of city commissioners vote for a zoning change that would allow residential apartments at 2661 Dana Avenue, but, as de facto Planning Director Ramiro Gonzalez pointed out, the Planning Department had voted against recommending the change, necessitating 5 favorable votes as per City Charter. Thus, Garza lost with only a 4-2 majority.
Ramiro Gonzalez represents a distinct change in style from former Planning Director Ben Medina, who now labors in the same job for Rio Hondo. Medina would present proposed zoning changes in a matter-of-fact way, mentioning as an aside the Planning Department vote. Gonzalez goes two steps further, actually arguing the Planning Department recommendation before the City Commission, defending it from attack.
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| 2661 Dana Avenue |
Garza was asking for the property at 2661 Dana Avenue, currently zoned commercial, to be zoned multi-family residential. He pointed out that other apartments were adjacent to the property as well as one single family home. He also mentioned the property's two 50-foot wide egresses would support the traffic.
Typically, commercial enterprizes encroaching on residential areas gets the ire of city planners, but with this proposed variance, Gonzalez argued that it represented "incompatible" zoning.
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| City Planner Ramiro Gonzalez |
When Gonzalez mentioned the need for "set-backs" to buffer between the commercial and residential uses, Mike Garza said that was not a problem. Commissioner Estela Chavez-Vasquez asked Ramiro Gonzalez if this situation was an example of "spot" zoning, evidently referring to a private conversation between the two. Gonzalez said it was.
Interestingly, in another matter before the commission, Ramiro Gonzalez argued
for allowing a variance to medium commercial in a residential area, mentioning the appropriateness of having a paintball enterprise near the Sports Park without mentioning the single family homes nearby.
The city of Brownsville will continue to lag behind if they do not change the way its permitting department is run. It is the joke of Texas, ask all businesses that have had to deal with Evaristo Gamez and his band of dimwit inspectors. The City Manager has failed in fixing the problem he knows about but choses to ignore. Re-do the whole department and upgrade the ordinances....long overdo.
ReplyDeleteIt's the only kind of results you can expect from LOW INFORMATION "SLOW" DUMBOCRATS LMAO LMAO!!!!!!!
DeleteSo let me understand this a failed music promoter ramiro gonzalez is now brownsville's city planner??????
DeleteWe're really screwed.
Claro que si, con un guey de nombre "Evaristo" que puedes esparar. A un chango le daria verguenza ese nombre. Pobre carbon, sus padres si se lo chingaron.
DeleteThe city of brownsville is so fucking corrupt that it will never grow never prosper due to the people running it
ReplyDeleteHe won 4-2 majority wins .... But no the city of brownsville goes by " Super Majority" what the fuck is super majority .... The city of brownsville will never grow like that......So much corruption and assholes running this town
ReplyDeleteWake up everyone! Spot zoning is actually worse than you think. Good call by those who avoided it. Now Garza and a not so bright commissioner are accusing those who voted against the rezoning of preventing development. Give me a break. They all should have done their homework first.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the debate on T.V. Local govt. channel. Advise for my friend Mike. Don't give up. You didn't expect the mayor ( whom you ran against ) and the other nay Sayers would vote in your favor. Better that metal building housing residents I guess than your beautiful apartments with a driveway so big you could drive a ladder truck easily through it. Go Figure. Spot zoning. Really Ramiro.
ReplyDeleteGarza needs to get with the program. This is the Valley. You need to buy your votes like everybody else.
ReplyDelete