First reading and public hearing for the following cases: <br>1. Z26-16, a request for a zone change from the Light Manufacturing zoning district to the General Commercial zoning district; and<br>2. CP26-03, a Comprehensive Plan amendment from Industrial to Commercial on a 4-acre tract located at 4239 S. Chadbourne St. (Presentation made by Planning & Development Services Director Aaron Vannoy)

Staff Report & Agenda Item Details

This request is to change the property to a potential commercial use from the light manufacturing zoning district. The property did secure a Conditional Use for Household Living at the August 17th Planning Commission via a 6-0 vote.  The applicant wants to move forward with the zone change to commercial as the property has not moved into the light manufacturing zoning district in over 30 years.  Even if the housing does move forward, the commercial zone opens more possibilities on a smaller 4.0 acre lot where light manufacturing is likely to need larger spaces.  The property is directly adjacent to 3 single-family houses, which also limits the ability to move forward as a light manufacturing zoning district. <br><br>At the Planning Commission there was significant discussion about this region and its stagnant growth directly adjacent to Goodfellow AFB.  At the intersection of Christoval Rd and S. Chadbourne there are two locations of housing, one being an older manufactured housing property and a multifamily housing unit less than 10 years old.  Both have very high occupancy rates.  The 2003 Comprehensive plan asked city staff to evaluate this strip primp property adjacent to Goodfellow and determine if it was really in the best interest of Goodfellow and the community to stay manufacturing and industrial.  This is the first case to move forward with a potential change which would bring the zoning down to commercial and potentially additional future multifamily style housing adjacent to S. Chadbourne and Goodfellow. The City Staff believes this could be the catalyst to drive more housing closer to Goodfellow and support the S. Christoval Rd industrial areas. <br><br>The Planning commission recommends approval with a 6-0 vote at their meeting on August 17th, 2026 — this will need a supermajority vote as more than 20% of the surrounding property owners are in opposition to housing.

This motion is scored as EXPANDS_GOVERNMENT (Impact Weight: 6.7/10). Under the Bastiat Liberty Watchdog Index, measures that increase tax rates or fee schedules, issue new debt or Certificates of Obligation, expand regulatory/zoning restrictions on private land use, or authorize unbudgeted spending expansions reduce an official's Freedom Score when voted YES (and reward dissenting NO votes).