Homeowners win fight against zone change
By ANTHONY WILSON / Abilene Reporter-News
Though some northside homeowners successfully fought a zone
change Thursday, their victory could allow another undesirable
use on the property.
The proposed rezoning of two acres at Ambler and the Winters
Freeway was defeated when Abilene City Council members deadlocked
3-3 on the question. Councilman Ray Ferguson was absent from the
meeting.
Real estate agent Scott Senter sought the change, arguing the
land, sitting on the corner of a busy arterial street and an expressway,
was unsuitable for homes but ideal for commercial ventures such
as a convenience or video store.
City planners backed his proposal to rezone the property limited
commercial.
But neighboring homeowners argued the move would lower their
property values and endanger children by increasing traffic.
"It's nice, it's quiet, and I like it like that,"
Kelly Mitchell said.
Russel McClure added, "It's a choice between taking care
of families or worrying about money."
The state transportation department owned the property for
more than four decades before selling it earlier this year. Intended
for an interchange, it was instead used to park heavy equipment
and store construction materials.
Councilman Rob Beckham noted afterward those remain grandfathered
uses. The new owners could establish a storage business there,
which Beckham said might prove less desirable to neighbors than
a convenience store. Or, they could return to the council requesting
a more intense zoning to general commercial or shopping center.
In other zoning cases, the council:
- Rezoned from residential to mobile home, 2.8 acres in the
900 block of Midway. The owner, Kay Hawkins, ex-wife of House
of Yahweh cult leader Yisryal Hawkins, plans to develop a mobile
home subdivision on the land. She inherited the property during
a divorce settlement.
- Created a planned development district in the 400 block of
South 25th to let a one-man machine shop continue operating into
its 24th year and beyond.
Adolph Fredeck's shop was a violation of city ordinances, but
no one ever complained until he opposed another man's attempts
to open an auto recovery service down the street. That man complained
to city planners about Fredeck, around whom the neighborhood rallied.
"I don't see where it would hurt nobody to let me keep
going," he told the council, which agreed unanimously.
- Rezoned three lots in the 1400 block of Maple from residential
to light industrial. The property was separated by four tracts
already zoned light industrial, and city staff deemed the land
unsuitable for homes.
The owner plans to open a wrecker service on the site.
- Rezoned from multi-family residential to office space two
lots in the 1800 block of South 14th. The proponents plan to build
a dental lab there.
- Amended a planned development district on Frenchman's Creek
Road to allow office buildings and self-storage units.
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