Gonzales City Council discuss industrial rezoning, downtown use district

Gonzales City Council met for its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday, Dec. 14 at city hall.

One of the most talked about agenda items was the city sponsored rezoning of the Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts.

Zoning administrator and City Secretary Kristina Vega spoke to the council about the rezoning of the two districts.

“Back in 2021, we created the new zoning ordinance, which was adopted by the council on February 2021. Within that code, there were a couple of new zoning designations. We used to have just one residential unit, one multifamily mobile home district, light and heavy commercial and one industrial district, so when we created the new ordinance, there were two industrial districts that were created.” Vega said.

“It was light industrial and heavy industrial, so within our code, there was an equivalency chart that was created so everything that was industrial went to light industrial,” she added.

Vega proposed the council initiate rezoning in order to get those properties in those districts into compliance within the zone code and to get them “zoned appropriately for the type of use that is already existing, but also to promote the business development out in the area.”

Councilwoman Ronda Miller asked Vega if there would be any repercussion on those businesses that are in those districts.

Vega responded to Miller’s questions, saying the current businesses that are in the heavy industrial area are most likely not zoned, but need to be.

“So right now, they're considered legal non conforming, so they can continue to do that as long as they continue, but if they ever stop doing that type of business for six months or longer, then they'll lose their conformity,” Vega added.

The council approved unanimously, 5-0, the rezoning of light industrial and heavy industrial districts.

The topic of rezoning continued in the resolution section of the meeting, regarding amending the official zoning map by zone property.

“February 2021, like I had mentioned earlier, you adopted a new zoning code. Within that zoning code, downtown mixed use district was created,” Vega said. “It was created specifically for a downtown area, it gives less setback requirements, you can build on 100 percent of your lot. It gives exceptions to the parking restrictions, landscaping restrictions and things of that nature.”

Vega added that, in January 2023, the council initiated the city-sponsored rezoning and requested that individuals to opt into the rezoning.

“We had 23 properties, I believe, that had requested rezoning for the downtown mixed use district. We sent out 162 notices to those surrounding properties within 200 foot of the property that has been requesting to be rezoned. Seventeen property owners filed letters of no objection,” Vega said.

The council approved, by a 4-1 vote, amending the official zoning map by zoning properties from C-1 light commercial district to DMU downtown mixed used district.

In other city council business the board approved the following agenda items:

— approved authorizing an appointment to the Roger M. Dreyer Memorial Airport advisory board.

— approved authorizing the city manager to terminate the utility collection agreement with Online Information Services, Inc.

— approved authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP for utility collection.

— approved authorizing the city manager to terminate the agreement for the collection of delinquent municipal court fines and fees with McCreary Veselka Bragg & Allen, PC.

— approved authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with Linebarger, Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP for collection of delinquent municipal court fines and fees.

— approved updating and amending regulation for construction, installation and maintenance of private utilities and facilities in city right-of-ways.

— approved to amend the master and fee schedule for various city services.

— approved authorizing amendments to the City of Gonzales Code of Ordinances Chapter 14, Articles 14.200, 14.400 and 14.600 related to the addition of new land uses for Bakery, commercial; Bakery, retail; Bar; Brewery/Distillery/Winery, industrial; Bar; Brewery/Distillery/Winery, craft; and Brewpub; associated land use definitions and off-street parking regulations.