Gonzales City Council discusses industrial zoning changes

The Gonzales City Council met for their regular meeting Thursday, June 13 at City Hall.

One of the big topics that was brought up in last Thursday’s meeting was the zoning of properties, which was discussed in the ordinance section of the agenda, with public hearings held.

One Gonzales resident indicated she was concerned about the current zones that are set as light industrial and proposed to be rezoned as heavy industrial.

“I'm very concerned about the town. With this impending change from wanting industrial to heavy industrial, I'm urging the council to vote against this zoning change or at least table it because there's a lot to consider. There are a lot of residents that live in that area that will be impacted and they are not aware of the impending change,” Devonia Ploeger said.

Ploeger was concerned about how the change will impact the land, air and water by the changing the zoning area, she said.

“Mainly please consider the watershed. There are creeks that run through town. From there, there are many environmental hazards that accompany even change to heavy industrial,” Ploeger added.

Ploeger added there are claims that nothing hazardous would be allowed when zoning changes, but “although the intention of the change might seem harmless now, as time passes, it could prove to be a huge mistake.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was doing an investigation in the Gonzales area seven years ago, according to Ploeger, and she suggested the council to look into that investigation.

“We have been told that the zoning change is to correct a mistake that was made with prior zoning. Let me say two wrongs don't make a right,” Ploeger added.

Mayor Steve Sucher asked Ploeger to pinpoint when the investigation happened as it would be useful information to have for the city.

Sucher asked City Secretary Kristina Vega if postponing the agenda item would have a negative impact on pending agreements or negotiations.

“If it was postponed, then it could potentially be discussed at the next meeting, you would just have to state at the meeting it's discussed; however, if it's postponed, there may be some development that would also be postponed if we don't take action at this meeting,” Vega said.

Susan Sankey, executive director of the Gonzales Economic Development Corporation (GEDC), said accurately zoning these properties isn't going to change the reality of what already exists.

“With all due respect, I want to be very respectful of the environment. And we all should be, but we also have a responsibility to correctly zone these, regardless of what happened in the past, so I think what's prudent here is the correct zoning of these businesses,” Sankey said.

Vega added the majority of the properties within the industrial park are already operating as heavy industrial and the city is not changing for those already in operation, but are zoning them correctly so they can continue operating and expand if they wish.

“I would just like to add that the environmental concerns are well stated. And I think we should understand that, in developing the city, we pay attention to the activities that we bring in. My belief is that there's pretty strong state and federal environmental guidelines that we would need to follow in forming any of these businesses and that we would have ample opportunities to tell them to go take a hike if it came to that,” Sucher said.

In other businesses, the council approved the following agenda items:

--Approved Acknowledging Receipt and Presentation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Fiscal Year ending Sept. 30, 2023.

--Approved Joseph Kridler as Mayor Pro Tem

--Approved Amending City of Gonzales’ Future Land Use Map within the Gonzales Comprehensive Plan changing the designation from “Commercial” to “Single-Family Residential” on the property located at 1607 St. Joseph Street.

--Amending the City of Gonzales’ Future Land Use Map within the Gonzales Comprehensive Plan changing the designation from “Commercial” to “Single-Family Residential” on the property located at 1007 St. Andrew Street.

--Amending the Official Zoning Map by Zoning Property for the property commonly known as 1007 St. Andrew Street, said property being currently zoned as C-1, Light Commercial District and seeking to be rezoned SF-6, Single Family 6 District

--approved Amending theOfficial Zoning Map by Zoning Property Parcel IDs: 682, 762, 782, 783, 823, 870, 889,913, 914, 918, 950, 951, 1005, 1012, 1020, 1034, 1091, 1229, 12416, 17027, 17036, 20031, 21558, 21561, 21562, 21829, 21873, 24451, 24462, 24519, 26061, 26062, 26063,26064, 26207, 26746, 26865, 27078, 27079, 17119, 17131, 22305, and 22306, said properties being currently zoned as LI-Light Industrial and proposed to be rezoned to HI, Heavy Industrial.

--Amending the Official Zoning Map by Zoning Properties located at 2004 Church Street (property IDs 872 and 17048) from LI, Light Industrial District to Planned Development District (PDD).