El Campo considering multiple land zoning proposals
By SHANNON CRABTREE newsdesk@leader-news.com

Debate on the possible future zoning of land parcels targeted for El Campo city annexation gets under way today when the Planning & Zoning Commission meets at 5 p.m.

The P&Z will review each of the five proposed areas and the land surrounding it to determine a "best use" should it be brought into the city limits.

An area largely composed of housing units, for example, may be considered residential or mixed residential depending on its make-up while an open field near industry might receive that designation.

Areas under consideration are:

• Area 1: Along Hwy. 71 North bounded by Sandy Corner Road to the west and Wilbur Road to the north while the eastern boundary would be 500 feet east of Hwy. 71 or the depth of the individual pieces of property.

• Area 3: The 60-acre Sunset Terrace tract off FM 2765 just north of the new middle school site.

• Area 4: A tract south of FM 2765 bounded north by FM 2765, east by Ellwood Street and south by Doris Street.

• Area 5: A 1,000-plus foot wide strip from along East Jackson Street running east to U.S. 59 to a quarter mile east of the first El Campo exit.

• Area 6: An L-shaped tract both north and south of Jackson Street from South Meadow Lane toward the Rice Belt bridge.

Any and all decisions made by the P&Z will be referred to City Council for final approval - the mission of the commission is to provide recommendations.

Those recommendations are currently scheduled to be presented to Council during its Oct. 23 meeting.

The P&Z meets at 5 p.m. today in City Hall, 315 E. Jackson in City Council Chambers. The meeting is open to the public.

Please look to Saturday's edition of the Leader-News for continuing coverage.