P&Z board says no to apartment project
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

A proposed Webb Street apartment complex didn't get the Planning & Zoning Commission's support Wednesday although officials said more and affordable housing is definitely needed in the city.With the denial, the proposal still has the option of appealing to City Council, but that requires a super majority or six votes to proceed.

The next City Council meeting won't be held until after May 10 elections have been concluded.

New housing can't come at the suffering of nearby homeowners, commissioners said.

"We do need housing in a bad way, but at the same time we need to protect property owners," Commission Chairman Richard Young said.

Salinas Construction Co. was requesting land on West Webb Street roughly across from Myatt Elementary be rezoned from R-1 (Single Family Residential) to R-3 (Multiple Family Residential). The land is contiguous to commercial developments along Hwy. 71 as well as the school.

The 1.92 acre target site is between West Webb and Shimek streets.

Houses were originally planned for the site, Fred Salinas told P&Z commissioners, but added the cost of multiple bridges to cross the West Webb drainage ditch would have made it unfeasible.

His plan was a 24 unit complex with rents ranging from $650 to 800 per unit.

"It is a need in the community," Salinas said.

CDC Executive Director Chandra Spenrath spoke in favor of the effort. With 600 to 2,000 jobs coming to Kendleton with the rail shipping yard and 400 jobs being added to the South Texas Nuclear Plant, now is a prime time for apartments, she said.

"With more housing available, I feel like we can fill with these jobs," Spenrath said, adding, "We actually have school teachers living in the Richmond/Rosenberg area (due to lack of housing."

But neighbors of the proposed complex held firm against it.

"If the apartments are built there, we are not going to know our neighbors and we are not going to feel safe," Mrs. Johnny Perez of Shimek Street told the commission.

Commissioners voted to deny the rezoning in a 4-1-1 vote with Sherry Roddy against and Carolyn Roy abstaining. Commissioner Jake Brodsgaard was absent from the meeting.

"As much as I detest spot zoning, we really need housing," Roddy said.

Salinas told commissioners he would likely draft a new plan and present it to P&Z.

In addition to requests for new zoning, El Campo ordinances allow for the placement of apartment complexes in C-2 or general commercial areas.