Commission approves contested M1 rezoning at Santaita Avenue over staff objections
June 18, 2026 | Laredo, Webb County, Texas
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The Planning & Zoning Commission voted June 18 to rezone lots 2, 4, 6 and 8, Block 544 (2303 Santaita Avenue) from R3 to M1, overruling staff’s recommendation against the change.
Staff told the commission the property lies on the residential side of the railroad tracks and abuts single‑family homes; staff said an M1 designation that abuts residences can create negative impacts and recommended a conditional use permit or a different zoning strategy to preserve neighborhood character. Staff also cited parking constraints and the intensity of proposed uses (warehousing vs. potential recreational uses like a basketball facility) as reasons for caution.
Multiple neighbors filed written opposition (seven within the 200‑foot radius and one outside), and staff presented photos and recent site observations indicating mixed existing uses. At the reopened hearing, the owner—identified in the transcript as Gonzalez (and referred to as Tito in questioning)—stated the intent upon purchase was to use the property for warehousing: “Warehousing 100%. That’s the way we purchased it and that’s what we’re expecting to do with it.”
Commissioners weighed competing concerns: the site’s proximity to existing industrial uses across the tracks, the presence of nearby residential parcels, parking adequacy and whether the site’s historical use might confer legal nonconforming status. Several commissioners expressed concern about spillover parking and neighborhood impacts; others noted longstanding industrial uses in the corridor and supported approving M1.
Ultimately a majority voted to approve the M1 rezoning over staff objections. The transcript records that at least one commissioner moved to approve the M1 "against recommendations," the motion was seconded and carried.
What this means: Rezoning to M1 allows a broader set of industrial/warehouse uses at the site; the commission’s approval runs counter to staff’s recommendation and may prompt neighbors to seek further administrative review or conditions on subsequent site plans and permits. The transcript records neighborhood opposition and staff cautions about parking and use intensity; the zoning approval does not itself grant permits for particular operations, which will require separate reviews for site plans, permits and code compliance.
Staff told the commission the property lies on the residential side of the railroad tracks and abuts single‑family homes; staff said an M1 designation that abuts residences can create negative impacts and recommended a conditional use permit or a different zoning strategy to preserve neighborhood character. Staff also cited parking constraints and the intensity of proposed uses (warehousing vs. potential recreational uses like a basketball facility) as reasons for caution.
Multiple neighbors filed written opposition (seven within the 200‑foot radius and one outside), and staff presented photos and recent site observations indicating mixed existing uses. At the reopened hearing, the owner—identified in the transcript as Gonzalez (and referred to as Tito in questioning)—stated the intent upon purchase was to use the property for warehousing: “Warehousing 100%. That’s the way we purchased it and that’s what we’re expecting to do with it.”
Commissioners weighed competing concerns: the site’s proximity to existing industrial uses across the tracks, the presence of nearby residential parcels, parking adequacy and whether the site’s historical use might confer legal nonconforming status. Several commissioners expressed concern about spillover parking and neighborhood impacts; others noted longstanding industrial uses in the corridor and supported approving M1.
Ultimately a majority voted to approve the M1 rezoning over staff objections. The transcript records that at least one commissioner moved to approve the M1 "against recommendations," the motion was seconded and carried.
What this means: Rezoning to M1 allows a broader set of industrial/warehouse uses at the site; the commission’s approval runs counter to staff’s recommendation and may prompt neighbors to seek further administrative review or conditions on subsequent site plans and permits. The transcript records neighborhood opposition and staff cautions about parking and use intensity; the zoning approval does not itself grant permits for particular operations, which will require separate reviews for site plans, permits and code compliance.
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