CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES PARTIAL RE-ZONING OF MARKET STREET BUSINESSES
Re-zoning of a neighborhood and its businesses was the main topic of discussion at today (Thursdays) City Council.
Council met in a work session to discuss the possible rezoning of a 2 block area on Market Street. The proposed area on the west side of Market Street between West Stone and West Mansfield Street. That area is currently zoned B1 Local Business – Residential mixed.
Local businessman Ben Boettcher is requesting that the area, which includes his architecture firm and the old Boettcher Building Center, to be rezoned to B2 Business, Research and Technology Mix.
Brenham City Manager Terry Roberts said that the proposal was presented in a non-action work session to allow the public and the Council to discuss it. He said that the proposal includes all of the properties on the two block- long section so that there could be some continuity with the zoning.
Rezoning the area to B2 would allow more categories of businesses to be developed in that space. Example of categories allowed in B2 but not in B1 include automotive paint and body shops, car washes, vehicle sales, lumber yards, wholesale business, and mini-storage lots.
Three persons from the neighborhood involved spoke to the Council, all three voicing their opposition to the proposed re-zoning.
The area in question was first zoned in 1968 as a B2, and became a B1 zone in 1996.
Boettcher was present at the meeting, explaining his reasoning for wanting the change, mentioning that there were vacant building around his business and expressed his desire to sell the building, with the hopes of getting good variety of businesses into the area.
The Council decided to allow Erik Smith, Development Services Manager, to go forward with presenting the B2 proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission. There will be two chances for the public to voice their approval or opposition to the re-zoning during these meetings. Residents in the area will be notified of date of the meetings.
Approved during Thursday’s meeting included the reauthorization of the investment policy and the fund balance policy for the city of Brenham, acceptance of the infrastructure improvements in the Timber Oaks Subdivision.
The Council accepted a bid for the renovation of the air-conditioning system at the Brenham Fire Station. Only one bid was received, and was submitted for consideration, from Brenham Heating and Air Condition. The amount approved was $67,000
Also approved was a noise variance for the Fall Fundraiser for the Christ Lutheran Day School on October 17th and a street closure for the Downtown Christmas Stroll on December 5th.
Todd Ashorn, of the Brenham Police Department, was recognized for fifteen years of service to the department.
