A controversial amendment to the Envision Taylor Comprehensive Plan’s land-use designation for a parcel on the east side received approval from the Taylor City Council Thursday.
At the regular meeting Aug. 10, city leaders voted 4-1 to approve an amendment to the city’s Envision Taylor Comprehensive plan on 70.2 acres at Old Thorndale Road and Gravel Pit Road, making it easier to put in a future residential development with small-scale neighborhood services, despite the request being unanimously rejected by the Planning and Zoning Commission July 11.
“I have no issues with the substance, but as we all know P&Z refused this ordinance, all nine of them voted against it,” said District 2 Councilman Mitch Drummond, who cast the lone dissenting vote. “If we keep going against our boards and commissions, they are going to quit volunteering ... There was a reason they did this. There is no hurry on this piece of property. The owner he can certainly go back to P&Z again.”
The amendment, which was requested by Mike Herzog, of Yupell LLC & Jona Enterprises LLC, changes the parcel from a more restrictive Future Growth Sector to Control Growth Tier II, which includes infrastructure that is planned but not yet installed or lacks capacity. The amendment also includes Neighborhood Greenfield, which would become new communities with mixed residential uses and neighborhood services.
At previous meetings, residents near the site said they were not against development in general, but expressed concerns about traffic, flooding and inadequate infrastructure, although the land currently sits at the cusp of city limits and has existing roadways and utility connections nearby. But city officials, including at the Aug. 10 meeting, have said the main reason the commission rejected the request was due to Herzog not attending their meeting, and that as there is no immediate plan for development, all concerns will be addressed during the planning process.
“I totally understand Mr. Drummond’s discussion on going against committees that we established,” said At-large Councilman Dwayne Ariola, who recently voted with Drummond against a previous meeting’s agenda item regarding increasing council’s pay after a compensation committee’s recommendation was not heeded. “But, on this particular topic, it is one of 15 steps. Redesignating the growth sector and future land use is all we are doing. I know the owner has reached out to everybody that was here last meeting and has kind of mended those fences in the understanding that he may not know what is going to happen, but it’s only step one.”
