Pfluger's Proposed Sand Facility Goes Before Zoning Board Dec. 1

The Zoning Board of Adjustment will set a date for a public hearing appealing a written interpretation that would allow frac sand transloading on property zoned for light manufacturing when it meets at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. Local businessman and real estate developer Lee Pfluger desires to use a triangular tract of land adjacent the railroad tracks on just off Hill Street in the middle of the city to offload frac sand from train cars and into semi-trailers for transport to the oil fields near here.

State law and City ordinance govern the process to appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment over an alleged error in an administrative decision. Having received a notice of appeal from members of the community regarding a proposed sand transloading facility on South Hill Street, the law requires the board to:

• Designate the parties of interest.
• Set a reasonable time and date for the appeals hearing.
• Give due notice of the appeals hearing to the parties of interest.
• Give public notice of the hearing.
• Establish procedures for conducting the hearing.

The board will consider these items when it meets in open session Dec. 1 at the McNease Convention Center

 “There’s obviously a lot of community interest in this issue, so we anticipate a number of citizens may attend the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s public meeting on Dec. 1,” City Manager Daniel Valenzuela said. “We always welcome and encourage citizen engagement, but we want attendees to understand the board won’t be ruling on the appeal at this meeting. The law requires the board first take these steps before considering the appeal itself.”

The frac sand transloading facility is controversial because many residents do not desire large trucks and possible blowing microdust near their neighborhoods and businesses adjacent to the proposed central San Angelo location. For more details on the Pfluger frac sand controversy, read these articles.