SAN ANGELO, TX – Planners within the City of San Angelo are working on expanding the Central Business District (CBD) downtown.
The plan began on Apr. 19 when Planning Staff presented an expanded CBD request to the City of San Angelo Planning Commission asking that 67 acres just west of downtown be added into the Central Business District.
The Central Business District is the umbrella zone that allows a number of different kinds of businesses. The CBD is primarily used for the downtown area and the main businesses in the zone are smaller retail stores, boutiques, professional offices, and residential properties.
The initial plan to designate the area was tabled by the planning commission as a number of concerns grew over the the industrial zoned properties. The fear was that they would lose their ability to operated if rezoned to the CBD.
The staff came back a month later, on May 17, with a new plan that excluded the five industrial businesses making the area only 29 acres, adding up to 53 properties. The staff also contacted every property owner within the radius and if they opposed the rezoning plan then they were left out of the proposal.
Expansion of Downtown (Contributed: City of San Angelo)
The planning commission approved the expansion 5-0 on the grounds that the staff contact the five property owners and explain why they would be left out. The properties that were left out of the proposed change were properties north of W. 3rd St. and west of MLK Dr., north of W. 3rd St. and east of Farr St., the removal of the auto dealerships and hotel west of N. Abe St., and 214, 216 W. 3rd. St. (Palmer Feed).
"The goal of the Downtown designation is to reinforce downtown San Angelo "as the principal commercial service and cultural center in the region," stated the planning staff in their proposal.
"Staff believes this will encourage further investment, development, and expansion of the downtown, encourage new retail businesses and more mixed-use development which is allowed in the CBD zoning district and encouraged by the City's adopted plans," City staff continued.
The planning commission moved forward with the request and will present it to the City Council Thursday. This will be the first reading during the council meeting scheduled for Jul. 8.
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