PRESIDIO — Last week, the City of Presidio held a town hall to gather public input about the city’s zoning laws, which local officials hope to update in a way that benefits home and business owners alike. A revitalized planning and zoning committee also met this week for the first time after a long hiatus, helping jumpstart the process.
Mayor John Ferguson opened the meeting by explaining that there were not any defined plans but that they were hoping the hearing and more regular meetings of the zoning committee would help identify areas of need — for example, business owners seeking variances to operate farther from the city’s main drag, where most of the commercial properties are zoned.
The city currently doesn’t provide mixed zoning status, so business owners can’t live on the premises. Local business owner Ariel Lara was hoping to see that kind of zoning open up, given that in neighboring Ojinaga, many small business owners live above their shops. “It’s generally more economical,” he said.
As a caveat, Lara hoped that the city could find a “reasonable middle ground” for businesses awarded mixed zoning status — for example, not opening a nightclub in a residential neighborhood.
Councilmember Christian Montoya agreed. “It has to be a case-by-case basis, we don’t want to open a bar next to a school,” he said.
Former city employee Malynda Richardson hoped that the city would carefully consider the consequences of granting numerous variances. “What you end up with is patchwork,” she explained. “If you’re going to end up with patchwork, you might as well not have any zoning at all.”
All agreed that they were in favor of doing all they could to grow small businesses in Presidio. “It’s important to bring business to our hometown,” Montoya said. “Our town needs to grow.”
Ferguson explained that the changes wouldn’t happen overnight and would need to pass through the City Council in the form of an ordinance to take effect. “You don’t want to be surprised by something close by making the value of your home — or the quality of your life — go down,” he said.
As mayor, he hoped that Presidio residents and business owners felt empowered to reach out to the city for help and said that public input was welcome every step of the way. “I want you to feel comfortable interacting with City Hall,” he said. “No one person makes all the decisions.”