Reprint from the Progress Times - November 30, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Mission council finalizes annexation

By Kathy Olivarez

Annexation of several tracts of land was formally approved at the Monday, November 26, Mission city council meeting.

Tract A includes all of Lot 29-2, West Addition to Sharyland except the Southeast 9.43 acres (AKA Patricia Estates) and 1.212 acres of all Los Ebanos Road right-of-way being a 40 foot by 1,320 foot strip between lots 29-2 and 29-3, West Addition to Sharyland.

Tract B includes a 39.187-acre tract out of Lots 29-3, 29-4 and 30-3, West Addition to Sharyland.

Tract C includes the east 120 feet of the west 567 feet of the south 200 feet of Lot 29-3, West Addition to Sharyland.

Tract D includes a tract of land containing 2.2 acres situated in Lot 29, Bell Woods Company Subdivision "C".

Under zoning matters the council approved a conditional use permit appeal for a home occupation at 2008 N. Shary Road at the request of Arturo Garcia. The site is zoned AO-I. The permit was granted for six months.

The Planning and Zoning Commission did not approve the item so it took a four-fifths vote for approval.

The site is located between E. 20th and E. 21st along the east side of Shary Road. Furniture viewing would be from a 15 foot by 24-foot-section of the home. Hours of operation will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The request was opposed by several residents of Sharyland Villas who said their property would be adversely affected by allowing a commercial operation to be built in their midst. The subdivision is abutted on three sides by 12 lots of the subdivision.

The residents felt the CUP would devalue their property.

Mayor Beto Salinas took an opposite position saying that if Sharyland Villas wanted to protect their property the development should have bought Garcia out. Denying the permit would stop Garcia from making a living and being able to pay his taxes.

Leo Olivarez said the property, which faces Shary Road, should be rezoned commercial. It was a small-scale business and no one would get hurt. Celestino Ramirez said the business would be no problem for anyone.

A conditional use permit for sale and on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages at Balli's Social Event Center was approved. The site is at the southeast corner of Stewart and F.M. 495 in the Stewart Village Commercial Plaza.

Preliminary plat approval was granted to San Marino subdivision to be located on 13.880 acres, a replat of lots one through seven, Sharyland Plantation Saddle Club and lot 6A, the replat of lots six and seven, Sharyland Plantation Village Saddle Club PUD.

The proposed subdivision is at the southwest area of Shary Road and Los Milagros. Approximately 24 residential lots will be created.

Preliminary plat approval was granted to the Premier Subdivision, a three-lot commercial subdivision to be constructed on a 2.57-acre tract of land out of lot 32-1, West Addition to Sharyland in Mission's suburban extraterritorial jurisdiction. The site is 900 feet east of Inspiration Road along the south side of Mile 3 North Road.

The council authorized a building permit for construction of an IHOP on acreage from Lot 195, John H. Shary Subdivision, prior to the recording of the plat. The site is the southeast corner of Shary Road and 4th Street.

The council approved a second subdivision extension for Mountain View Subdivision, to be located at the northeast corner of Mile 2 Road and Los Ebanos Road. The engineer's request asked that the city pay $76,209.30 via an un-signed reimbursement contract because the storm line laid by Mountain View has been temporarily tied into by the city to allow overflow relief for Patricia Estates and Stone Ridge.

A reminder was given that the council had approved a variance in 2005 that allowed three R-1 lots to be less than 60 feet wide to allow the developer to have an additional residential lot to develop. In 2007 the council reduced the capital recovery fund from $105,000 to $28,000, a reduction of $77,000.

After consideration, the council approved the second extension but denied the reimbursement request since it is temporary.

The council approved a request by Charles and Dana Kerby to abandon a portion of a 30 foot access and utility easement on the west 264 feet of the north 125 feet of the south 660 feet of Lot 25-11, West Addition to Sharyland. The site is 650 feet north of Griffin Parkway along the east side of Bryan Road.

The site has a 30-foot access and utility easement that was intended for extension of 24th Street. However when Her-Villa Subdivision was approved, the city did not require the right-of-way along the southern side of lot one where the street was to be continued. Kerby asked to include this easement in his property.

Staff recommended that 10 feet be retained for a utility easement to allow water line looping in the future. Kerby asked if he could buy additional easement from his neighbor.

The council told him to work out the details and come back for approval. Until then a 10-foot easement would remain a part of the plat.

The council was told the adjusted tax levy for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2006 and running through September 30, 2007 amounted to $13,241,161. Total tax collection amounted to $12,504,181 or 94.43 percent of the total tax levy.

Authorization to adjust the base rate per call for Med-Care Emergency Medical Services, Inc from $375 to $600 for mobile intensive care response and $5 for advanced life support of basic life support with advanced paramedic tiered first responder units was approved. Adjusting the base rate will allow Med-Care EMS to allow their subsidy to remain at zero.

The council approved an advanced paramedic tiered response program that would allow two advanced life support or basic life support ambulances and a first responder unit staffed with a paramedic to cover the city when Med-Care EMS does not have two paramedics to staff two mobile intensive care ambulances.

Mayor Beto Salinas said the first responder should stay within the city limits at all times.

The council approved work authorization #30 with L&G Engineering related to storm drainage. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDot) is developing design plans for the widening of Business 83 from Inspiration Road to Penitas.

In order to alleviate storm drainage overflow between Holland Avenue and Inspiration Road along Business 83 Mission plans to join forces with TxDot. Plans for change orders to improve storm drainage on Business 83 from Inspiration Road to Holland Avenue are being drawn. While TxDot will contribute 100 percent of the cost of construction and inspection the city has authorized L&G Engineering to do additional engineering services for the city related to the project. Estimated cost of the project is $125,383.

L&G Engineering was also authorized for professional services related to the Mile 2 North Project from SH 107 to East Taylor Road, Phase I. The estimated cost of the project is $572,061.

Under board appointments Mario Lizcano, Javier Iruegas and Ignacio Pecina were reappointed to the Ambulance Board.

Carl Davis and Dan Gerlach were reappointed to the Building Board of Adjustments.

Lupe Ozuna, Severo Rodriguez, Linda Castaneda, Rosie B. Lopez and Roel Rivera were reappointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee.

Dina Acevedo was reappointed to the Civil Service Commission.

Richard Martinez, Steve Martinez, Joanne Gibson, Kathy Olivarez and Elizabeth Garza were reappointed to the Mission Historic Preservation Commission.

Luis Ortega was reappointed and Tim Brown was appointed to the Parks & Recreation Board.

Luanne Caudle and Mario Garza were reappointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Rudy Garcia and Ric Salinas were reappointed to the Shary Golf Course Advisory Board.

Mary Ellen Salinas and Elizabeth Garza were reappointed to the Speer Memorial Library Board. Sheila Vallez-Pankratz was appointed to a term.

Eunice Sanchez, Geoff Hall and Martha Tagle were reappointed to the Tax Increment Reinvestment Board (TIRZ). Hector Leal was appointed to the board.

Sylvia Cruz, Apolonio Cardoza and Howard Snyder were reappointed to the Traffic Safety Committee.

Tom Birmingham was reappointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Jorge Garcia, former alternate, was officially appointed to the board.

In accordance with an interlocal agreement with Mission and Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Robert Salinas, city engineer, was appointed to the regional task force and Julian Gonzalez will serve as alternate.

Solicitation of bids for purchase of concrete to be used by Parks and Recreation Department in construction of sidewalks for Bentsen Palm Park and smaller parks throughout the year was approved.

A change order for Bentsen Palm Municipal Park, Parking, Paving and Drainage improvements was approved to Mission Paving in the amount of $27,900 due to the poor condition of the existing irrigation line.

Authorization was granted for the Mission Fire Department to apply to the Department of Homeland Security for a $200,000 matching grant, of which the city would pay only 10 percent. Items requested are a portable X-ray machine, an arson investigation trailer/van, and installation of a master key retention device.

The Mission Fire Department received $1,000 from Wal-Mart to purchase fire investigation and fire prevention materials.