By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the PRESS
The South Padre Island Planning and Zoning Commission voted Sept. 17 to recommend that City Council leave Zoning District C regulations unchanged, retracting a previous recommendation concerning changes to the district.
The vote followed a public hearing and extended discussion over regulations affecting approximately 121 District C properties scattered across the island. The review included setbacks, building heights, lot requirements, allowable uses and other District C regulations.
Ronald Weisfeld, who said he is seeking to develop the former Scampi’s restaurant property at 206 W. Aries Drive, asked commissioners to consider several changes.
Weisfeld proposed reducing the front-yard setback from 25 feet to 10 feet, eliminating an additional four-foot side-yard setback above three stories and removing additional setback requirements above six stories.
He also proposed increasing what he described as a 20-unit threshold for a traffic impact analysis to 75 units.
Commissioner Barbara Hays said traffic-impact requirements are governed by the city’s public works standards rather than the District C zoning provisions being considered by the commission.
Weisfeld said he went before the Board of Adjustments and Appeals in March 2025 and was denied the setback variances he sought. He said the board granted him an off-site parking variance.
George Mendoza, who identified himself as principal structural engineer with Mendoza Engineering, told commissioners that stepped or offset structures can create wind effects on surrounding structures through vortex shedding and asked commissioners to consider those effects.
Rockford Miller, who identified himself as principal engineer with Delta GeoWorks, discussed the property’s bay-side bulkhead. Miller said he had not conducted a geotechnical exploration but described the bulkhead as being in poor condition. He said that, absent further evaluation or a slope-stability analysis, construction loads should remain approximately 15 to 16 feet from the wall.
A resident who identified herself as Marlene Brail said her single-family home is next to District C properties and opposed reducing the restrictions because the changes would apply throughout the district.
Dennis Franke, who said he served on the city’s planning committee for 10 to 15 years beginning when it was formed, urged commissioners to apply regulations consistently among property owners. He also cautioned commissioners to consider parking, building size, airspace and setbacks when making district-wide changes.
Commissioner Gordon Garlock moved to retract the previous recommendation and recommend no changes to District C regulations. Hays seconded the motion, and the chair announced that it passed.
The commission also denied a variance for a proposed mural at 2301 Padre Blvd. Staff said the proposed mural did not meet the city’s existing art requirements because it would be attached to a building. Garlock’s motion to deny cited a lack of hardship and driver-safety concerns he had raised earlier in the discussion.
Two commissioners opposed the motion.