Zoning

Zoning
Zoning is the city’s way of promoting orderly growth and land use while protecting existing property owners by grouping together compatible development.

Before land is developed in the city, it must be zoned and platted. Property in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is subject to platting only. The Planning and Zoning Commission reviews all zoning requests and City Council approves or denies the request after receiving recommendations.

What is Zoning?
Zoning is the city’s tool to implement the Land Use component of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. Through the use of district classifications, zoning helps to regulate land use, promote orderly growth, and protect existing property owners by ensuring a convenient, attractive and functional community. The City Council along with several city boards and commissions, especially the Planning and Zoning Commission, make decisions on land uses, compatibility and other zoning matters.

The purpose of zoning land in the City of Pharr is to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public. The Zoning regulations and districts have been adopted in accordance with a comprehensive plan and have been designed to:

• Lessen traffic congestion;
• Provide safety from fire, panic, and other dangers;
• Provide adequate light and air;
• Prevent the overcrowding of land;
• Avoid undue concentration of population; or
• Provide and facilitate adequate provisions for transportation, water, sewers, schools, parks, and other public requirements.

Currently, the city has 17 land use categories ranging from Agricultural, Single Family Residential, General Business, to Heavy Industrial. The land use/use district is the zoning category for the property. The land use/use district has a list of permitted uses, conditional uses (require permit) and prohibited uses for development and/or use of the property.

Why is Zoning Needed?
Zoning is the dividing of a municipality into districts and the establishment of regulations governing the use, placement, spacing and size of land and buildings it allows various land uses, promotes orderly growth and protects existing property owners by ensuring a convenient, attractive community. A city must have a blueprint to locate streets, parks and business and residential areas. City Commission along with several city boards and commissions make decisions on how to zone property and on other zoning matters.

How Do I Change a Property’s Zoning?
When an owner wants to change the use of his property to a purpose not permitted in the current classification assigned to the property, he must apply for a change of zone. The process is approximately 30-45 days with specific application deadlines. This time frame may vary depending on when the application is submitted and if there are delays in decisions by the Planning and Zoning Commission and/or City Commission during the public hearing process.

Step 1: Request for a Change of Zone
Meeting with a Planner is a must. Applications may be found under the resources tab, picked up in person or emailed. Applicant must submit the Change of Zone Application to the Planning and Zoning Staff by deadline date (25 days prior to the meeting date), the application and accompanying documents will be reviewed and if deemed to be complete it will be placed on the next agenda for a motion.

Step 2: Public Hearings
A legal notice will then be prepared and published in an official newspaper or a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality advising of the time and place of the hearings. All surrounding property owners within 200 feet of the area being rezoned will be notified by mail before the Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing. The notice advises property owners of their right to appear and express their opinion at the hearing or submit written comments.

Step 3: The Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing for the request for the Change of Zone. At this time, Staff will have made a recommendation regarding the property based on Future Land Use, Comprehensive Plan and other factors generally related to avoiding adverse impacts on the neighboring area. The city requests that the applicant or representative be present at the hearings to present evidence in support of the request. Other parties may present information (including petitions) in support or in opposition to the change.

Step 4: Recommendations Made to City Commission
After weighing all evidence and facts presented at the public hearing, the Planning and Zoning Commission will take action that is a recommendation to the City Commission to grant or deny the request. The rezoning request will then be forwarded to the City Manager’s Office to be scheduled to be placed on the next City Commission Agenda.

Step 5: City Commission Makes the Final Decision
The City Commission holds a second public hearing on the request at which time the applicant, supporters, and opponents again present their evidence. At this time, the Council makes the final decision to grant or deny the request. They may uphold or reverse the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

OPPOSITION
If a valid protest of 20% or more of the land area within the 200-foot notification area is filed with the City, a rezoning shall not become effective except by a favorable vote of three-fourths of all the City Commission.

WITHDRAWAL
Applicants may withdraw an application (in writing) at any time during the rezoning process, however, the city will not refund application fees after the application has been submitted and deemed complete.

DENIAL
On any change of zone application denied by City Commission, reapplication will not be permitted until six (6) months have elapsed after the board’s action.

CODES AND ORDINANCES
It is important to understand that approval of a rezoning cannot be construed as amending the Building Code, Fire Code, or any other applicable ordinances.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?
The Comprehensive Plan is the City of Pharr’s official guide for making decisions about growth and development within the city. This plan includes a Land Use Plan which takes into account existing land use, development trends, and policies, which guide zoning decisions in the form of a map of proposed land use patterns. Each lot is assigned a specific zoning classification to further regulate development. In the end the Comprehensive Plan is a summary of the goals, objectives, policies, strategies, programs, and projects that will enable the city to achieve its mission of focusing on the future, working together to build strong neighborhoods, develop a sound economy, and provide a safe community.

How does the city use the Comprehensive Plan?

• Functional plans/programs such as the Operation Clean Sweep, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), TIRZ, Thoroughfare Plan, Parks Master Plan are all incorporated in the Comprehensive Plan;
• Departmental business plans;
• Budget priorities;
• Capital Improvement Program (CIP);
• Annexation programs;
• Development standards; and
• Zoning and subdivision cases.

More Information
For more information about Zoning, City Ordinances (www.municode.com), or the Comprehensive Plan, you may visit the Planning and Zoning Division at 308 West Park Avenue or call (956) 402-4242 and speak to a City Planner