The Brownwood Planning & Zoning Commission held their regular meeting today and drew an unusually large crowd as residents from the nearby neighborhoods came in force to express their concern over a zoning change request to a mobile home district.
Eric Smith requested the change to enable him to move an $85,000 manufactured home onto 3 lots he purchased on the 3400 block of Cottage in block B of the Wordwood Addition. Smith said that he was told that he would have to request rezoning of the entire block to enable him to move his manufactured home to the neighborhood. He said that he was only interested in his three lots to be rezoned, but to avoid spot zoning was told to request the entire block. Smith said that the area is very run down and there are three other mobile homes already in the neighborhood that were grandfathered when the city annexed this block.
Smith said, “I was lead to believe, before I purchased the property, that this would not be a big issue for me to have rezoned.”
Lucy McLean then addressed the commission and presented a signed petition by many residents living in the area. McLean said, “We feel the location of manufactured housing in the subdivision will severely devalue our property. Make no mistake that it will start with one manufactured home, but there are 18 lots.” She continued,” To rezone block 8 would put manufactured housing in a location that is completely surrounded by single family six figure homes.”
Several other nearby property owners expressed similar concerns to the commission.
The commission closed the pubic hearing and opened the discussion to its members. Commission member Terry McDonald said that he lives in a mobile home, but if the neighborhood does not want this change then they should listen.
A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously approved to reject the rezoning request. Cheers and applause filled the room. Mr. Smith can appeal this decision to the Brownwood City Council if he wishes.
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