Edinburg Council debates parking garage change orders, alcohol permit, road projects at Dec. 2 meeting
Arnoldo Mata
Edinburg, TX – Edinburg council members spent much of their Dec. 2 meeting debating an alcohol permit for a city-owned event venue and road requirements for new housing projects, while also highlighting upcoming holiday events and approving regional board appointments.
During the city manager’s report, officials reminded residents of the Edinburg Police Department’s annual Blue Santa toy giveaway, set for Friday, Dec. 12, at the Promenade Park Amphitheater, 201 W. McIntyre St. The event begins at 6 p.m. and will provide toys to Edinburg children up to age 12 on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Police said 40 bicycles will also be raffled off and families can enjoy photos with Blue Santa and Mrs. Claus, carolers, food vendors and a free screening of the movie “Elf.” Residents may contact the department’s COP division at 956-318-8824 for details.
Parks and Recreation staff also promoted the Deck the House Holiday Decorating Competition. Registration is open through Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., with winners to be announced Dec. 19. Homes will compete in five categories: brightest lights, most elegant, most creative, most traditional and best overall. For information, residents can contact Anthony Davila with Parks and Recreation at 956-381-5631.
Public comments centered on taxes, spending
During the public comment period, resident Fern McClarty criticized the council’s past support for members of the county appraisal district board, arguing that rising property values and bonded debt are burdening residents who have not seen comparable income growth. She cited city funding commitments to health and economic development projects and urged officials to consider how much taxpayers can afford, particularly in a community with a high poverty rate.
McClarty also questioned several agenda items, including a proposed special use permit for alcohol sales at a city facility, street-width variances requested for two subdivisions and an item tied to traffic improvements she hoped would address safety concerns at Chapin Street and Trooper Moises Sanchez Boulevard.
Alcohol permit at activity center draws questions
The most detailed discussion came during a public hearing on Item 7E, a special use permit allowing on-premise alcohol sales at the Edinburg Activity Center on Palm Drive, which is operated by the Edinburg Arts Foundation. McClarty argued the permit would effectively turn the city-owned facility into a bar in an area surrounded by family-oriented amenities, including a pool, splash pad, library and nearby sports facilities. She cited recent underage drinking incidents in McAllen and questioned the potential liability for the city.
Library and Cultural Arts Director Leticia Leija told the council the activity center has operated for decades as a rental hall for private events such as quinceañeras and weddings, where guests already bring their own alcohol. She said the permit would not convert the building into a bar but would allow the Arts Foundation to use licensed bartenders and enforce Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission rules, including ID checks and limits on service.
Leija said the change would improve safety by moving away from a bring-your-own model that gives the city little control over how much alcohol is consumed. She added that all revenue from alcohol sales would support arts and cultural programs, and that Edinburg police officers are already required as security at rented events.
Edinburg Cultural Arts Foundation treasurer Agustin Lozano said the group would manage the service “for the community” and abide by all laws. Several council members emphasized that the permit would apply only during rented events inside the activity center and not to surrounding park facilities. After discussion, the council closed the public hearing and voted unanimously to approve Items 7A through 7E, including the alcohol permit.
Fence, street-width variances debated
Council members also spent significant time on three variance requests under the city’s Unified Development Code.
For Item 8A, the Woodlands at Jackson Subdivision sought permission to replace a required 6-foot masonry buffer wall along its south boundary with a 9-foot combination of 3 feet of masonry and 6 feet of cedar fencing. Planning and Zoning staff said the higher fence was intended to increase privacy between the planned multifamily development and neighboring single-family homes, some of which have swimming pools.
Council members questioned the aesthetics and long-term durability of a mixed masonry-and-wood wall and noted that existing city rules require only a 6-foot masonry fence. The developer told the council he was willing to cover the added expense to provide more privacy and said a fully masonry 9-foot wall could create heat and circulation issues in the summer. After debate, the council approved the variance on a 3-2 vote.
Two additional variances, Items 8B and 8C, involved right-of-way width and street improvements for projects along Rogers Road and McColl Road. Engineers representing the developer Melden & Hunt Inc. asked not to be required to fully widen the roads or escrow the cost of future widening, citing high costs tied to existing Magic Valley transmission poles located close to the pavement.
Several council members pushed back, arguing that if developers are not required to either complete or help fund frontage improvements, the cost of future expansions would fall entirely on taxpayers when the city eventually widens the corridors. After discussion, the developer said they were willing to widen the roadways “as much as possible” up to the utility poles and construct sidewalks, but specific commitments had not been submitted in writing. The council voted unanimously to table both variances and asked staff and the developer to return with detailed plans and conditions.
Regional appointments approved
Later in the meeting, the council appointed Mayor Omar Ochoa as Edinburg’s primary representative to the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council board of directors and as the city’s member on the Rio Grande Valley Emergency Communication District (911) board. Council member Dan Diaz was named alternate representative for both bodies.
Council members said the regional posts play an important role in coordinating transportation, emergency communications and other services with neighboring cities and counties.
Downtown parking garage change order tied to old fuel tanks, design upgrade
Council members also spent time reviewing a change order for the downtown parking garage now under construction on the former Perez Service Station site. City Engineer Mardoqueo Hinojosa told the council the land previously belonged to Hidalgo County, which removed 11 underground fuel tanks years ago and obtained environmental clearance before turning the property into a surface parking lot.
As city contractors began excavation for the new multi-level garage, crews discovered four additional underground tanks that had not been identified in earlier work. The change order, totaling about $80,000, includes roughly $49,953 to remove and dispose of the tanks and complete required environmental mitigation, and $29,800 to add a white pigment to the exposed concrete so the structure appears lighter rather than standard gray.
Hinojosa said testing around the newly discovered tanks did not show additional contamination and that the extra work is necessary to keep the project on track and in compliance with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules. After pulling the item for questions, the council returned it to the consent ballot and approved the change order unanimously.
The Council then went into a closed-door session. No action was taken after the meeting,.