Edinburg council approves trail grant request, LED sign variance and adopts thoroughfare plan

Edinburg News, Edinburg TX News, Edinburg City Council, City Council meeting

Staff Report

Edinburg, TX – The Edinburg City Council approved a package of public hearing items tied to parks and development, adopted a new city thoroughfare plan framework and voted to add a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley student representative to the Downtown District Steering Committee an appointment to the Airport Advisory Board of South Texas International Airport of Edinburg during a meeting that also featured pointed public comments on budgeting, infrastructure and quality-of-life concerns.

Public comment raises water, power and growth questions

During public comments, Pedro Salazar, a former chair of the Edinburg 2040 initiative and past Edinburg Economic Development Corporation chair, urged council members to approach emerging technologies, particularly data centers, with long-term planning rather than fear or blanket opposition.

“I want to start by acknowledging the residents who spoke at the last meeting,” Pedro told the council. “They asked some good questions about water, power, public health, grid reliability, and who ultimately pays the bill. Those are not anti-technology questions. They are responsible community questions.”

Salazar said growing anxiety around data centers and advanced technology is not unique to Edinburg, noting similar concerns in communities across Texas and the country. “The pace of change is unsettling, especially for communities that have historically borne the downside of development without always sharing in the benefits,” he said. “So the anxiety that we’re seeing in communities like ours, it deserves respect.”

At the same time, Salazar cautioned against resisting technological change outright. “I tell my kids, the future is like a stampede of buffalo,” he said. “They’re coming at you faster than you think, and you really only have two choices: try to stop them, or learn how to run with them.” He added that artificial intelligence data centers, automation and robotics are “not science fiction anymore. It’s happening now. It’s happening everywhere.”

Salazar add that the challenge for Edinburg is finding balance. “Acknowledging anxiety does not mean you say no to everything,” he said. “It means you don’t put your head in the sand. We don’t pretend the future isn’t coming. We don’t let others define it for us.” He praised Mayor Omar Ochoa’s call for discussion at a previous meeting, saying, “What we need is a sincere discussion and a viable plan, not panic and not blind acceptance.”

Salazar concluded by outlining what he called the three pillars that will define future development: “water, power and people.” “Not incentives, not press releases, not wishful thinking,” he said. “If you can responsibly provide water, power and people, you will attract investment. If you can’t, you won’t, no matter how many deals you chase.”

Taxpayer concerns and EMS questions

Fern McClarty criticized city spending and said discussions about budget needs should include the financial status of residents. She raised concerns about the city exploring emergency medical transportation services and warned of impacts to private-sector providers, citing other cities’ experiences.

“Every 12 months we have a discussion concerning how the city needs more money. Not once have we heard discussions concerning the financial status of the people,” McClarty reminded the the Council. “Can the people afford the cost created by the programs that this council creates?”

Speaking about emergency medical services, McClarty said, “It is my understanding that the city has advertised for emergency medical transportation. Y’all look at Mission. It doesn’t work.”

“It is always a way of taking patients to that one place that makes political contributions,” McClary noted. “I personally appreciate and like MedCare. They helped save my husband, so I stand with them.”

McClarty also said she had requested public information related to a $10 million contribution tied to DHR and job creation goals, but said salary information in the materials she received was redacted. She referenced recent city financial decisions, including bond sales and water rate increases, and urged the council to “trim” budgets as families face higher costs.

Neighborhood truck traffic complaint

A resident, Maria Pacheco, asked the city to take action on heavy truck traffic on Canton Road near the Los Lagos area, describing vibrations that she said began in early 2023 and now affect nearby homes.

Pacheco told the council she contacted city departments and later the traffic engineering office but said her concerns were dismissed. She said she later filed a complaint related to that interaction and was advised to request more police patrols to address truck speeds, but said the issue continued.

Pacheco said she and her husband ultimately built a cinder block wall along the roadway — a project she said cost more than $20,000 — in an effort to reduce the impacts. She began describing continued problems observed later in 2025 but was unable to complete her remarks before her time expired. After council finished later agenda items, the mayor requested staff follow up with Pacheco to capture the information she did not get to present.

ECISD cancer awareness event promoted

Superintendent Mario Salinas, speaking on behalf of Edinburg CISD, promoted the district’s first cancer awareness event, “HOPE in All Colors,” scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Richard Flores Stadium.

Salinas said the event is built around awareness, early detection, remembrance and unity, and will include student performances, testimonials and information from medical professionals about screenings and prevention. He said career and technology students designed 26 cancer awareness ribbons to be displayed across the football field and said the event is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

UTRGV supports student seat on downtown committee

UTRGV student leader Ian Alfaro spoke in support of an ordinance item to add a student-appointed seat to the Downtown District Steering Committee. Alfaro said the change would strengthen collaboration between the city and the university and serve as a bridge between city planning efforts and the student community.

Parks and trails grant request advances

In public hearings, the council approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to submit a grant application to Texas Parks & Wildlife under the fiscal year 2026 Recreational Trails Grant Program for the Veterans Detention Pond Trail Project.

A Parks and Recreation Board representative told the council the project is aligned with the city’s parks and recreation master plan and would be built near Alberta Road and Veterans Boulevard. The proposed improvements include a half-mile asphalt trail around a future detention pond, ADA-accessible ramps, a parking lot, solar lighting, benches, trash receptacles, safety fencing, bike racks and other features. The speaker described the area as underserved and said the trail would provide accessible recreation options for residents of all ages and abilities.

Sign variance discussion highlights code concerns

The council also approved a sign variance request for a business located at 3703 Nadia Lane, tied to a proposed LED “wall” sign. The applicant, Ismael Reyes, told council members he wanted to place the LED display on a smaller, corner-facing wall panel and said the goal was to make the menu visible to customers and enhance the look of the property.

City staff explained the variance was needed because the Unified Development Code limits wall signage to 50% coverage of a given wall, and the proposed sign would cover 100% of the smaller wall segment. During discussion, the mayor and staff noted the current rule could create inconsistent outcomes — allowing a larger sign on a bigger wall without a variance while requiring a variance for a smaller display on a smaller wall. Staff said the city is planning to review LED sign standards, including a possible square-footage cap approach.

Council members also asked about brightness and potential impacts to traffic. Staff said approved signs must still comply with applicable brightness standards and could be monitored for compliance.

Thoroughfare plan adopted with five-year review requirement

Under ordinances, the council approved adding an Edinburg Thoroughfare Plan section to the city code, a move staff described as bringing the thoroughfare plan “in house” after changes related to how the regional planning organization handles such documents.

Staff said the thoroughfare plan is used to guide roadway classifications and future right-of-way planning. The mayor described the action as primarily administrative and said the substance of the plan was not being changed. During discussion, the mayor requested the city add a minimum review cycle, and the council amended its motion to require a comprehensive review of the thoroughfare plan at least every five years.

Downtown steering committee to include UTRGV student appointment

The council approved an ordinance change to the Downtown District Steering Committee that requires one of the seven seats to be filled by an appointment from the UTRGV Student Government Association.

Ian Alfaro, UTRGV Student Government Association Vice President spoke during the public comments period in favor of the move. “Having a student on the Downtown District Steering Committee would be an amazing bridge between UTRGV and the city of Edinburg” Alfaro said.

“I think this would be very good not only for the City of Edinburg, but for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. UTRGV and the City of Edinburg have a lot of values that align with each other” Alfaro added and praised the city “for its efforts to work with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.”

The mayor said the committee is advisory and does not have authority to approve permits or determine what businesses locate downtown but said student input is valuable given the university’s proximity and role in downtown activity.

Airport advisory board appointment

The council voted to remove Roland Gomez and appoint Bobby Garcia to the Airport Advisory Board of South Texas International Airport of Edinburg. The board’s role is to submit plans and recommendations to the City Council regarding the municipal airport’s use, operation and development.

Executive session action

The City Council went into executive session. Afterwards, the Council emerged from the executive session and took action on three items. The Council voted to approve an agreement with the Palm Valley Animal Society on the “terms and conditions as presented in executive session.” The second item was approval of an agreement to purchase real property, again on the “terms and conditions as presented in executive session.” Mayor Ocha did ask the staff to return the item to the city council agenda when the full contract is prepared for final review. There was no indication of which property was being acquired. The third item was approval of “Project Komida.” There was no explanation of what “Project Komida” entails.