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The McAllen City Commission on Monday will consider a request to rezone nearly 100 acres of city-owned southside land from agricultural to light industrial. The change might help facilitate sale of the land to Zoho Corp., a multibillion-dollar global technology company that could create 500 high-tech jobs with salaries starting at $45,000. It also would be a significant development for south McAllen, which many people have said has received too little attention from city planners.
Some residents have voiced opposition to the change, and the city’s Planning and Zoning Committee, after listening to their arguments, has recommended against it. The commission, however, has final say on the zoning.
They should consider making that change.
That still doesn’t mean the sale will happen. Because of a history of flooding in the area, the Federal Emergency Management Agency must approve its intended use.
Some flooding issues already have been addressed, and the city has several infrastructure improvements intended to further reduce the risk of flooding in the area. Studies have determined that Zoho’s development will not worsen the risk. The company, in fact, says it plans to establish a system to capture and reuse rainwater, which could further mitigate any flooding.
It’s part of the company’s earth-friendly philosophy. Much of the land at its sites is used to grow food and even raise livestock, as is the case at the company’s U.S. headquarters outside Austin.
That history, and the company’s stated plans for the McAllen property, should help address the concerns of opponents who say they fear the loss of wildlife habitat. Zoho says it plans to develop about one-fourth of the land; part of it will be built into gardens and orchards growing fruits, vegetables and wildflowers, producing food for its workers as well as local food banks and shelters. It also would provide nesting sites and food sources that might attract more wildlife to the area.
It’s worth noting that the city purchased the property specifically to sell it. Without the zoning change, officials could sell it to another buyer who could use the current zoning classification to clear all existing wild growth and start growing crops.
Other opponents to the change include residents who fear losing a disc golf course that’s currently there. City and company officials could address those concerns by separating the course from the purchase and maintaining it as a public park, or build a new and perhaps better course and park there. If much of the land won’t be developed, Zoho and the city could both build goodwill by reaching out to the company’s potential future neighbors.
Certainly, the concerns of those who oppose the change must be considered, as well as the potential that the zoning change offers for future improvement. Maintaining pristine areas is important, but development is necessary for progress; stagnation can be fatal to cities that don’t plan for the future.
A zoning change doesn’t mean Zoho’s purchase is assured. But it opens the door, and this potential buyer could be the most environmentally friendly option the city will ever see.
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