Residents of Abelardo Estates speak against a proposed development of a single-family subdivision. They say the roads on their street will not be safe because of the increase in traffic. Estefania Ramirez/THE RIDER
A Brownsville Police Department official says after-hours establishments have increased the departmentโs call volume, spurring plans for a proposal to close a loophole within business regulations concerning alcohol.
James Paschall, commander of support services for the department, gave a presentation to the Brownsville City Commission during its meeting last Tuesday.
The after-hour establishments are Arre Vivo Bar, located at 2223 Central Blvd.; Chaparral, 1655 Ruben Torres Blvd.; and Palace R at 1805 Ruben Torres Blvd., according to an email Paschall sent to The Rider last Thursday.
The Brownsville Police Departmentโs call volume has increased by 181 calls per service over the last 12 months, Paschall said.
The calls include incidents such as sexual assault, assault, fights, officer initiated patrol, subject with a gun, subject down, shots fired and traffic-related accidents, according to Paschallโs presentation.
Patrol supervisors assign officers as impact teams to address the establishments.
โThe officers assigned remain in the parking lot to deter intoxicated drivers from getting on the road and just keeping the peace,โ Paschall said.
An existing loophole lets businesses allow alcohol consumption without being subject to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission regulations.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is a state agency that regulates all phases of the alcoholic beverage industry in Texas, including sales, taxation, importation, manufacturing, transporting and advertising, according to the TABC website.
Paschall said that the most important aspect should be to close the loophole that allows operation from 2:15 to 7 a.m.
A proposal will be brought back to the city commission for approval under the public hearing agenda item.
District 3 City Commissioner Roy De los Santos thanked Paschall for the presentation and suggested a town hall meeting and invite local business owners.
De los Santos said some input that he has heard from other business owners is that their business is hurt because people will go out later or prefer to go to these establishments.
โI donโt want the business community to feel like weโre not taking them into consideration as we move forward, so an opportunity would be good,โ he said.
In other business, the city commission rejected a request from Raluz Properties LLC., a development company, to rezone 32.41 acres of Block 9 in the J.C. Bennett Subdivision and 0.02 acres of Reserve No.1 in the Abelardo Estates Subdivision from agricultural to residential single-family for the construction of a single-family home subdivision.
Raluz Properties LLC. is a development company that requests to rezone subject property at the end of Abelardo from Agricultural to Residential Single Family to construct a single-family home subdivision.
Residential single-family allows property sizes from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet, which Raluz Properties LLC. would require.
The new subdivision would add 100 lots to Abelardo Estates, according to the agenda packet.
Martin Vega, senior planner for the cityโs Planning and Redevelopment Services Department, said the request is consistent with the comprehensive plan and future land use plan.
Vega said the proposed subdivision would require three to four access points and would use Abrego Road and, potentially, April Lane.
De los Santos said the request could potentially result in four or five times more traffic on Abelardo Road.
Lina Romero, who lives at the entrance of Abelardo Drive, stepped up to the lectern to voice her concerns.
โYouโre going to have the traffic going 70 miles an hour traveling into one lane,โ Romero said.
Abrego Road has one stop sign that separates 70 miles per hour traffic and the neighborhood.
Romero said that she is not opposed to the development of homes in that area but that it will create a safety hazard.
Eight other residents of Abelardo Estates spoke about other issues besides traffic such as, no streetlights, no sidewalks and no proper drainage.
โWeโve lived our life for 30 years, weโve raised our children, and to see something like this happen to our street, our quiet street, which we have all together fought to maintain is really sad to see,โ Romero said.
Jorge Depau, a representative of Raluz Properties LLC., said he understands the residentsโ concern and has seen the condition of the street.
On behalf of Raluz Properties LLC., Depau requested that the city pay closer attention to the safety and security of residentsโ needs but still wanted to address that he was in full compliance with city ordinances that are necessary for the access to Abrego Road.
The developer said that the original design and plan was proposed in 1980, before 1984, when the Abelardo Estates residents moved in.
โIt was a proposed residential area,โ Depau said. โWe are not doing anything different other than finally developing.โ
He said the proposal contemplated a connected subdivision to the north of Abelardo Estates.
Depau requested the commission to consider Raluz Properties LLC. to move forward with the development.
โI feel thereโs too many issues and we need to fix what theyโre going through right now before we can think about having others or another development in the area,โ District 2 City Commissioner Linda C. Macias said.
De los Santos motioned to deny the request and District 1 City Commissioner Bryan L. Martinez seconded.
