Odee Ann Leal, the city’s director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, presents the ONE City Water Conservation Campaign during the Brownsville City Commission meeting March 19. Leal said the city recommends collaboration with the Brownsville Public Utilities Board to revise the drought contingency and water conservation plan. Estefania Ramirez/THE RIDER
The Brownsville City Commission in a regular meeting March 19 discussed efforts to educate the public on how to conserve water and concerns over a duplex development that would block access to Abelardo Drive.
The ONE City Water Conservation Campaign, presented by Odee Ann Leal, the city’s director of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, is in effect and includes marketing efforts to promote the conservation of water to the public.
As previously reported by The Rider, the Brownsville Public Utilities Board said the city is in a Stage 2 drought, and a Stage 3 drought is forecast in the latter part of the summer.
Implemented methods of distributing information on how residents can conserve water are communicated through mediums such as billboards, flyers placed in all city buildings and recreational areas, and communication with the Brownsville Independent School District and Texas Southmost College, according to the presentation.
Many preventive measures have been taken by the City of Brownsville to conserve water, including temporarily disabling all city water fountains, replacing current irrigation systems with smart irrigation, and meeting with schools to discuss water conservation methods, according to the presentation.
Other conservation efforts listed include BPUB kicking off its Conservation Superheroes Contest, placing signs on the doors of residential or business customers who violate Stage 2 restrictions, and public workshops to educate the community.
Leal said the city also recommends collaboration with BPUB to revise the drought contingency and water conservation plan.
In a public hearing, Martin Vega, senior planner for Planning and Redevelopment Services, presented a proposed amendment to Unified Development Code Sec. 4.4.3.D – Commercial Uses, which addresses water conservation and current drought conditions.
According to a memo in the agenda documents, the amendment would establish a land spacing requirement that would limit the establishment of new car washes within 5 miles of an existing car wash and require water reuse systems for all new car washes.
Data gathered by BPUB from Fiscal Year 2022 shows of the 31 total car washes, only six are currently using a water reuse system.
District 3 Commissioner Roy De los Santos asked if this includes self-service car washes, to which Vega replied yes.
Commissioner At-large “B” Rose Gowen asked whether existing car washes without a water reuse system will be required to install one. Vega replied they would not enforce it.
City Manager Helen Ramirez added car washes constructed after the ordinance is in effect will be subject to the requirement.
Mayor John Cowen asked if the city can publish a list of the car washes that use a recycling system.
Ramirez replied they have asked BPUB but have not received a list due to confidentiality.
In other business, residents expressed concerns about a proposed development project to establish a duplex that would prohibit vehicular access to Abelardo Drive.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended installing a physical barrier at the end of Abelardo Drive to prohibit any access to the property, according to the presentation.
Maribel Martinez, a resident of Abelardo Drive, said neighbors are concerned that people will create a trail to access Abelardo.
Martinez said they want to make sure a fence or a wall is put up before construction so a shortcut is not created.
“We just need something in writing saying … ‘We’re going to fence it, we’re going to put a barricade …’ just to guarantee us that,” she said.
Samuel Luna, a resident of the area, said he would like the barrier first and the city to deepen the ditch behind his house for water runoff to prevent floods.
“We want our protection first before anything happens,” Luna said.
Luna said Abelardo Drive is a narrow street that is not wide enough for school buses to make a turn to enter.
De los Santos motioned to approve the project with the stipulation of placing a physical barrier as the first structure and placing a residential unit to preclude access.
Cardenas seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Martin Vega, senior planner for the City of Brownsville Planning and Redevelopment Services Department, requests to amend the Unified Development Code Sec. 4.4.3.D – Commercial Uses for car washes. Its purpose is to promote water conservation and address drought issues in Brownsville. Estefania Ramirez/THE RIDER
