[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6579285,"mediaKeyId","3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6","parentId",3093052,"title","Council approves rezoning for Kent Distributors site on North Big Spring despite neighborhood objections; neighbors seek PD and traffic mitigation","audioSeconds",4773,"startMs",6665000,"endMs",11438000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6&start=6665&end=11438","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6/thumbnail_6665000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6579285/Midland/Midland-County/Texas/Council-approves-rezoning-for-Kent-Distributors-site-on-North-Big-Spring-despite-neighborhood-objections-neighbors-seek-PD-and-traffic-mitigation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579285-dc7bf8e08169be1fdc06ca15b8701021/orig.mp4?Expires=1770731034&Signature=O0z-LHwZwLsz6VpHhPgaHR6ODA6UNeF1tDjSQ4-Geb6dx1zadYeGtSgy5fNrbtEUCGrCjpwW~-0SalhPi5d6YpzniBK33LCfkvcu7stqmGzVHiT6ZXREmrDCZB-W0gKEPT07mMoaMrOlWwqyf3sbLnlW2TJl29ZtgG~SUwaXZpbHnCJTjLXgF1lg2mV4-LpHdWh3eOPixeMU10z91wbexyxMGclOAtwsFUId3HQFkunmkUsldT7aY66~og4-nAT15d4PWf2rczQYE4rig0g1-fkTSX5mqcjOyQg0W8RDcKtFTlQUw~yzHbOs87if1Sf8ZEuBKk7EBlWVrkwOi~-yfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Midland","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","The Midland City Council approved, by a 6-1 vote on April 8, a rezoning request to reclassify a 5.57-acre undeveloped parcel at the southeast corner of North Big Spring Street and Solomon Lane from O-1 (office) to RR (regional retail). The applicant said the site will host a Kent Quick lube/auto service facility on the north portion of the lot and left the southern parcel for future use; Kent representatives said the north portion would occupy roughly two acres and the overall site is marketed at a price that requires retail zoning.

Elizabeth Triggs, Planning and Development Officer, told council that staff had recommended a planned development (PD) or a lower-intensity local retail (LR) base district instead of straight regional retail because LR or O-1 plus PD controls would better match the city's Tall City Tomorrow comprehensive plan guidance for neighborhood-serving commercial uses and offer more custom controls to protect adjacent residential areas. Triggs said the property sits next to single-family neighborhoods and that a full RR rezoning allows a broad range of higher-intensity uses by right. She noted the planning commission recommended RR by a 5-2 vote; staff's preferred approach had been a PD tailored to allow the requested minor auto service and a limited set of neighborhood commercial uses.

Representatives for the applicant, including Adam Sturtevant and engineer Andrew Mellon of Maverick Engineering, told council the Kent company planned a Kent Quick facility at the north end of the parcel, leaving the remainder for future development. They said the seller and prospective buyers are seeking a retail zoning that matches market value; the seller is not a local owner and is relying on a local buyer/developer to secure final approvals. Applicant representatives said they would use deed restrictions and site investments (landscaping and site maintenance) to discourage lower-quality uses and competing facilities.

About a dozen residents and property owners near the site spoke in public comment, nearly all urging a more restrictive approach than straight RR. Speakers included Garrett Black (Mira Vista Homeowners Association president), Scott Dufford (resident), Randy Sims (resident), Mark Salome (resident), and others who cited concerns about left-turn conflicts on Big Spring, a curved alignment that reduces sight lines, the concentration of residential rooftops nearby, and the lack of a current signal at Solomon and Big Spring. Residents asked the city to pursue a PD or other constraints, and to accelerate traffic mitigation steps: signal study, medians, driveway spacing and access management.

City traffic staff told council the intersection at Solomon and Big Spring did not currently meet signal-warrant thresholds based on existing traffic counts, but a new development could create the volumes that would warrant a signal. Staff estimated that if the city and TxDOT start planning now, design and right-of-way work could take on the order of months to years (staff estimated roughly two years to secure and implement a signal if all steps align). Council members asked staff to begin conceptual planning for medians and signal design should the development move forward; staff agreed to start concept work and to coordinate with TxDOT.

Council debate reflected the trade-offs between neighborhood compatibility and the property owner's stated need for retail zoning to meet market value. Council members supportive of approval said the site has been vacant for many years, that the location sits on a major arterial and that quality retail development can generate tax revenue and safety investments; those opposed or urging more conditions wanted a PD that would give the city and neighbors more control over allowable uses and curb cuts. Ultimately the motion to rezone to RR carried 6-1.

Ending: Council asked staff to prepare conceptual traffic and access plans and to engage TxDOT about signal and median options. Staff said those studies will inform permit-level site design and any later requests to the council for platting, access permits, or right-of-way coordination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Midland - Council Meeting - Apr 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council voted 6-1 to rezone a 5.57-acre parcel at North Big Spring Street and Solomon Lane from O-1 (office) to RR (regional retail). Neighbors and staff pressed for a planned-development approach or traffic-related conditions; the developer said the site finances require retail zoning.","taxTitle","Midland, Midland County, Texas","taxId",25227,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579289,"Council approves Ports to Plains membership after presentations on I-27 corridor funding and safety",1632,2694000,4326000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6&start=2694&end=4326","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6/thumbnail_2694000.jpg","/articles/6579289/Midland/Midland-County/Texas/Council-approves-Ports-to-Plains-membership-after-presentations-on-I-27-corridor-funding-and-safety","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579289-7dfe511547c8d8e0196f7f57450b3e8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770731034&Signature=kNaZrQN3YS2OFem1ibpneudScRlzZ2-9ZaJ6tQ~sbuRGT1X2OBOzVUGJbyCZ~wWS6pUAgNUpn3bcDPEqchD7AU84THkRN07F5vlmy0~hL2gPaL6XqzKWdoaV94bk4z-OhpCoVBXHCZKbfA8HG2N8Qmewdi8x8tfGX9pZFdgi2yG~B59jAhCoGKEJfhOQt2e3GzPDbQj9ckDZJAJT5K6RrowJUpMxfSWlag7AH4RN06~TkUj1Ik8OHRewGgQo5T4zzFRFHHl6zIt2H1MgaDHeJecLLDry2ZG7Hu6R7~OuyS0PA4bkqyID0l3zetkVD2LZpdKMOt24EY2cC1MikeRWBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Midland City Council voted 5-2 on April 8 to authorize the City Manager to join the Ports to Plains Alliance and approve an $80,100 membership payment. Lindsay Adams, Strategic Partnerships Officer, presented the item and said membership would give the city a seat on the alliance's board, access to advocacy and planning resources and participation in corridor-level events.

Lauren Gardu\u0001o, president and CEO of the Ports to Plains Alliance, told council the alliance helped secure a federal congressional designation for a future interstate known as I-27 and worked at state and national levels to secure planning and construction funding. Gardu\u0001o said the alliance's prior studies supported TxDOT planning, contributed to a $3 billion-plus allocation in TxDOT's 10-year program for portions of the corridor and helped attract discretionary federal requests for planning and preliminary engineering.

Council members and staff discussed the alliance's role versus TxDOT's legislatively created I-27 advisory committee. Adams said the advisory committee is a TxDOT committee with legislatively appointed members on which the mayor currently sits; she described Ports to Plains as an independent alliance that advocates at state and federal levels and drives corridor-level funding requests. Gardu\u0001o described an alliance strategy to combine political support across several corridor groups (I-27, I-14, I-69) in Washington to pursue discretionary federal funding and an anticipated federal highway reauthorization.

Council members asked about funding streams and the relationship between local MPO funding categories and federal discretionary \"above-the-line\" funding the alliance seeks. Gardu\u0001o said Ports to Plains pursues both targeted community funding requests (smaller planning grants) and larger national advocacy for a future-interstate funding program; he said TxDOT currently has several hundred million dollars and several billion in design and construction line items on the corridor, and that additional federal discretionary funding would supplement state and local resources.

Supporters argued membership placed Midland at the regional table for future planning and safety improvements on a corridor that crosses the Permian Basin. Dissenting council members were concerned about cost and priorities; the membership vote passed 5-2.

Ending: The council approved the membership and asked staff to coordinate next steps, which council and staff said will include advancing planning efforts and coordinating with TxDOT and the I-27 advisory committee on right-of-way and funding strategies.","The Midland City Council voted 5-2 to join the Ports to Plains Alliance and authorize $80,100 in annual membership dues, a step staff and presenters said would give the city a seat at a regional table advocating for interstate I-27 funding and planning.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6579293,"City comptroller presents 2024 popular annual financial report; city reserves equal about 120 days of operations",472,132000,604000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6&start=132&end=604","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093052-6ad25ac02160243d794ce6d753d010e6/thumbnail_132000.jpg","/articles/6579293/Midland/Midland-County/Texas/City-comptroller-presents-2024-popular-annual-financial-report-city-reserves-equal-about-120-days-of-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579293-a552959d78d20fc96c1d298b3977b07b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770731034&Signature=nn7otXVXUDmYZkpV-ElXqIfQX9v4xrvEGKsrS4uaBwjhrd1k94em5iAyeonLQU9xLc7QjGCI2LgALhFN7KjTT~465XD~u9hD6biqnsZIACIrc46TKM6cvJnn-qQhNyrqM3qBIAR134jNfTXoefr1yVTTXI2Zi73ydA5uQ8m9XyiqAkcjqeIhGaCYP1xgPevYqgSV7SSSJv6unV2zhen86xneCplQcGdTCYwGwijXWETPSDhBUtuvH74KGl8v3YLdxE3GmppcgJj0owpWvo8AKpWcz2WGal1VqjZgZbJGAmYfI6X6k1q0j5rlHcADakyxgJw9S0VQOdma9os6xMwwDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Comptroller Jerry Atkins told the Midland City Council on April 8 that the city's Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) is a concise, user-friendly summary of the larger annual Comprehensive Financial Report the city produces. Jerry Atkins, Comptroller, City of Midland, said the PAFR is meant to translate technical information for residents and to support the council's transparency goal.

Atkins said the city's general fund reserve totaled about $58,000,000 at the close of fiscal 2024, which he described as roughly 120 days of operating expenses. He also reported that the city's net position rose about 14% from 2023 to 2024, equivalent to roughly $100 million, and highlighted department-level achievements including a new frontline ambulance, a new municipal police academy, more than 1,400 animal adoptions and an interoperable radio system connecting Midland with neighboring jurisdictions.

Atkins and council members emphasized that the PAFR is not a replacement for the full audited financial reports but a clarity tool recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association. The PAFR includes demographic data (median age about 31; about 31% of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher), and a tax-rate breakdown that shows roughly 23% of each property-tax dollar goes to the city and 77% to other taxing authorities.

Council members and staff also described the PAFR as part of succession and best-practice efforts in finance: the city's documents are being made available on the city website in a presentations tab and staff encouraged residents with further questions to contact the city's web assistance tool \"Ask Jackie.\" Atkins noted the city moved its device-refresh cycle for staff devices from four to five years (savings driven by COVID-era delays) and discussed steps to resale retired computers after physically removing and shredding hard drives to protect data.

The council did not take action on the PAFR itself at the meeting; staff provided the report as an information item and directed residents to the city website for the full reports.

Ending: Council members praised the PAFR's clarity and staff for publishing both the summary and the underlying audited documents online, saying residents who want more detail can review the comprehensive financial report on the city website.

","Comptroller Jerry Atkins presented the City of Midland's 2024 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), highlighting the city's $58 million general fund reserve (about 120 days of operations), a roughly $100 million net position increase from 2023 to 2024 (about 14%), and efforts to make financial documents more accessible to residents.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves rezoning for Kent Distributors site on North Big Spring despite neighborhood objections; neighbors seek PD and traffic mitigation

Council approves Ports to Plains membership after presentations on I-27 corridor funding and safety

City comptroller presents 2024 popular annual financial report; city reserves equal about 120 days of operations