San Benito commission advances new comprehensive plan, schedules final vote

The San Benito City Commission took the first legislative step toward adopting a new comprehensive plan during its June 23 meeting, setting up a final vote at the next regular session on July 7. Commissioners also handled alcohol permit requests, emergency repair payments and a budget workshop, while two advisory boards weighed land-use and variance matters.

Comprehensive plan advances toward July 7 adoption

Ordinance 2532-01, which would enact a new comprehensive plan for the city, received a first reading at the June 23 commission meeting. No vote total was available. The second reading and possible adoption are on the July 7 commission agenda. The plan is expected to shape future land use, zoning and infrastructure decisions.

Also on June 23, the commission held public hearings on conditional use permits for alcohol sales at a Circle K at 800 S. Sam Houston and a Stripes at 304 S. Sam Houston, and considered rezoning 17.23 acres near Pennsylvania and McCulloch to a Planned Development District. The outcomes of those hearings were not published.

Alcohol permits reviewed by advisory boards

The Planning & Zoning Board met June 25 and considered final plat approval for the 12.088-acre Villa Dolce Subdivision and a variance for a 10-foot utility easement for a Stripes store on 6.932 acres. The board also held public hearings on conditional use permits to allow alcohol sales and on-site consumption at two Stripes stores: store #40735H at 2500 West Expressway 83 and store #40749H at 898 North Sam Houston Boulevard.

The Board of Adjustments, also on June 25, heard a variance request for a property at 451 South McCulloch Street, where applicant Shawn Saldana is seeking to allow an existing structure to encroach into the required rear setback. No decision was available.

Emergency repairs, holiday event payments ratified

Without reporting vote counts, the June 23 commission agenda asked members to ratify two significant payments: $94,000 to O.M.T. Utilities for emergency repair of a collapsed sewer line, and $58,000 to Carpe Nox Industries for services tied to the city’s 2025 Christmas events.

Budget workshop kicks off tax-rate discussion

City commissioners held their first budget workshop of the year on June 30, a discussion-only session that covered the 2026 ad valorem property tax rate and the preliminary Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget. No votes were taken. Officials reviewed revenue projections, expenditure estimates and capital improvement needs, providing initial direction to staff.

Coming up

The City Commission will meet again on July 7. Agenda items include public hearings and votes on conditional use permits for alcohol sales and on-site consumption at Stripes stores at 898 N. Sam Houston Blvd. and 2500 W. Expressway 83, a second reading of the comprehensive plan ordinance, a $35,385.90 purchase of a police motorcycle from RGV Cycles, and a $59,365 emergency expenditure for manhole repairs at Kilgore Drive and Business 77.

Generated from official meeting agendas and minutes — every underlying document is linked from the city page. Read the primary source before you rely on a detail.