by JEN BIUNDO
About 20 east side residents prepared for a fight filled the Buda council chambers to express their objection to a zoning change that could bring manufactured homes to their neighborhood, but were quickly mollified by councilmembers who shared the sentiment.
In a discussion-only session, Buda councilmembers rebuffed a city-led initiative to zone 23 acres of land for manufactured home use, and asked city staffers to come back with more options.
Buda councilmember Sandra Tenorio said she was concerned about clustering smaller and less expensive lots on the east side, which has historically been home to some of the poorest residents of the county.
“As we look at the east side, we don’t want subdivision after subdivision with small lot sizes,” Tenorio said. “Let’s mix different levels of values so there’s not the east side and the west side.”
The property is part of a 77-acre annexation in the works just east of IH-35 at FM 2001, south of the Sunfield development. With a number of land-owners in the mix, the city had recommended commercial zoning for about 54 acres, and manufactured housing zoning for the remainder.
City officials noted that about 10 of the 23 acres were developed in the 1980s with 18 mobile homes on .44 acre lots. But neighboring residents said they didn’t want the area opened up for more manufactured housing.
“I certainly know from being in real estate that there is still this huge prejudice about the east side,” said Meadow Park resident Stephanie Poley. “Sticking a manufactured home facility right on that corner is not going to solve that.”
Meadow Park resident Alexis Juusola said that she was worried that more mobile homes nearby could push down the property value of her own house.
“Of course we’re all worried about our home values, since they’ve already dropped,” Juusola said.
Buda Mayor Bobby Lane said he received six or eight emails opposing the zoning.
“I think that everyone has a concern about their property rights and property values,” Lane said. “All we’ve been hearing is property values have been falling and homes are being foreclosed on. We need to do whatever we can do to support good solid neighborhoods.”
Councilmembers also held off on annexing and zoning an adjoining 49 acres for regional commercial use, but did give the green light for annexation and neighborhood commercial zoning for a smaller four-acre tract.
City Manager Kenneth Williams said city staff would come up with other zoning recommendations for the acreage to present to the council at a future meeting.
