Houston nixes rezoning

HOUSTON — The city council here voted 5-2 Thursday to reject a contentious rezoning measure.

Had the measure been approved, it would have rezoned two parcels of property from residential agricultural — the zoning classification for many surrounding properties — to heavy industrial. Deputy Mayor Lance Wilson had offered an amendment to zone the smaller, 80-acre portion as light industrial to act as a screen between the 560-acre heavy industrial parcel and some of the neighbors, and amendment which failed during an August planning commission meeting.

Deputy Mayor Lance Wilson and Mayor Virgie Thompson were the only two council members to vote in favor of the rezoning.

Representatives from the property’s owner, Alaska Native Corporation Knikatnu, Inc., requested the zoning in order to develop the property. Company officials have said one possibility for construction there is a light-bulb factory to produce environmentally friendly LED lights. The company’s overriding concern was to be good neighbors, said Richard Porter, executive director of the Knik Tribal Council.

“What we would start to find out is that our grandfathers raised us the same way,” he said. “I think when you guys see this, you see the scary thing of heavy industry, but if you look at this, we have the same values as you guys.”

The corporation was looking to the future, said Knikatnu President Raymond Theodore.

“This is just a first step,” he said. This is one of the biggest parcels we have in the Valley. We’re trying to do something for our people. I don’t think that’s wrong.”

Residents, like Charlotte Dennis, were skeptical. They pointed to the 11 enumerated uses of heavy industrial facilities in city ordinance and say they wouldn’t want any of those facilities as neighbors. A large industrial facility would be another hit on property already devalued by the rail spur construction, Dennis said.

“Once the railroad went through, we figured other changes were on the way as well,” she said. “Once you rezone it to heavy industry, then it’s there.”

Grayson Bottom, another local resident, told the council the zoning change could irrevocably change the neighborhood.

“Heavy industry is a blank check,” he said. “All of us know from experience with government, that once that can of worms is opened, you can’t shut it.”

Councilman Jim Johansen appeared inclined to agree.

“The council right now is uncorrupt and benevolent,” he quipped.

Future councils could decide to allow more undesirable things on that property, and the re-zoning could create a potential precedent, Johansen said.

“It’s too close,” he said.

Others, like councilwoman Kathleen Barney, said they needed more information before they could seriously consider approval.

“I was just not comfortable moving forward with the unknowns,” she said.

The tenor of public discourse — several speakers made general references to “Natives” and “they” and “them” — was abrasive, Thompson said.

“What I was disappointed in tonight was with you,” she said, addressing the audience directly “I heard ‘we don’t have any enforcement’ 12 times. Well, come to the budget meetings and tell us how to pay for enforcement.”

Without an expansion in 1the city’s tax base, which Thompson said the presence of Knikatnu industry could provide, the city will have to consider other unpopular actions to obtain enforcement for local ordinances.

“Maybe we need to increase the taxes,” she said.

The tone of public opposition to the measure was ugly, Thompson said.

“It was bullying, it was name-calling, it was accusing, and it was discrimination,” she said. “If y’all worked for me, you’d be fired. But I work for you, and I do a darn good job.”

The city and the company should continue to work together, even though the vote hadn’t gone in favor of Knikatnu, said councilwoman Alma Hartley

“I don’t want — just because something was closed today — to completely ruin our relationship between a good city and a good corporation,” she said.

In other business, the city council voted 7-0 to approve a change to the heavy industrial district regulations, effectively changing them to require a conditional use permit for any uses, instead of a list of specifically enumerated circumstances.

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269 or brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com