Zoning and Rezoning

The “zone” of a piece of property determines what type of land use is allowable on the tract, setbacks and landscaping required among other things. The City of Mercedes currently has sixteen categories of zoning.

Zoning Categories

“N – Newly Annexed” – primarily a holding category when land is annexed into the city limits and only allows single family residences and other uses allowed in an “A – Single Family Residence” district

“A – Single Family Residence” – allows single family dwellings, public park, churches, golf course, farms, groves and orchards and requires a minimum lot width of 100’ with a minimum total area of 14,000 square feet and a 40’ front yard setback.

“A-1 – Single Family Residence” – allows everything allowed in the above zones but on smaller lots (60’ width with minimum area of 8,400 square feet) with a slightly smaller front yard setback (30’).

“A-2 – Single Family Residence” – allows everything allowed in the above zones but on smaller lots (50’ width with minimum area of 7,000 square feet).

“B – Two Family Residence” – allows everything in the above zones plus two family residences on minimum 60’ wide lots with a minimum of 8400 square feet in area.

“B-1 – Two Family Residence” – allows everything in the above zones on minimum 50’ wide lots with a minimum of 7,000 square feet in area.

“C – Apartment” – allows everything in the above zones plus apartment buildings and hotels in which rooms are rented to guests, hospitals, and clinics on minimum 60’ wide lots with a minimum of 8,400 square feet in area.

“C-1 – Apartment” – allows everything in the above zones on minimum 50’ wide lots with a minimum of 7,000 square feet in area.

“RMH – Mobile Home” – allows mobile homes, modular homes, recreational vehicles, single family homes and recreational/commercial facilities designed for the exclusive use of a mobile home park. (See Ordinance #86-4 for more information.)

“L – Local Retail” – allows everything allowable in a “C-1 Apartment” zone plus light retail uses typically used by neighborhood residents. No uses selling liquor, beer or wine and no uses open before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. shall be allowed in this district. (See Ordinance #26 for specific uses listed.)

“A – Business” – allows everything allowed in “L – Local Retail” plus medium intensity retail uses including restaurants, studios, and other retail uses provided it is not noxious or offensive by reason of emission of odors, filth, soot, dust, noise, gas fumes or is unsightly. (See Ordinance #26 for specific uses listed.)

“B – Business” – allows everything allowed in “A – Business” zone plus auto and truck type uses, heavier retail uses that might not be suitable right up against single family residential uses without a buffer of sorts. Uses shall not include those uses listed under “C – Business”, “A – Industrial”, or “B – Industrial”. (See Ordinance #26 for specific uses listed.)

“C – Business” – is the heaviest retail district and allows everything allowed in a “B – Business” zone plus limited manufacturing uses, but excluding uses set out in “A – Industrial” and “B – Industrial” zones. (See Ordinance #26 for specific uses listed.)

“A – Industrial” – is a medium intensity industrial category and allows everything allowed in “C – Business” zone plus adding some more intensive manufacturing and processing uses, except not those uses listed in “B – Industrial” zone. (See Ordinance #26 for specific uses listed.)

“B – Industrial” – is the heaviest industrial category and allows everything allowed in “A – Industrial” zone plus any manufacturing or industrial processes not heretofore listed and not otherwise prohibited by law or ordinance. (See Ordinance #26 for specific uses listed.)

“LI – Light Industrial” zone – is intended to be a limited industrial zone that provides for industrial uses that may be appropriate for an industrial park or similar type of development. This limits the uses to significantly restrict the outside activities and storage of materials, noise vibration, smoke, pollution, fire and explosive hazard, glare and any other potentially blighting influences. It is intended for manufacturing that is within a totally enclosed building, suitable for high-visibility locations such as along the freeway or within a reasonable distance of residential uses. Specific additional uses can be found in Ordinance #86-15.

Rezoning

Rezoning processes can take 45 – 60 days depending on when you submit in the monthly cycle of meetings. Staff reviews an application for completion, processes payment and does the technical processes. This includes a site inspection of the property and its surroundings, a review of available infrastructure, a legal notification of all property owners within 200’ of the property and a notice in the newspaper a specified period of time prior to a public hearing being held at the Planning & Zoning Commission. The city staff will prepare a recommendation which will be send to the Planning & Zoning Commission prior to the meeting. The Planning & Zoning Commission will hear staff recommendations and any public comments at their meeting before making a decision whether or not to recommend approval to the City Commission. The City Commission will only hear the item if Planning & Zoning Commission recommends it for approval. If they deny the item, the applicant has the option to appeal their decision directly to City Commission. If it passes to the City Commission, they must hear it on two meetings to pass an ordinance required to complete the rezoning process.