INGLESIDE, Texas — Opponents of a plan to build a tank farm for petrochemical storage on a parcel of land near Ingleside High School scored a small victory Monday night — but not before two hours of impassioned speeches against those plans before the city’s planning and zoning commission.
“If we want our kids and family to stay healthy, I think it’s wrong to have oil tanks near schools,” Ingleside ISD student Liliana Salinas said.
A representative for Exxon and other entities that are trying to build the tank farm tried to persuade commissioners to vote to recommend that the city council approve rezoning the land in question for industrial use.
A key part of their argument was the fact that the land used to house a tank farm for decades before being dismantled.
“Clearly a residential zoning was not consistent with the previous land use for that piece of property,” John Michael of Hansen Professional Services said. "And frankly it could never be used for residential in the future.”
The planning and zoning commission eventually recommended that the city council disapprove of the rezoning.
The city council will take the recommendation under consideration, but ultimately they’ll have the final say when they meet again early in 2021.
The leader of Ingleside ISD hopes council members will agree with the commission and protect the future of the district’s schools.
“When you talk about the past use of this property, sometimes you don’t want to repeat history,” Superintendent Troy Mircovich said.
