Clovis commissioners adopt redistricting plan for next year

CLOVIS — After an admission that no choice would please everybody, and a discussion that illustrated just that, Clovis city commissioners on Thursday adopted a redistricting plan to take effect next year.

The commission by a 6-2 vote picked Plan A, one of six options created by Research and Polling to satisfy the city’s requirement to create four commission districts that were roughly equal in population determined by the 2020 Census. Essentially, the plans found different ways to move population from Districts 1 and 4 to Districts 2 and 3.

Plan A added to District 2 by taking all of the District 1 territory south of Seventh Street and east of the blocks adjacent to Marlene Boulevard. It also added to District 3 by taking the District 4 territory between 21st Street and Sunland Drive.

The District 3/4 exchange was the matter that drew debate as District 3 Commissioner Fidel Madrid and District 4 Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Bryant cast the dissenting votes. Madrid noted the change would reduce the Hispanic demographics of 3 from 66% to 62%, and he had concerns he was gaining constituents who didn’t have the same issues as his current slate. Bryant said none of the maps were perfect, but that he didn’t want to lose that area of constituency.

Mayor Mike Morris felt Plan A was the cleanest, with District 1 Commissioner Juan Garza echoing those sentiments. The city posted the maps online, and drew 19 responses, with the majority picking either Plan A or F. Morris didn’t like how Plan F and others moved the area around Gattis Middle School from District 4 to District 1, since it would have landlocked District 4 and led to outsized population growth in the next few years for District 1.

In other business during the three-hour meeting:

n Ladona Clayton, executive director of the Ogallala Land and Water Conservancy, spoke about the tasks she has been working on since assuming the job Oct. 1.

The conservancy was created to help deal with issues related to a Readiness Environmental Protection Initiative project on land surrounding Cannon Air Force Base. Federal monies will be leveraged to incentivize landowners around the base to retire agricultural water rights and convert them to smaller municipal water rights — thus reducing the overall strain on the paleochannel.

“I don’t take it lightly that they’ll be willing to do this,” Clayton said of landowners.

Mayor Morris said at the end of the 20-minute presentation the city was cheering on the conservancy; “its success is our success.”

• The commission granted a pair of zone changes from residential to commercial.

Maria Martinez was granted permission to open a car dealership in her tract of land at 912 E. Grand. Martinez’ request, which was recommended unanimously by the planning and zoning commission, was pulled off the consent agenda at the request of Shane May. He had no issue with Martinez’ request, but why his similar request got a 5-2 vote from planning and zoning recommending denial. May wanted to open a lawnmower repair shop out of his garage.

City Attorney Jared Morris said Casey Chavez and Chris Finch, who are planning to open a cannabis production facility near May’s residence, filed the zone change request on May’s behalf because it eliminated a residential zone near their cannabis establishment.

Morris said the commission may soon be asked to eliminate the distance requirement from residences, but it is still on the books.

May said he was not compensated by Chavez or Finch, and he accepted their help because he’s not good at paperwork — and if they benefited from his zone change, so be it.

Martinez’ request was granted 8-0. May’s was approved 6-2, with Commissioners Gary Elliott and Juan Garza voting in dissent. Garza later referenced that he wanted to be careful of creating too many commercial zones in residential areas.

• Following a 30-minute public hearing, the commission voted 6-2 to deny a noise variance request from Paul Ramirez at 105 Merrill Drive.

Three neighbors — Ken Fox and Robert and Beverly Gamble — told the commission Ramirez has held band practices at the house for nearly a year and grew tired of assurances Ramirez would find other rehearsal locations.

“He’s blasting us out of our house,” Robert Gamble said. “This is not right in a residential neighborhood.”

Ramirez told commissioners his band is a professional outfit that does concerts for profit and for charities, and its members’ livelihood depend on it. Mayor Morris said the band’s altruism wasn’t a license to disturb neighbors and asked why a professional band couldn’t find another rehearsal location. Ramirez said he’d used other places in the past, but ownership changed in each case.

Randy Lopez, speaking on Ramirez’ behalf, said the baseball field blocks away was far louder than the band, and he felt the complaints were about the type of music and not the volume. Beverly Gamble responded she had no problem with genres of music, but she felt the music was too loud.

Police Chief Doug Ford said there have been five calls to the area since May — two by the Gambles, two anonymously and one by Ramirez to inquire about requesting a noise variance.

Mayor Morris ended the public hearing after feeling it devolved into a contest of who could get the last word, and commissioners voted to deny. Garza and Madrid voted against the denial. Garza said it was a matter the neighbors should handle on their own, and Madrid questioned why neighbors waited so long to lodge complaints.

• The commission tabled an ordinance introduction on sign height restrictions, after it was evident more work was needed to appease citizens who wanted to prevent unsightly signs and businesses that were simply trying to advertise.

• The next meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Dec. 2 at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library.