Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research
Weslaco City Commission Unanimously Approves New Comprehensive Plan
July 5, 2022
The Weslaco City Commission unanimously approved the Center’s 2022 update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The new document, which establishes a framework for community decision-making through the year 2045, represents sixteen months of collaboration between Weslaco city leaders, UTSA faculty, and Gabriel Díaz Montemayor, Founding Partner of LABor Studio. Weslaco’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan redefines the City of Weslaco’s growth calculus, expanding the community motto, “City on the Grow,” to include infill, redevelopment, and retrofit strategies. The 2022 Plan prioritizes three critical policy areas:
Land use planning: The Plan seeks to densify existing neighborhoods with targeted infill development on vacant parcels, especially along transportation corridors and neighborhood seams. It also provides guidelines to revise Subdivision Regulations–promoting integrated street networks, multifamily housing, integrated stormwater management, and park access.
Historic preservation: The 2022 Plan maximizes local cultural, physical, and environmental character while safeguarding against residential displacement and loss of historic fabric. This involves reestablishing Downtown as a destination with a submission to the National Register of Historic Places.
Integrated Stormwater Management: The 2022 Plan leverages Weslaco’s already-significant investment in flood control infrastructure by proposing an integrated recreational trail and park network that leverages drainage ditches, irrigation canals, and regional detention facilities.
