Center for Urban and Regional Planning research
City of Weslaco Comprehensive Plan
Project Team
Principal Investigator:
Ian Caine, Associate Professor, Director, Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research
Researchers:
Thomas Tunstall, PhD, MBA, Director, Research, Institute of Economic Development
Bill Barker, FAICP, Adjunct Associate Professor, Urban and Regional Planning
Marcio Giacomoni, PhD, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering
Albert Han, PhD, Assistant Professor, Urban and Regional Planning
John Franklin, Research Assistant
Francisco Gonzalez, Research Assistant
Project Sponsor:
City of Weslaco
Project Description
The City of Weslaco is a rapidly expanding community located in the Rio Grande Valley with a population of 42,000. Once part of a Spanish land grant known as Llano Grande, Weslaco was incorporated in 1921 and today exists as part of the Reynosa-McAllen metropolitan area, a transnational conurbation along the U.S.-Mexico border. This is one of the fastest growing urban areas in the United States and one of the most populous in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The Center’s researchers will work with Weslaco residents and City officials to address the effects of rapid urban growth, specifically as it relates to issues of downtown revitalization, housing, parks, flood control, transportation, economic sustainability, and environmental resilience. The process will begin with three public charrettes that allow residents to express their ideas, examine potential options, and help generate future growth scenarios that align decision-making with community values.
Collaborating Research Lab:
