Rockport City Council Regular Meeting - July 28, 2026

The City Council of Rockport, Texas, held a regular meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting included ceremonial items, consent agenda approval, ordinance readings, two Planned Unit Development (PUD) rezoning requests, and the announcement of a councilmember's resignation. All votes were unanimous except for the denial of one PUD request.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the July 14, 2026, City Council Regular Meeting.
• Approved Resolution 2026-27R authorizing the City Manager to take legal steps to collect delinquent Hotel Occupancy Taxes from hotels at 901 HWY 35 N.
• Approved Change Order No. 3 for the GLO CDBG-DR drainage improvements project.

Ceremonial Matters

• Mayor Tim Jayroe read and presented a proclamation congratulating Kay Adams on the 10th anniversary of Wings Rescue Center, recognizing her work in rescuing and rehabilitating birds and promoting environmental stewardship.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 10 (1222 Highway 35 S PUD): No public comments were offered. The public hearing was closed without testimony.
• Item 11 (1819-1833 S Ann Street PUD): Several residents spoke in opposition. Key concerns included:
  • Lot sizes far smaller than surrounding properties, creating high density inconsistent with the area's character.
  • Drainage issues; a resident noted overflow from a detention pond could flood neighboring properties and that her street had flooded on June 16th.
  • Traffic increases, including concerns about golf carts on 45-mph roads.
  • A property owner (Arnold Castillo) stated his lots would be landlocked by the development with no access to streets or utilities.
  • Planning and Zoning Commissioner Kim Hesley clarified her opposition, stating the PUD tool was being used inappropriately to create high-density zoning without public input.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance 2018 (First Reading): Amends Code Chapter 102 to add an $85 after-hours service charge for utility turn-on/off requests made outside regular hours. Finance Director Robbie Sorrell confirmed this is not a new charge but a cleanup to codify existing practice.
• Ordinance 2019 (First Reading): Amends Chapter 66-70 on Sex Offender Residency Restrictions to align with state law (Chapter 62, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure). Police Chief Nathan Anderson explained the change updates the definition of "residence" to a 7-day threshold (instead of 14 days) and removes separate definitions for permanent and temporary residence.
• Resolution 2026-26R: Appoints and reappoints members to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Councilmember Matt Anderson (Ward 2 liaison) proposed the following appointees: Place 1 Ruth Davis, Place 2 Josh Dowling, Place 3 Kim Hesley, Place 4 Warren Hassinger, Place 5 Rocky Jimenez, and Place 6 Rick Moore. One Ward 4 position remains vacant pending confirmation.
• Resolution 2026-28R: Authorizes an application to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Water Supply Improvements Grant (WSIG) program for up to $21 million with zero matching requirement. The funds would address seven impact fee study projects, including improving water pressure in northern areas, eliminating dead-end water lines through looping, and extending service to approximately 90 properties currently without water.
• Resolution 2026-29R: Approves an agreement with BarCom for additional IT services, expanding coverage from 66 workstations to 105 workstations by including the Public Safety Center, providing 24/7 support. The cost is covered by savings from a eliminated position within the IT budget.
• Item 10 – Rezoning to PUD (1222 Highway 35 S): The applicant, represented by engineer Brandy Carl, proposes converting the existing Ancient Oaks RV park into a PUD to allow sale of individual lots (The Breakers). The PUD would allow smaller lot sizes than existing zoning (B-1 with Conditional Use Permit). Planned upgrades include removing non-compliant RV pads, adding fire hydrants, looping a city water line, and constructing new concrete streets and utilities from King Street for the north expansion. Staff reported no written comments and the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval.
• Item 11 – Rezoning to PUD (1819-1833 S Ann Street): Developer Stuart Lynn (SAL Holdings) seeks a PUD to create lots of 2,500–6,700 sq ft with 45-ft widths, whereas the current R-2 zoning requires 5,000 sq ft and 50-ft widths. Planning and Zoning staff found the application incomplete (missing street names, etc.) and recommended denial due to density incompatibility and community opposition. The developer did not present at the Council meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda, Ordinance 2018 (first reading), Ordinance 2019 (first reading), Resolution 2026-26R, Resolution 2026-28R, Resolution 2026-29R, and Item 10 (rezoning to PUD at 1222 Highway 35 S) were all approved unanimously.
• Item 11 (rezoning to PUD at 1819-1833 S Ann Street) was denied unanimously following the motion by Councilmember Brundrett. The denial leaves the property under R-2 zoning, and the applicant may submit a revised plan.
• Councilmember Stephanie Rangel (Ward 1) announced her formal resignation effective after the meeting due to a career opportunity requiring relocation. Other councilmembers expressed gratitude for her service.
• City Manager Vanessa Shrauner will be out of the office for the following week moving children to Wyoming; Public Works Director Ryan Picarazzi will serve as acting city manager.
• The meeting adjourned at 5:48 PM.