To recording artist Hector Crisantes, 28, who lives among the hot lights and big city, there is something about the Valle Verde subdivision where he grew up that made it imperative he speak out against a rezoning request.

Ernesto Medrano presents in favor of swap meet during meeting Wednesday. Photos / Manuel C. Coppola

Patricia Kiriakis who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years, was also among several residents who spoke out at a meeting Wednesday of the Nogales Planning and Zoning Commission.

who spoke out at a meeting Wednesday of the Nogales Planning and Zoning Commission.

Swap meet

She said the rezoning request that would ostensibly allow a swap meet to operate at the former Foxworth-Galbraith hardware store would be detrimental to her neighborhood.

Residents packed the city council chambers in a united voice against the proposal that would change the zoning from general commercial to light industrial.

In just a couple of days, more than 90 residents signed a petition against the rezoning.

Crisantes, who lives in Los Angeles, told the commission, “There is something that no amount of zoning can re-create; something that has taken 50 to 60 years to create �“ community pride. I am proud of us, I am proud of Valle Verde. We want the best.”

We love it

Den Mother Patricia Moore and her husband bought their house three years ago “because we wanted a home in a place that could become a good neighborhood again. We have great neighbors and we love it,” said the mother of two young children.

She and her neighbor, Jerry Smith, cautioned about a growing trash problem and perilous intersection at Mesa Verde and Grand Avenue that would be exacerbated with a swap meet.

Once re-zoned, said resident Luis Villa, not only can a swap meet operate there, but other less-benign businesses can set up in the future as well, such as a butane distributor, fumigation and pest control, paint and varnish bulk storage, welding equipment and supplies, explosives and hazardous-waste storage.

Nobody disputed the principal argument for the swap meet presented by Ernesto Medrano, who spoke on behalf of the property owner, J.M. Gonzalez. He said Nogales needs more businesses to improve the economy.

Despite Medrano’s assurances that the operation would be “respectable, clean and organized, residents said they saw little benefit to a swap meet that would hire just four employees and from vendors who would not have to collect sales taxes to help boost City of Nogales coffers.

3 opposed

Planning and Zoning Chairman Robert “Kip” Martin and Commissioners Curtis Kraushaar and Ron Henderson voted unanimously not to recommend the rezoning to the city council. Commissioner Gabriel Gastelum was absent.

The matter is expected to be presented to the council for a final determination at a meeting Wednesday, Dec. 3.