Lawyer Seeks Development Funds After Defying Setback Requirements

San Angelo City Council will consider an agenda item recommending TIRZ funding be awarded to local attorney Brian Raymond and his Monday Shorts, LLC for a Chadbourne Street Bed and Breakfast project.  

Last year Raymond built an addition on his home that violated City of San Angelo setback requirements.  The Zoning Board of Adjustments denied Brian Raymond's request for a zero setback for a parking structure, but lowered the twenty foot setback requirement to thirteen feet for a nearly completed garage building.  

That decision occurred June 7, 2021.  It is seven months since the ZBA decision and Raymond is yet to remove the parking structure. 

Raymond received TIRZ funding of $9,950 in 2017.  Any grants above $10,000 required a 25% match.  

The current project is a partnership with his father, former head of San Angelo's Wells Fargo Bank Jim Raymond.   Brian Raymond's Monday Shorts LLC requested $35,750 in TIRZ funding.  The TIRZ board reduced that to $26,813 due to the high volume of projects.  Jim Raymond's Baja Properties LLC asked for $38,150 which was reduced to $28,643.

Will City Council award a local attorney's Monday Shorts LLC $26,813 while he is delinquent in addressing an outstanding ZBA decision?

Update 2-15-22:  City Council approved funding for Brian Raymond's Monday Shorts LLC in the consent agenda.  Raymond's setback violation is in SMD #5.  That seat was unoccupied when Council took the vote.  Council person Karen Hesse Smith was sworn in after the consent agenda.

Update 3-14-22:  The Zoning Board of Adjustments that declined Raymond's setback waiver will meet next on 4-4-22.  

Update 3-15-22:  City Council pulled TIRZ projects from the consent agenda for discussion in their meeting today.  Mayor Gunter said she always pulled those for the public to hear.  That did not happen with Brian Raymond's Monday Shorts. She also said she wanted TIRZ projects to consistently follow the rules.  Councilperson Tommy Hiebert asked if businessmen ever expressed concern about not getting their full funding request.

Update 5-26-22:  Raymond reduced the parking structure in size but did not remove it.  

It's now golf cart vs. full truck sized.