UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas — City Hall in Universal City was packed Tuesday night with more than 40 people who signed up to weigh in on a proposal to turn a local facility into a child detention center.
After hearing citizens' concerns, Universal City's city council unanimously denied the rezoning request.
VisionQuest Texas – a for-profit company – partnered with New Covenant Family Church to push forward with their plans to open what they are calling a group home to house migrant children in need.
The Universal City Planning and Zoning Commission had previously voted unanimously against the request to rezone a building on West Byrd Boulevard to allow the facility. The city council ultimately made the same decision Tuesday night.
This isn't the first time VisionQuest has tried to open such a center. Their first proposal was voted down by city council and the commission back in November. VisionQuest was partnering with a different church then; residents said this latest proposal may be slightly different, but their answer remains the same.
"I don't think that the facilities that they are proposing is right for our city," Resident Barbara Cummings said during the public hearing. "If we bring in facilities like this, what you say or don't say...they are perceived as negative."
Grady L. Moore Sr., bishop-elect with New Covenant Family Church, said he will speak with his lawyers on how they will move forward.
"It is leaving that community and making it better than we found it," Moore said, "and to provide a service for the children, period, and provide a service to reunite them with their family, friends and their loved ones. Right now, nothing has been done to that effort."
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