City manager Joe McGrath is set for a showdown with councillors next Monday over calls to rezone land at the Riverside Commercial Estate and the former Corrib Great Southern Hotel.
It is understood that Mr McGrath feels a vote in favour of these motions would be “wrong” and “an abuse of councillors’ powers” and he has made his feelings known in a report circulated to the elected members.
A number of motions seeking land re-zonings and variations to the Galway City Development Plan 2005 - 2011 are currently before the Galway City Council.
The motions are due to be discussed at the city council meeting on Monday February 23 and two of them are likely to be controversial as it is understood the city manager Joe MacGrath is opposed to them.
A motion from Labour Cllr Tom Costello and Independent Cllr Declan McDonnell seeks to rezone the Riverside Commercial Estate and lands in the vicinity of the Trapper’s Inn, Tuam Road, from industrial to commercial.
Cllr McDonnell has also submitted a motion to rezone lands from residential to commercial at the former Corrib Great Southern Hotel, Dublin Road.
However Mr McGrath has issued a report calling on councillors to vote against these motions when they are discussed next week. He contends there is enough commercially zoned land in the city to cater for retail and office developments.
Furthermore a review of the Galway City Development Plan is due in April, and while the matters could be considered then, Mr McGrath feels that to do so in advance would be unacceptable.
It is also known that a number of councillors are opposed to the motions and that passing it may prove difficult.
