KYLE, Texas (Talk1370.com) -- After "community discomfort," the Kyle City Council is walking back its plans to rename Rebel Drive to Fajita Drive.
Council members had voted on August 18 to rename the 1.67-mile stretch of RM 150 from its southern end at Center Street to the intersection of FM 2770 to Fajita Drive, as an homage to the city's place in fajita history. However, city officials said, community discomfort following that vote prompted council members to reconsider their decision.
Following a public hearing Tuesday night, council members voted 6-1 to rescind the previous name change vote, then voted unanimously to remove Rebel Drive as the street name without proposing a new street name. The removal will come back before council members for a second reading on September 1.
At that same time, council will consider forming an ad hoc committee to offer recommendations for the new street name.
Until a new name has been chosen, businesses, property owners and residents can continue using the Rebel Drive address.
According to city officials, Juan Antonio "Sonny" Falcón sold the first fajita taco in September of 1969 at a concession booth at a Diez y Seis celebration in Kyle. Falcón, later known as "The Fajita King," went on to popularize the dish throughout Central Texas by selling his fajita tacos to crowds of appreciative people at rodeos, fairs, and outdoor festivals on nights and weekends.
Council also set aside cost savings of just over $5,000 in the 2020-21 city budget to establish a grant fund for residents impacted by the renaming process.
