Euless Development News

City Council Reviews Specific Use Permit for Grocery Store and Discusses Home Occupation Ordinance and Comprehensive Planning Update

The City Council considered a request for a Specific Use Permit (SUP) for a grocery store exceeding 5,000 square feet, proposed for 1010 West Harwood Road in a C-1 Neighborhood Business zone. The applicant, India Bazaar, proposed an 8,000 square foot store. The Planning and Zoning Commission had previously approved the SUP with conditions, including capping the square footage at 8,000, increasing rear and side yard setbacks to 15 feet, ensuring dumpster enclosures were on the west side, and prohibiting outside storage. The Council engaged in a detailed discussion regarding potential impacts on neighboring properties, traffic, parking, and the preservation of green space and tree canopy, as well as how future development on the adjacent lot would be regulated by existing zoning standards. Concerns were raised about the vagueness of current home occupation ordinances and the state's legislative changes (HB 2464) limiting municipal regulation of home-based businesses to 'no impact' criteria. The city is planning to revise its home-based business ordinance to include more definable and enforceable regulations concerning parking, traffic, and noise, aiming to remove unenforceable language and copy provisions from the House Bill. The comprehensive planning update, including land use and UDC revisions, is underway with consultant engagement, aiming for land use plan adoption by late 2027 and UDC updates in 2028. This process aims to align the comprehensive plan and UDC, create a development roadmap, and encourage investment by providing clear community vision and stakeholder confidence. Discussions also touched upon the relationship with DFW Airport and potential redevelopment opportunities, including the Main Street District, Euless Town Center, and the horse farm property, aiming for a more nuanced approach to redevelopment opportunities.