The Abilene City Council voted to rezone 1365 Sales Boulevard to neighborhood office zoning after public testimony raised safety, parking and late-hours concerns tied to a proposed mixed-use designation.

Tim Littlejohn, director of planning and development services, presented the zoning case (2025‑27). The applicant, Eric Lunsford, requested mixed-use zoning to permit conversion of part of a residence to a professional office. Littlejohn said mixed-use would allow the proposed use but impose no hours-of-operation limits; neighborhood office would allow similar office uses by right but includes a 6 a.m.–11 p.m. hours limit.

Neighbors objected in public comment. Danielle Delholm said the block is a “quiet neighborhood” and expressed concern about late‑night activity. Shauna Williford, a representative of a CPA office adjacent to the property, said her firm’s business operates only 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and said mixed-use would remove enforceable hour limits and raise security concerns; she noted a recent break‑in at the applicant’s property. Additional neighbors said the area has experienced break‑ins, gunshots and people congregating at night and worried a late‑hour clinic could attract break‑ins or drug‑seeking behavior.

The applicant, Erica (Eric) Lunsford, said she intends a by‑appointment professional practice and emphasized she does not plan to dispense narcotics and that renovating the residence would improve the neighborhood’s appearance.

Council discussed enforcement tools; staff noted zoning violations can be enforced with citations and that Abilene zoning violations carry fines “up to a $2,000 fine per day.” Council members debated whether mixed-use was too open-ended and whether neighborhood-office zoning would compromise the applicant’s intended business. Councilman Price moved to approve neighborhood office zoning, Councilman Espinosa seconded, and the motion carried with one no vote from Councilman Beard; the rest voted yes.

The approved neighborhood office zoning allows the applicant to operate professional-office uses with by-right limits on hours and with standard parking requirements by use (approximately one parking space per 500 square feet, as applicable).