The Keller City Council on Aug. 19 voted to table a special-use-permit application for an automobile electric-charging station at Keller Town Center until Sept. 16, after a string of business owners said the proposed layout would remove convenience parking and harm tenants.

The applicant requested the tabling to finalize a proposed relocation on the same parcel and to complete utility due diligence. An applicant representative told council: "We are currently ... working with the M&A team and the Regency team from a design standpoint, to relocate the chargers to a different area within the parcel," and said the team is confirming transformer/tie-in locations with the utility.

Multiple Town Center tenants spoke during the meeting’s public-comment period and said the chargers would take away short-term parking used by customers and to‑go pickup patrons. Lindsay McMullen, owner of Tater Tot Boutique, told council she had recently signed a three-year lease and said the proposed charger layout had not been relocated despite earlier council direction: "I would strongly urge that council not table this item on the agenda anymore ... please move forward," she said, asking that the council require the applicant to move the stalls off the West Side of the center. JR Herrera, who operates a barbecue restaurant in the center, said he had repeatedly tried to contact the applicant and property owner and had not been engaged: "If it's not that important to them, then really I don't see why ..." Herrera said.

Other speakers called Regency, the property owner, an absentee landlord and questioned the applicant’s local experience and responsiveness. A representative of nearby businesses, Mike (no last name given), said the chargers would remove about 25% of available parking in the immediate area and urged the council to deny the application. Mark Murphy of Bear Creek Running Company said many EV owners charge at home and would not use the proposed public chargers; he also said property-management responsiveness has been poor.

On the council floor, members expressed frustration that earlier direction to move the stations in July and Aug. had not produced a revised plan. Councilman Durbley moved to table the item to Sept. 16 to give the applicant more time to coordinate with engineers and utilities; one councilmember recorded a "nay" on the motion. The motion to table passed and staff will bring the application back on Sept. 16.

Ending: The council did not approve or deny the special-use permit; the application will return Sept. 16 with revised plans and additional utility information per the applicant’s request.