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Farmers Branch council approves alcohol overlay to allow alcohol sales at pickleball facility on Spring Valley Road
Summary
The city council unanimously amended the comprehensive zoning ordinance to add an approximately 7.96-acre property at 4801 Spring Valley Road to the Alcoholic Beverage On-Premise Overlay District so DFW Indoor Pickleball can serve alcohol without qualifying as a restaurant.
The Farmers Branch City Council on Sept. 16 unanimously approved Ordinance No. 3954 to amend Article 5 (Special Districts) of the city’s comprehensive zoning ordinance, adding an approximately 7.96-acre property at 4801 Spring Valley Road to the Alcoholic Beverage On-Premise Overlay District so an indoor pickleball venue may sell alcohol on the premises.
The change allows DFW Indoor Pickleball to serve alcoholic beverages to patrons without meeting the qualifying-restaurant threshold under the CZO. Brian Campbell, planner with the city’s planning department, told the council the site is zoned Planned Development District No. 27 and that the amendment would permit only on-premise alcohol sales; off-premise sales would remain prohibited.
Campbell said a qualifying restaurant—i.e., one that must meet different rules—was defined in the ordinance as an establishment where at least 50% of gross sales come from food. He told the council the proposal is consistent with the Farmers Branch 2045 plan’s mixed‑use designation and that the Planning & Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended approval on July 30.
Council members who spoke in the public hearing round said they had no objections. “I don’t have any real objections to this,” said Councilman Veil. “I think it was unanimously approved by planning and zoning, so I’m on board with this.” Councilman Reed added, “We have other pickleball facilities in the city that have alcohol sales, so I think it would be consistent.”
The council closed the public hearing by motion and then voted to adopt Ordinance No. 3954. The approval is limited to on‑premise alcoholic beverage sales and will remain subject to the other requirements of the CZO and applicable state law.
The applicant and city staff said no correspondence had been received by the city as of the council meeting date, and staff confirmed required notifications (300‑foot notices and a mailed legal notice) were completed before the Planning & Zoning hearing.
No appeals or enforcement actions were taken at the meeting related to the ordinance; the amendment takes effect according to the city’s ordinance-adoption timeline.
