Council approves planned development zoning for 4.37-acre Highway 175 site for tortilla manufacturer

Seagoville City Council on an evening vote approved rezoning roughly 4.37 acres at 2615, 2617 and 2619 Highway 175 to a planned development with base commercial zoning to allow a 15,000-square-foot tortilla manufacturing facility and select future retail uses.

The council opened a public hearing on the proposed planned development (PD) before hearing a presentation from Bill Medina, director of community development, who described the site as three parcels totaling about 4.3 acres and said the PD would permit the food manufacturer plus limited future uses such as a bakery, barber/beauty shop, laundromat, retail sales and restaurants. Medina said the PD would bar outside storage and would limit truck access to the highway frontage road so delivery trucks would not use Glen Street.

Applicant representative Janet (transcribed as Sykes; also appears as Sachs in the record) told the council the initial use would be manufacturing and distribution to local businesses and restaurants, with possible retail or a restaurant on the site later. She said the developer will add brick or stone to the exterior even though, she said, “state law doesn't let us require that anymore.” The applicant described a 7-foot wrought-iron fence along the frontage and a 7-foot cedar fence behind adjacent houses, and said the primary truck entrances would be box trucks off the frontage road. The applicant said operations would initially be Monday through Friday.

Council members debated the concept and then voted to approve the rezoning and concept site plan. The motion and second were recorded on the floor; no roll-call vote tally was provided in the meeting transcript. City staff noted the site plan submitted to Planning and Zoning and building plans will be reviewed in detail later, at which time additional requirements such as required accessible parking stalls could be adjusted if necessary.

Why it matters: the action changes land use along a highway corridor and establishes controls meant to limit truck traffic on neighborhood streets while allowing a manufacturing use that the applicant said will supply local restaurants and retailers.

Details and conditions included in the PD and in public comments: - Use and size: primary use allowed is a tortilla/chip manufacturer with a building footprint of about 15,000 sq ft; applicant said future retail or restaurant uses could be added in later phases and are listed in the PD text. - Parking and accessibility: concept plan showed about 32 parking spaces and two handicap spaces; staff said final building plans could require additional accessible stalls. - Truck access: PD limits truck traffic to the highway frontage road; Glen Street is to be used only for employee/visitor vehicles and will have signage such as “no truck entry.” - Exterior materials: applicant voluntarily agreed to add brick or stone to the exterior facades. - Storage: the PD prohibits outdoor storage along the highway frontage. - Fencing: applicant described a 7-foot wrought-iron fence at the front and a 7-foot cedar fence along the rear and side yards adjacent to residences.

The council closed the public hearing after receiving comment from the applicant and a short public comment from one resident, and then approved the PD and concept site plan. Detailed engineering, accessibility compliance and final site signage will be reviewed by city planning staff when formal building and site plans are submitted.