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Council OKs zoning change to allow Texas Star pharmaceutical operations after public hearing
Summary
Allen City Council adopted an ordinance amending Planned Development (PD) No. 58 to add pharmaceutical-related uses and other light manufacturing and retail flexibilities for a vacant shopping-center building; the applicant, Texas Star, plans a reported $37 million investment.
Allen City Council voted unanimously April 13 to amend the development regulations for Planned Development No. 58 (base zoning: shopping center) to allow a defined pharmaceutical manufacturing use and other related uses at a vacant building east of Central Expressway and north of Exchange Parkway.
The change adds a definition for a pharmaceutical manufacturing use and allows offices, light manufacturing (capped at 50 percent of a building's floor area for that use), retail sales, and laboratories limited to biosafety level 1. The applicant and staff told the council no exterior site improvements were proposed as part of this ordinance; the change is intended to allow new tenants and reduce vacancy at the property.
City planning staff presented the request and said the applicant worked with staff to define a medical/manufacturing use and to limit laboratory work to biosafety level 1. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval on March 18 with a stipulation that the warehouse/office definition be applied at the tenant-space level rather than to an entire building and with the biosafety level lowered to level 1 from level 2.
Council members praised the recruitment work by local economic development partners. One councilmember said the applicant, Texas Star, chose Allen over other cities and would invest $37,000,000 in capital to acquire and equip the building. The councilmember also credited the city's Economic Development Corporation and the Planning & Zoning Commission for their roles in negotiating the amendment.
After closing a public hearing with no registered speakers, the council adopted Ordinance No. 4147-4-25 to amend PD No. 58 as presented. The motion passed unanimously.
The ordinance changes the allowed uses within the shopping-center base zoning for the subject lot, adds a definition for laboratory biosafety level 1, and alters the warehouse/retail calculation to apply by tenant space. Staff emphasized the amendment provides the property owner and tenants more flexibility to fill vacancies; no physical site changes were included in the application.
The council made no separate motion directing staff to pursue additional conditions or reviews beyond the ordinance amendments. The public hearing record showed no public testimony for or against the change.
Ordinance and next steps: The council adopted Ordinance No. 4147-4-25 at the meeting; staff and the applicant will proceed under the amended PD regulations for tenant improvements and tenant leasing that conform to the new definitions and caps.
