The Palestine Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 2 voted to forward two related amendments to City Council: an amendment to Chapter 39 adding supplementary use requirements for hotels and a separate amendment revising hotel definitions to distinguish "limited-service" from "full-service" hotels.

Cassie Hamm, the city's tourism manager, told the commission the revisions are intended to require meeting space in future hotel developments. "The reason we're asking for these changes is to require any future properties that develop here in Palestine to provide meeting space with their hotel development," Hamm said, adding that the changes aim to meet a local need and benefit visitor capacity.

Hamm said the city first revised the hotel definitions in August 2024 and that staff returned to refine use requirements after consultations with the city attorney, city manager and economic development staff. The drafted use requirements include a minimum meeting-space guideline discussed during the meeting; commissioners and speakers referred to an "8,000 square feet" minimum in the draft and also referenced a separate "3,000" figure later in the discussion, which the record treats as inconsistent. Hamm said the amendment would also include a grandfather clause allowing existing hotels to rebuild to their previous configuration if damaged.

Peter Patel, owner of the La Quinta Inn and Suites in Palestine, spoke in support: "We don't wanna stop growth at all ... The whole point is let's guide it ... where there's a lot of missing full gaps within our lodging industry as well as our community needs such as meeting space," Patel said, adding that similar ordinances have helped other communities secure meeting and conference business. Hamm told the commission staff borrowed much of the ordinance language from Greenville and Conroe.

Commissioners asked questions about the size requirement and compatibility with existing local venues. One commissioner said the proposed minimum "seems quite large," noting the Civic Center's multipurpose room is about 5,000 square feet. Hamm replied the larger, flexible space is intended to accommodate small- to mid-size conferences and can be subdivided.

The commission moved both items forward; the chair called the votes and the motions passed unanimously. Staff will publish the items for City Council consideration on Jan. 27.

The amendments include two distinct actions: the change to supplemental use requirements (hotel meeting-space requirement and grandfather clause) and the change to the municipal code's hotel definitions. Both are recommendations to City Council and do not take effect until council action.