Planning & Zoning rejects proposed 85-room hotel near Cemetery Road; commission recommends council deny SUP

The Manvel Planning & Zoning Commission on Monday rejected a request for a specific-use permit (SUP) for an 85-room, four-story hotel proposed on a 2.55-acre portion of a 6.3-acre tract north of Large Avenue, approximately 300 feet west of Cemetery Road adjacent to State Highway 6.

The item drew a lengthy public hearing and discussion about traffic, drainage, lighting, public safety and the fit of a four-story hotel next to a residential area. After discussion, a motion to approve the SUP with conditions failed on a 0-7 vote, meaning the commission will forward a recommendation to the City Council opposing the SUP.

Staff described the site as part of a larger 10.6-acre property split by Large Avenue (6.3 acres north, 4.3 acres south) within the Light Commercial District and the State Highway 6 overlay. The presented plan showed a four-story, 85-room hotel (NAICS 721 — accommodations) with accessory uses including a bar, meeting room, fitness center and restaurant. Staff noted required infrastructure work — including extending Large Avenue with sidewalks, constructing a detention pond to serve the hotel and adjacent tract, and connecting to city water and sewer — and recommended approval with multiple conditions listed in the staff report.

Residents who live near the site spoke in large numbers during the public hearing, raising safety and quality-of-life concerns. Brandy Russell, a resident at 7220 Cemetery Road who said she shares a fence line with the property, said the location was…