City Planning Commission approves H‑E‑B rezoning for Hillcrest/ LBJ site with deed restrictions after extended hearings

The City Planning Commission approved a rezoning to allow a regional H‑E‑B store at the southeast corner of Hillcrest Road and I‑635, following months of community meetings and a contentious Sept. 18 public hearing that included detailed discussion of traffic impacts, intersection capacity and proposed mitigation measures.

HEB representatives described the proposed project as a flagship regional store and emphasized the company’s long experience in Texas grocery retailing. The applicant presented a traffic‑impact analysis and engineering proposals that included a right‑turn lane on Hillcrest into the service road; staff and city transportation reviewers said a package of improvements and right‑of‑way dedication will be required at permitting and that some intersections in the corridor already approach capacity, so mitigation measures will be necessary.

Opponents, including nearby office and neighborhood representatives, urged the commission to delay or deny the rezoning. Speakers questioned the traffic‑model assumptions (arguing the study relied on published trip rates rather than actual H‑E‑B counts), warned of gridlock at key intersections, cited repeated flooding events on the frontage road and raised concerns about longer‑term changes to the district should ownership or uses change in the future.

The applicant submitted voluntary deed restrictions at the hearing that prohibit a range of uses the neighborhood had keyed on, including pawn shops, vehicle display and sales, mortuaries, commercial bus terminals and electrical substations; staff placed those deed restrictions in the hearing record. Transportation staff said the applicant had agreed to dedicate land and construct a right‑turn lane as part of site development and that coordination with TxDOT would be required for frontage‑road work.

Action: Commissioner Sims moved to approve the rezoning to RR subject to the applicant’s voluntary deed restrictions and staff conditions; commissioner Ruben seconded. The commission voted in favor of the rezoning (recorded as an affirmative vote on the staff motion with deed restrictions); the panel also recorded that staff will require right‑of‑way dedication and construction of the recommended right‑turn lane and other mitigation during permitting and platting reviews. The motion passed unanimously.

Ending: Commissioners urged ongoing coordination between the applicant, city transportation staff and neighborhood leaders as design work and the permitting process continue; staff noted the project will still require engineering and permit reviews, TxDOT coordination for freeway frontage work and detailed design to finalize mitigation commitments.