Grand Prairie planning commission approves internet-only electric vehicle sales site, removes planned collector from thoroughfare map

The Grand Prairie Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 9 approved a companion amendment to the 2018 comprehensive plan and a special-use site plan to allow an internet-only electric vehicle sales, service and delivery center on about 7.71 acres just south of the I-20 eastbound frontage road and west of FM 1382 (Belt Line Road).

The commission unanimously approved the comprehensive plan amendment to remove a two-lane collector shown on the master thoroughfare plan and granted the special use permit (SUP) and related variances for the proposed dealership after staff presented a traffic analysis and the applicant described the site and design.

The commission heard staff presentations explaining that the comprehensive-plan change would remove a collector road that bisected the developer's property and that a traffic impact analysis using the North Central Texas Council of Governments 2045 regional traffic demand model forecasted only modest (about 3'7%) increases on adjacent roadways in a no-build scenario. Brett, a planning staff member, said, "While staff believes that the area would be better with the road, the traffic impact analysis states that the removal of this proposed master thoroughfare plan road from the plan would not negatively impact the area." The staff presentation recommended that the two…