Midland Planning and Zoning Commission approves alcohol permits, zone change and multiple plats

The Midland Planning and Zoning Commission approved a slate of land-use requests at its meeting, voting unanimously on specific-use alcohol permits, a zone change to allow a restaurant, and preliminary plats for new development.

Staff presented each item in turn and commissioners voted 5-0 on each motion. Applications approved included a bookstore seeking an on-premises alcohol designation, a large event venue seeking alcohol service, a bar that will return to service under new conditions, a zone change from light industrial to commercial for a proposed restaurant, and three preliminary plats for a church site, a gas station and a nine-lot residential subdivision.

Why it matters: The approvals clear the way for new and expanding businesses that will sell alcohol on site, allow a restaurant to open in an area formerly zoned light industrial, and advance several property plats that will enable future development and redevelopment across multiple districts in Midland.

Bookstore alcohol permit (Item 4) Staff presented a specific-use designation application from Megan Dixon to allow the sale of all alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption in a 1,500-square-foot portion of a storefront at 200 Spring Park Drive. Staff said the proposed service area would be 50 square feet and that no churches, schools or public grounds were within the 300-foot notification radius. Staff recommended approval with conditions (conditions not specified in the record).

Megan Dixon, identified as a part owner of Main Squeeze Midland, told the commission the business is a romance-focused bookstore that also sells other genres and intends to offer "wine and sodas and a place to sit and build community for specifically females in the area." Commissioner Garza moved to approve; Commissioner Richardson seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

Special-event venue alcohol permit (Item 5) Staff presented a specific-use designation for a special-event center at 3201 Elkins Road (venue at Live Oaks) submitted by applicant Steve Jeter. Staff reported the property has roughly 62,234 square feet and that the alcohol serviceable area would be about 57,549 square feet. Proposed hours were Sunday–Thursday 10 a.m.–12 a.m. and Friday–Saturday 10 a.m.–2 a.m. Staff said they had received objections in the record (two objections reported) but recommended approval with conditions (conditions not specified in the record).

No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition at the hearing. Commissioner Richardson moved to approve; Commissioner O'Field seconded. Motion passed 5-0.

Zone change to allow restaurant (Item 6) QSW Construction requested a zone change from LI (Light Industrial) to C (Commercial) for Lot 2, Block 404, at the northeast corner of East Texas Avenue and North Mineola Street (701 East Texas Ave). Planner presentation said the property is currently vacant, surrounded by commercial and industrial uses, and that the Tall City Tomorrow comprehensive plan designates the area as urban medium. Staff told commissioners the request is compatible with the surrounding area and recommended approval.

Applicant Richard Cornett spoke in favor, identifying the proposal as a restaurant. Commissioner O'Field moved to approve the zone change; Commissioner Garza seconded. Motion passed 5-0.

Preliminary plat for church site (Item 7) A preliminary plat application for Green Hill Terrace, Section 19, was submitted by Park Hill on behalf of Colonial Bible Church for property at approximately 606–603 Fir Drive. Staff said the tract totals 6.9 acres and would be replatted into a single lot for a church; current zoning is AE (Agriculture Estate) and the Tall City Tomorrow plan lists the area as urban residential large-lot. Staff recommended approval.

Brian Fairchild, identified as pastor of Colonial Bible Church, said the congregation (about 200 people) seeks a permanent church building and described landscaping and traditional architecture plans. Susan Ward, a nearby resident at 4419 Wood Drive, asked whether an alley shown on original plats would be constructed and whether Fir Drive would be widened; staff said the plat shows an alley but staff would need to follow up with Solid Waste and other departments about actual construction. Commissioners moved to approve the plat; the motion passed 5-0. Staff agreed to follow up with the resident on alley and road questions.

Double Bar Saloon alcohol permit with conditions (Item 8) Staff presented a specific-use designation application for Double Bar Saloon at 621 West Wall Street to allow on-premises sale of all alcoholic beverages. The property totals about 5,792 square feet with a serviceable alcohol area of about 4,462 square feet. Proposed hours were daily 12 p.m.–2 a.m. Staff reported no objections and recommended approval with conditions.

Applicant Carlyn Smith, who said the business has operated at the address and has been closed during the permitting pause, described existing security measures: security Wednesday–Saturday, off-duty police proposed for weekend hours, paid Uber rides for departing customers and other steps. Smith said the business had spent "over, like, dollars 35,000 on security" and about "$1,600 on Uber rides" and reported 83 police calls to date in a cited time frame (she contrasted that with higher counts at other venues).

Staff said the recommended conditions include requiring peace officers on Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. (matching a condition recently added for a nearby venue) and adding a required staff review of the specific-use designation seven months after approval to give council an opportunity to reassess conditions. Commissioner Richardson moved to approve with the listed conditions; Commissioner Garza seconded. Motion passed 5-0.

Preliminary plat for T & J addition (Item 9) Staff presented a preliminary plat submitted by Maverick Engineering for T & J Addition, a 3.579-acre tract at the northwest corner of West County Road 60 and West State Highway 158 intended for a gas station. Staff said no Tall City Tomorrow designation applied and recommended approval subject to standard conditions. A motion to approve passed 5-0.

Preliminary plat for Plainsview Estates (Item 10) Maverick Engineering submitted a preliminary plat for Plainsview Estates, a 16.5-acre tract proposed to be platted into nine residential lots at 2200 Top Drive. Staff said the current zoning is AE (Agriculture Estate) and that the applicants are pursuing a concurrent zone-change to allow the smaller lot sizes (staff said a zone change to SF-1 was in process). Commissioners asked about minimum lot sizes under AE; staff explained the zone-change process underway. Commissioners voted to approve the preliminary plat 5-0.

Votes at a glance - Item 4 (200 Spring Park Drive, Megan Dixon) — Specific-use designation for on-premises alcohol in bookstore: Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner Garza; seconder: Commissioner Richardson). Conditions: staff-recommended conditions (not specified in record). - Item 5 (3201 Elkins Road, venue at Live Oaks, Steve Jeter) — Specific-use designation for on-premises alcohol in special event center: Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner Richardson; seconder: Commissioner O'Field). Conditions: staff-recommended conditions (not specified). - Item 6 (701 East Texas Ave, QSW Construction / Richard Cornett) — Zone change LI to C to allow restaurant: Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner O'Field; seconder: Commissioner Garza). - Item 7 (Green Hill Terrace, Colonial Bible Church / Brian Fairchild) — Preliminary plat for church site (6.9 acres → 1 lot): Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner Hunter; seconder: Commissioner Richardson). Staff to follow up with resident on alley/road questions. - Item 8 (621 W. Wall St., Double Bar Saloon / Carlyn Smith) — Specific-use designation for on-premises alcohol in bar: Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner Richardson; seconder: Commissioner Garza). Conditions: require peace officers on Fri–Sat 9 p.m.–2 a.m.; SUD review in seven months; other staff conditions (not specified). - Item 9 (T & J Addition, Maverick Engineering) — Preliminary plat for 3.579-acre gas station site: Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner O'Field; seconder: Commissioner Hunter). Conditions: standard staff conditions (not specified). - Item 10 (Plainsview Estates, Maverick Engineering) — Preliminary plat for 16.5-acre, nine-lot subdivision: Approved 5-0 (mover: Commissioner Hunter; seconder: Commissioner Richardson). Note: concurrent zone-change to SF-1 referenced.

What to watch next: Several approvals (plats and zone change) will require follow-up steps with permitting departments; staff promised follow-up on the Green Hill Terrace alley question. The Double Bar Saloon SUD will be reviewed after seven months per the condition added by staff. The commission did not specify effective dates for approvals in the record.

(Reporting based on presentation and public-hearing remarks in the commission meeting transcript; staff-recommended conditions were mentioned for several items but not read in full on the record provided.)