Crockett council approves zone change to allow truck stop on four parcels after planning commission recommendation

The Crockett City Council voted to approve a zoning-district change for four parcels so a developer can consolidate the site and move forward with plans for a truck stop, Mayor (not specified) said during Monday’s meeting.

The change, requested by Kelvin Investments, Inc., follows a 4-0 recommendation in favor from the Planning and Zoning (PNZ) commission and was presented to council by city planning staff member John. City staff said the request arose because parcel boundary shapes recorded since the city’s 2006 zoning map adoption overlap multiple zoning categories on contiguous lots, leaving some property partly zoned residential (R-3), partly planned commercial (C-2) and partly manufacturing. The requested amendment would make the four parcels consistent under a single zoning classification to accommodate the investor’s proposed truck-stop project.

Council members and residents raised questions about notice and buffering. One council member said she only received the planning packet the week it was posted and expressed concern that council and some neighbors learned details “on the back end.” John told the council he had provided the information as soon as PNZ completed its review and that, for competitive reasons, prospective-business details are limited until after PNZ action. He said PNZ had worked with property owners and that the city is updating procedures to require planning-and-zoning review when parcel boundaries change so the city can record accurate lot configurations.

Residents and council members asked about how the proposed truck stop would sit relative to nearby housing. John said the site plan provided by the applicant places the truck-stop buildings nearer the road and separated from housing by a storm-drainage creek and open field; he also said existing zoning standards require visual and sound screening between residential and industrial properties, including “brick or wood” fencing rather than chain-link. Nearby businesses cited in the hearing included Crockett Ready Mix and Morse Transmission; the housing authority project near part of the area was noted as already zoned R-3 and not part of the proposed change.

The council approved the zoning-district change by motion; the mayor called for votes and the motion passed.

The zoning change will be recorded with the city after final ministerial tasks; city staff said the county appraisal district and county clerk will be asked to coordinate so future parcel boundary changes are routed through planning and zoning for accurate city records. Staff emphasized screening requirements between residential and industrial properties would apply once development proposals returned for site-specific permits.

Council members did not request a delay of the final zoning ordinance; PNZ’s recommendation and council approval mean the applicant can pursue the next steps required for site development, including building permits and any site-plan review.