Commission backs rezoning/SUP recommendation for fuel/convenience site at 1400 Country Club Road

The Wylie Planning and Zoning Commission on June 17 voted to forward a recommendation to the City Council to rezone 1.056 acres at 1400 Country Club Road to Community Retail (CR) with a special use permit (SUP) to allow a motor fueling station, a roughly 4,000-square-foot convenience store, a drive-through restaurant and sales of beer and wine.

Planning staff said the proposal generally aligns with the comprehensive plan and that the SUP would allow the city to limit certain products. "The SUP does limit the smoking products to just, cigars and cigarettes. There won't be any e cigarettes, vapes, CBD, any of that kind of thing allowed," staff said. Staff also said state law typically requires a 300-foot minimum separation from schools for beer and wine sales but that council can grant exceptions; staff measured the subject parcel and described one measured line as 299 feet 0.71 inches, which would require an exemption for alcohol sales.

The applicant, Moe Kellis (3815 Blossom Drive) and Yusuf Kellis (38,15 Blossom Drive in transcript), spoke about the proposal and the developer’s plans for additional retail development. The applicant said he owns adjacent land and plans a second phase of retail development of about 2.5 acres if this initial project is approved, and that market pressure from nearby competitors influenced the request for beer and wine sales: "The problem is the market. When I talk to sec sector, they said if gas station, it has to be beer and wine. Because right now, there's another construction on Country Club, Parker Road corner, and it's going to be big gas station and it's under con construction. And they are going to sell beer and wine." (applicant quote as spoken at the meeting)

Commissioners questioned what has changed since a similar request was denied by the council in 2020, how the measure interacts with nearby schools, and whether increased traffic from planned road improvements (McMillan widening and Park Boulevard extension) alters the development context. Staff noted the area now has more private schools than in 2020; "back in 2020, there was 1 private school. Now I think there's 3," staff said. No members of the public spoke during the public hearing portion and the hearing was closed.

A motion to forward the rezoning and SUP recommendation to the City Council carried after a second; the transcript records the commission "passes through" the item to council for their consideration. Staff said the applicant’s presentation materials would be added to an amended agenda and posted online.