Council approves hotel plan amendment, McDonald’s rebuild and liquor‑distance variance; consent agenda passed after item B pulled

The Coppell City Council on Oct. 14 approved three land‑use and licensing items after public hearings and staff presentations, and it approved the remainder of the consent agenda after pulling item B for separate consideration.

Votes at a glance

- AC by Marriott hotel: Council approved a detailed plan amendment for PD‑2‑21 (AC by Marriott, previously approved as Hilton Garden Inn) to add about 402 square feet and four guest rooms on a 2.66‑acre site at the northwest quadrant of I‑635 and South Beltline Road. Planning staff noted minor landscape changes and a required shuttle service to DFW Airport and surrounding businesses; Planning and Zoning recommended approval. Motion to approve: Councilmember Nevills; second: Mayor Pro Tem Carol. Vote: Walker, Hinojosa Smith, Carol, Nevills, Premkumar, Matthew Hill — motion carries.

- McDonald’s rebuild and sign exception: Council approved PD‑3‑25 to allow demolition and replacement of the existing McDonald’s with a new 4,180‑square‑foot building on a 0.897‑acre lot at 125 S. Denton Tap Road, including a double drive‑through (three windows) and a monument‑sign exception (proposed 3.5 ft by 5 ft sign in lieu of the ordinance maximum footprint/height). Staff supported reduced parking (based on an estimated 72% drive‑through sales) and increased landscaping; Planning and Zoning recommended approval. Motion to close the public hearing and approve: Councilmember Nevills; second: Councilmember Walker. Vote: Walker, Hinojosa Smith, Carol, Nevills, Premkumar, Matthew Hill — motion carries.

- 7‑Eleven distance variance (alcohol sales): Council granted a 297‑foot variance from the city’s 1,000‑foot private‑school buffer to allow Akiva LLC (7‑Eleven #27658B) to hold an off‑premise beer/wine license at 100 W. Sandy Lake Road. The site was previously licensed under a different owner; the current application requires a new approval because the private school (Coppell Montessori) now sits within the 1,000‑foot radius. Notices were sent and no comments were received from the school or public. Motion to close the public hearing and approve: Councilmember Matthew Hill; second: Councilmember Premkumar. Vote: Walker, Hinojosa Smith, Carol, Nevills, Premkumar, Matthew Hill — motion carries.

Other council action

- Consent agenda: Council pulled item B (related to the arts center, discussed earlier in work session) for separate consideration and then approved the remaining consent items. Motion to pull item B and approve consent minus B was seconded by Councilmember Nevills. Vote: Walker, Hinojosa Smith, Carol, Nevills, Premkumar, Matthew Hill — motion passes.

What the votes mean

All three public‑hearing items were approved unanimously by the council members present. The hotel approval carries a PD condition requiring shuttle service to DFW and surrounding business areas; the McDonald’s approval carried conditions on operating hours, landscaping and staff approval of a noise‑reduction plan for speaker volume at night; and the 7‑Eleven approval allowed continuation of alcohol sales under the new operator despite the private school’s proximity.

Staff and applicants present at the hearing included Senior Planner Matt Steer (hotel), applicant representative Zaina Beljimidi (hotel applicant), planner Caroline Boswell (McDonald’s), applicant Margaret Grissom (McDonald’s), City Secretary Lauren Thoden (licensing item) and legal staff who explained the liquor‑license history.