Pflugerville planning commission approves cigar-lounge specific use permit at 701 Pecan despite neighborhood opposition

The Pflugerville Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve a specific use permit for a lounge at 701 Pecan Street after a public hearing in which residents near Old Town raised concerns about noise, alcohol and proximity to a Pflugerville ISD campus.

The permit was approved with staff recommendations, including a condition restricting the lounge use to the interior of the existing 3,200-square-foot structure. Kristen, a city planner presenting the case, told the commission: "The lounge use is limited to the interior of the, 3,200 square foot existing structure on-site." The motion to approve carried after a second; the record shows the motion passed with all members indicating "aye." No roll-call vote with individual counts was read into the record.

Why it matters: neighbors said the proposed lounge would sit at the gateway to downtown and immediately across the street from Pflugerville ISD’s PACE campus and adjacent to First Baptist Church Pflugerville. Speakers described repeated problems with late-night music, trash and intoxicated patrons from previous downtown establishments and said they feared the same problems could recur near homes and a school.

Residents and business owners pressed multiple points during public comment. Chris Gary, identified as…