McKinney council approves rezoning for Murphy gas station at 500 W. University Drive amid neighborhood safety concerns

McKinney City Council voted to rezone the property at 500 West University Drive from BG (general business) to a PD (planned development), clearing the way for a Murphy-branded fuel and convenience store.

The decision came after an extended public hearing in which nearby residents urged council members to reject the rezone on safety and traffic grounds and the applicant and several council members argued the redevelopment would improve lighting, surveillance and activity along an aging commercial corridor.

City planning manager Kate Strickland presented the item and said the applicant submitted revised planned development regulations after the item was tabled at a prior meeting; those revisions include a new screening requirement. Jeff Tucker, representing the applicant, told council the company met with residents and agreed to several concessions, including raising a masonry screening wall and increasing on-site security measures. "We can put up to 30 [security] cameras in our typical store," Tucker said.

Neighbors said the changes did not allay their worries. Paul Griffin, who owns property across College Street, told council that tank truck deliveries would have to approach from a residential street and said such deliveries would block driveways and create a safety hazard: "The only way he can get a fuel transport into this location is from College Street, a residential street," Griffin said, adding that a delivery could block both of his tenants' driveways. Resident Jean Pope said the vacant adjacent property already attracts people at night and asked the council to consider the impact on homes directly behind the site: "I already have homeless people entering the vacant property next door to me. They're not gonna — I don't need extra activity back there till all hours," she told the council.

Applicants and some council members disputed the view that a new, active business would worsen safety. Applicants said the site is currently lightly lit and partially vacant and that a staffed, corporate-owned store would provide 24/7 lighting, training for employees, and surveillance that could deter trespassing and loitering. Scott (no last name given in the record), who spoke for the owner/developer, said engineering and fire review had been completed and that truck and fire access had been vetted. He told the council the applicant had discussed positioning cameras to cover neighborhood access points if feasible.

Council debate reflected a mix of positions. Councilman Justin Beller — who had helped convene a meeting between residents and the applicant — stressed the need for reinvestment along the corridor and called the project a potential catalyst for other improvement. Others voiced hesitation about the close proximity to existing homes despite the applicant's concessions. After discussion, council members moved and approved the rezoning; the meeting minutes record the action as "Motion passes." The council did not read a roll-call tally in the public transcript.

What changed and next steps

- Concessions recorded in the hearing transcript include an applicant commitment to an 8-foot masonry wall along any property line with residential adjacency and to install expanded security cameras and lighting. The applicant indicated tank deliveries would typically occur about once a day and last roughly 20 minutes. - Council discussion indicated staff and engineering had reviewed truck routing and fire access; the applicant said engineering and fire reviews were completed. - Several council members said they expect the applicant to work with neighborhood leaders on placement of cameras and other security measures.

Because the applicant will build under a PD, development must conform to the approved planned development regulations. The transcript indicates the applicant will coordinate follow-up details with staff and neighborhood representatives; the council did not adopt new supplemental conditions at the dais beyond the plan document changes presented that evening.

Votes and formal action

The council approved the rezoning; the formal motion and the meeting record show the motion passed. No roll-call vote total is included in the publicly reported transcript excerpt.