Forney council denies conditional use permit for snow-cone trailer near Highway 80

The Forney City Council on April 8 denied a conditional use permit request for a snow-cone trailer proposed to operate at 700 West Broad Street, the property behind the Statue of Liberty near the Highway 80 service road.

City staff described the request as a conditional use permit in the city’s mixed-use zoning district; such permits let the Planning and Zoning Commission and council evaluate whether a specific use fits a site. Mr. Morgan, planning staff, told the council the Planning and Zoning Commission had tied on a 3–3 vote and therefore did not recommend approval; under the city zoning ordinance, a three-fourths council vote would be required to overturn the commission’s lack of recommendation.

Tina Bancini, the applicant, said the operation is “not a food truck. It is a snow cone trailer” and said the operator planned to serve mostly weekdays and had worked with the property owner to add parking. Frank Kahodick, co-owner of the salon on the site, told the council the property already had 24 parking spots and he had a permit under way to add about 33 more; he said the owner had followed city requirements and that the business and trailer would be “nice.”

Councilmember Cecil Chambers moved to deny the permit and councilmember Traylor seconded the motion. The council voted by show of hands to approve the denial. No council member asked to overturn the Planning and Zoning decision by the higher threshold required to approve after a split P&Z vote.

Why this matters: The site sits at a visible gateway into Forney along U.S. Highway 80. Some commissioners and council members expressed concern about the visibility of mobile food uses at that location and possible traffic/visibility impacts; the applicant and property owner said they had added parking and intended to locate the trailer away from the highway-facing frontage.

Details provided at the public hearing: The applicant said the trailer would be placed on the side of the building, not directly on the Highway 80 frontage, and that the site plan identifies a defined location. The property owner said he had pulled permits and would add parking and a sidewalk area and planned picnic tables and umbrellas around the trailer. No approvals were granted; the council denied the conditional use permit request that evening.

Next steps: The denial stands unless the applicant chooses to pursue a different application or revise the proposal to address the council’s concerns.