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Commission denies planned gas-station SUP at FM 1387 and Onward Road after residents and commissioners cite traffic, safety and environmental concerns
Summary
Planning commissioners voted unanimously to deny a specific-use permit for a convenience store and gasoline station proposed at the southeast corner of FM 1387 and Onward Road, citing proximity to an S-curve, existing residential lots, traffic safety concerns and uncertainty over TxDOT timing for a future signalization or widening.
The Midlothian Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously denied a request for a specific-use permit to allow a gasoline station with retail sales on a community-retail parcel at the southeast corner of FM 1387 and Onward Road.
Staff presented the application and site plan, noting the property is part of Plan Development 107 and lies within a community-retail/general-professional tract. The applicant requested variances for additional parking (25 spaces instead of the standard 13 for the tract) and for signage on two building elevations; staff reported it mailed 22 notices and received six responses.
Applicant Matthew Smith described access plans and said the developer will perform a traffic-warrant study required by TxDOT before final approval of the site plan. “We met with quite a bit on-site and virtually to come up with our access plan to keep this intersection safe,” Smith told the commission.
Multiple neighbors and HOA representatives opposed the SUP in public comment. Leah Ray, speaking for herself and other Redden Farms residents, said the site is residential in character and argued a 24-hour convenience store and fueling operation would harm neighborhood safety and health: “Approving this project would set a dangerous precedent for rezoning other residential areas…The addition of a gas station will significantly increase traffic congestion, creating a higher risk of accidents for our residents, pedestrians, and children,” Ray said.
Eric Blake, president of the Windermere Estates HOA, emphasized traffic and proximity concerns and recommended waiting for signalization before approving a 24/7 gas station. “If you don't have a traffic light here, I would recommend a rejection of this request. Wait until a later date, before you approve the SUP and then consider the environmental impact,” Blake said.
Commissioners raised safety concerns tied to the nearby S-curve and the sites adjacency to single-family residences. One commissioner said the proposed station would closely abut residential lots and could create operations similar to other sites where dumpsters and service areas sit within feet of homes.
After discussion the commission voted to deny the SUP; the denial was unanimous. Staff noted TxDOT would require a warrant study for any traffic signal and that any future resubmission would need to address traffic-safety concerns and access arrangements.
The applicant said the site was chosen because the thoroughfare plan anticipates an improved intersection; he acknowledged TxDOT had not provided a schedule for roadway widening or signal installation. The commission's action prevents the applicant from moving forward with the current SUP as presented.
