Commission splits on University Drive gas station rezoning; approves 4–3 and forwards to council

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval, by a 4–3 vote, of rezoning case 240146 Z to allow a Murphy USA passenger fueling station and convenience store at 500 West University Drive, forwarding the item to City Council for final action March 31, 2025. Staff had recommended denial.

Stewart Story, a planner with the City of McKinney, summarized the applicant’s request and explained the zoning exceptions the applicant sought. Under the PD proposal the applicant requested reductions to three Unified Development Code (UDC) standards: a reduction in the residential adjacency setback from 20 feet to 16 feet; a reduction in the street buffer width from 20 feet to 5.85 feet; and an exception to the UDC’s 250‑foot separation requirement between passenger fuel pumps and residential properties, proposing a reduced separation of about 103 feet. Stewart told commissioners staff was not supportive of the reductions and recommended denial because the PD did not offer compensating public benefits or enhanced design…