Planners review repeat proposal to redesignate 4401 N. State Highway 161 for manufacturing/warehouse, potential data center

Planning staff presented a resubmitted comprehensive plan amendment and companion zoning request for 4401 North State Highway 161 that would redesignate the parcel from regional commercial to manufacturing/warehouse and allow light manufacturing/commercial-warehouse uses and data center as a principal use.

A planner told commissioners the current proposal was substantially the same as an earlier application considered in January and that staff recommended approval after review. The presenter said the applicant prefers to build a data center but may pursue other commercial‑warehouse uses depending on technical studies and Encore (utility) capacity.

Commissioners asked procedural questions: one commissioner noted that if a comprehensive plan amendment is denied, the related zoning case does not move forward and so the typical six‑month waiting period tied to denied zoning votes does not apply when no zoning vote occurs. Commissioners also asked whether anything in the resubmittal had changed; staff replied the proposal is “exactly the same” as the prior submission. The presenter said the resubmittal preceded updates to the city’s data center ordinance, allowing the applicant to seek the use under site-plan (SP) zoning rather than a conditional use permit.

Staff noted adjacent land to the west is owned by DFW Airport and that the site is near a storage facility and a religious institution; there were no letters of support or opposition on file at the work session. No vote was taken at the work session; the items will appear at public hearing for formal action by the commission and possibly the City Council.