Council holds first reading on rezoning Hodges Automotive site for office/warehouse complex

The Colleyville City Council on Feb. 4 held a first reading and public hearing on an ordinance (Ord. 025-2319) to rezone the former Hodges Automotive property at 6521 Colleyville Boulevard to a new planned-unit development commercial (PUDC) district intended for office-warehouse and light-industrial uses. No final action was taken; the item remains at first reading.

Director of Community Development Ben Bridal presented the applicant's concept, saying the proposal would replace an existing PUDC and develop roughly 83,500 square feet of single-story buildings with a maximum height of 28 feet. The plan shows three buildings, 137 parking spaces and two stormwater detention ponds; the developer proposes masonry materials, pitched roofs and an 8-foot masonry screening wall along the property’s east boundary adjacent to residences.

Neighbors’ concerns and applicant commitments: Dozens of details were discussed during the hearing. Resident Greg Flowers, whose home backs the site, said neighbors negotiated directly with the applicant and supported the project’s aesthetic changes but pressed for drainage fixes, limits on hours and controls on lighting, noise and outdoor storage. "Drainage was a huge thing for us," Flowers said when describing issues residents expect addressed; he urged enforcement of commitments. The applicant, Girish Narayan of Shoal Creek Capital, told the council the project includes a culvert and site drainage designed to direct water away from the adjacent homes and that the developer will restrict operating hours and outdoor storage. Narayan said the applicant proposed restricted operating hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and that no outdoor storage would be allowed.

Planning and environmental details: Bridal said the plan provides the city-required 20% tree/canopy cover and includes mitigation measures if existing trees of heritage size must be removed; mitigation could include additional plantings or a payment in lieu. The developer also proposes to repave Ross Downs Road as a fire lane, and civil plans show a water main loop that would improve system redundancy. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 6-0 at its Jan. 13 meeting; staff summary was neutral.

Traffic and access: The applicant submitted an initial traffic study for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) permitting because Colleyville Boulevard is a state highway. The applicant's consultant said the project's vehicle trips would add roughly 70 vehicles to peak-hour totals on Colleyville Boulevard in the project's opening year, representing about a 6.2% increase from baseline peak-hour volumes; TxDOT will review whether turn lanes or other access improvements are required. Council members asked whether the developer’s plan depends on a median cut on Colleyville Boulevard; the applicant said no full-access driveway was proposed, and that TxDOT would determine if any turn-lane changes are needed.

Process and next steps: Because this was a first reading, the council took no final vote. The ordinance text and site plan will return for a subsequent reading and council action; staff and the applicant will continue to refine engineering, traffic and tree-mitigation details and respond to neighbor concerns.

Ending: The public hearing closed after applicant and resident remarks. The council's first reading concluded with no action; the item will be scheduled for further consideration at a later meeting.