Heath planning commission backs members‑only co‑working club at 301 Hubbard, with limits

Tucker McCormick, founder of the Algiers Club, told the Heath Planning and Zoning Commission that his Dallas‑born concept is an "exclusive member only co working space and social club designed for business leaders to connect, collaborate, and unwind." McCormick and partner Bill Bromley asked the commission to add two land uses to the planned development (PD) for 301 Hubbard Drive: a members‑only co‑working space and a limited indoor event/gathering space reserved by members.

Staff outlined the change to the PD — originally approved in 2017 and amended in 2023 — saying the amendment would leave existing permitted uses in place while adding the two membership‑driven uses. "Staff supports the co working space in the event venue request," David, city planner for the City of Heath, said during the presentation, but he noted the matter requires a discretionary decision by city council after the commission's recommendation.

Under the version presented, applicant representatives said all activities would be indoors, limited to club members and their guests, and would operate within the PD's existing hours of operation (6 a.m.–10 p.m.). McCormick and Bromley described operations that include shared workspaces, private meeting rooms, member events and a BYOB bottle‑share model; they said there will be no retail liquor sales handled on site and that staff will be TABC‑trained and able to cut off service for intoxication. The applicants described membership economics (an initiation fee the presentation listed at about $5,000 and a monthly fee they discussed as $500) and said the Dallas club averages roughly 120 members.

Neighbors and other residents raised concerns at the public hearing about traffic, parking, late‑night noise and the possibility that, if the tenant failed, the site could later be used as a full‑blown restaurant or wedding/event facility. "This will not be the case if zoning laws are changed to allow an event space in an area that was once zoned residential," said Lauren Billick, a nearby resident, adding she feared amplified sound and late‑night activity. Eric Carlos, another neighbor, asked the commission to consider more restrictive hours and a prohibition on on‑site alcohol sales to reduce the risk should the use change hands.

Business owners and other residents testified in favor, saying Heath lacks small, professional meeting spaces and that keeping meetings local would retain economic activity in town. "Supporting this project means supporting local commerce, responsible growth, and a strong sense of community identity," Roberto Quadros, a resident and remote worker, said.

Commissioners debated the definition and limits of an "event" use throughout their deliberations and requested tighter language to reduce the chance the PD could later permit a large public event venue. After an executive session to consult counsel, the commission voted to forward a recommendation to city council to amend the PD to permit a membership‑based co‑working use and a restricted indoor gathering/tasting room reserved by club members, with a lower occupancy cap for those gatherings and language tying reservation authority to bona fide membership. The record shows one commissioner voted in opposition; the commission did not record roll‑call yes votes in the meeting minutes shared at the hearing.

The commission's recommendation — including the modified language that limits gatherings to membership reservations only and reduces maximum gathering size from the draft occupancy in the applicant materials — will be considered by the Heath City Council at its next meeting, announced by staff as Wednesday the 12th at 6:30 p.m. The city's staff packet and the amended ordinance will be available to council and the public prior to that hearing.

What remains unchanged under the proposed amendment is the PD's existing list of permitted uses and the 6 a.m.–10 p.m. hour limits that staff said were put in place in 2017 because the site abuts a neighborhood. The applicant and staff said the site already has an approved site plan, parking stalls on site (the presentation showed 25 spaces), and that interior alterations are planned rather than structural changes to the building. The fire marshal's occupancy figure cited in the presentation was an upper limit of 77; applicant seating plans and the commission's modification set practical seating/gathering limits well below that number.

The commission's action is a recommendation only; council may accept, modify or deny the ordinance change when it takes up the item.

Provenance: Staff presentation and ordinance read at 06:32:35; applicant presentation and public hearing testimony spanning 06:41:22–08:02:00; commission deliberation and vote concluded at 08:50:28.