Bedford council denies massage-salon rezoning, approves fire station renovation and passes consent package

The Bedford City Council on Oct. 28 took three formal actions: it denied a request for a specific-use permit (SUP) to allow a massage salon at 727 Harwood Road, approved a contract to renovate Fire Station No. 2, and passed its consent agenda that included an equipment replacement program and an interlocal agreement to fund three school resource officers.

Rezoning public hearing and denial: Development Manager Wes Morrison opened a public hearing on an ordinance to rezone the property commonly known as 727 Harwood Road (Harwood Village North, Block 1, Lot 1) to permit a massage salon via an SUP. Planning and Zoning recommended denial by a 6–1 vote. Chadwick Stiles, who identified himself as the prospective operator’s representative, told council he and his wife had signed a lease in mid-July and had invested “almost $10,000” in deposits and buildout before discovering the space required a SUP. Councilmember Gagliardi moved to deny the request; Councilmember Donovan Brandon seconded. The council voted to deny the SUP.

Consent agenda: City Manager Andrea Roy summarized consent items including approval of Oct. 14 minutes and a resolution adopting the city’s investment policy (per the Public Funds Investment Act). The council authorized a six-year contract with Stryker EMS Plus for an equipment replacement program under a Sourcewell cooperative agreement with an annual payment of $204,092.15 and a total contract amount of $1,224,552.90. The council also authorized an interlocal agreement with the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District to provide three school resource officers for the 2025–26 school year in the amount of $450,000 (to be paid by the district). Councilmember Gagliardi moved approval; Mayor Pro Tem Dawkins seconded; the consent agenda passed unanimously.

Fire Station No. 2 renovation: Fire Chief Bill Walker recommended awarding the construction contract to HCI Commercial LLC for Station No. 2 at 3810 Martin Drive with a contract amount not to exceed $2,904,072 and a total project budget of $3,352,072. Walker said the design adds roughly 1,100 square feet, converts engine/ambulance access to a pull-through arrangement to eliminate backing, creates individual dorm rooms for crew privacy, relocates or replaces a propane tank and generator, adds a turnout room away from vehicle fumes and remodels the kitchen; the bid evaluation weighed price, past performance and schedule (HCI’s schedule estimated at 243 days). "It's a complete remodel," Walker said, noting the city used a competitive bid process and HCI previously worked on Station No. 3. Mayor Pro Tem Dawkins moved to approve the contract; the council voted unanimously to proceed.

What the council did not do: No rezoning or SUP was approved for Harwood Road; no additional appropriation or amendment to the budget was enacted at the meeting beyond contract authorizations on the consent agenda and the fire station approval.

Next steps: Staff will execute the contracts and move forward with procurement and project scheduling for the fire-station renovation. Parties affected by the rezoning denial (including the commenter who reported lease investments) may pursue private remedies; the council did not take action to reverse leases or award compensation.