The Lewisville Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 2 approved an alternate landscaping standard allowing a 16-foot buffer instead of the 20-foot buffer required by the I-35 overlay for redevelopment at 2290 South Simmons Freeway.

Staff told commissioners the 1.99-acre property — owned by Tweaker Energy Corporation and represented in the record by Warren Hyla of Dynamic Engineering Consultants — was formerly a restaurant and has been vacant for several years. A prospective restaurant tenant wants a one-way drive in front of the building, and the applicant requested a 20% reduction in the required service-road buffer to accommodate that access. Staff recommended approval, saying the proposal provides the required number of trees and a new parking-lot landscape island and that the proposed buffer lies behind a retaining wall.

Commissioners asked whether the site will be used as a restaurant (staff confirmed that it will), whether additional green space could be provided, and about retaining-wall constraints. Staff said adding green area would require cutting existing concrete and noted that only three on-site trees were shown as poor condition in the applicant’s tree survey and none of those three appear directly along the southern property line. The planner also said the proposed design meets required planting numbers.

Commissioner Joshua moved to approve the alternate standard and Commissioner Jack seconded. The motion was adopted; the record indicates the motion was approved (vote listed in the record as 5 0). The alternate standard approval stands as the commission’s action for the evening.

The action allows the developer to proceed with the site plan incorporating the reduced buffer; no additional conditions were stated in the commission record.