Planning Commission recommends rezoning near US‑75 to allow extended‑stay hotels

The Denison Planning Commission on Feb. 10 recommended approval of a rezoning request for roughly five acres in the Point Lookout Addition to allow hotel and extended‑stay uses, staff said.

Miss York, city planning staff, told the commission the property is currently zoned Local Retail but that the applicant seeks Commercial zoning within the highway‑oriented corridor overlay so the site could host hotels, including extended‑stay residences. "The future land use plan does designate this area to be developed in a mixed commercial manner and so rezoning to commercial does comply with the future land use plan and the comprehensive plan," Miss York said.

The applicant provided a site address for the record; Speaker 6 stated the property address as "81 North US Highway 75 Denison." During public comment, Paul Gurnani, who identified himself as at the Holland Express, asked whether the parcel is the lot in front of the Hyundai Express and said, "we already have enough hotel in Denison as of right now," and expressed concern about potential view obstruction for his property.

Staff said that while a hotel is allowed under the existing Local Retail zoning, the extended‑stay use is not, and that a replat, site plan and civil engineering drawings will be required before development. Miss York also noted that required steps include site plan review because the property falls within an overlay district.

The commission closed the hearing, moved and seconded the recommendation, and approved forwarding the rezoning to City Council for final action.

Next steps: the recommendation will go to the City Council on the date provided in meeting materials for final action on the rezoning.