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Rockwall council rejects rezoning for 80.5-acre industrial site after residents raise safety and quality-of-life concerns
Summary
The Rockwall City Council voted unanimously July 21 to deny a request to rezone 80.5 acres along Justin Road from agricultural to light industrial after residents warned of noise, freight traffic, lighting and potential air-quality impacts and council members said the city should see a master plan first.
The Rockwall City Council voted unanimously July 21 to deny a request to rezone an 80.5-acre tract along Justin Road to a Light Industrial District, halting a proposal the applicant said would allow a metal-processing operations campus to relocate to Rockwall.
The proposal, presented by Dylan Adame of Kimberly Horne Associates on behalf of the property owner, would have permitted ‘‘clean modern industrial’’ uses and potentially supported the relocation of Coldmet (described in testimony as Colmet/Coldmet), a company the applicant said would manufacture landscape edging and planters. Planning staff said the request was consistent with the current comprehensive plan’s designation for technology and employment land uses and that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7–0.
The hearing featured a lengthy, detailed public comment from Patty Croneus Griffin, who said neighbors directly behind the property on Airport Road were not properly notified and argued the change would bring heavy truck traffic, prolonged train idling and diesel exhaust, intrusive industrial lighting and lower property values. ‘‘If approved, the zoning change would induce heavy industrial traffic on residential roads,’’ Griffin said, urging council to reject the rezoning until independent environmental and infrastructure-impact studies and better notice are provided.
Council members questioned the absence of a firm master plan for the 80-acre site and noted a dual future-land-use designation that could justify either commercial or industrial treatment. Mayor expressed concern about changing such a large tract to straight light industrial without a concept plan, and Council members said a planned-development (PD) zoning with an accompanying master plan would be a more cautious route.
Citing those uncertainties and residents’ concerns, Mayor moved to deny the rezoning; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Councilmembers said developers could return with a PD or a more detailed master plan in a future submittal.
Next steps: the applicant can pursue a PD application or return with additional studies; there was no immediate vote to rezone the property and no zoning was changed at the meeting.
