Planning commission approves permit for driving school at 3516 Harwood Road

The Bedford Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7–0 on Dec. 11 to approve SUP25-14, a specific-use permit to allow a driving school to operate at 3516 Harwood Road (Wister Wood Center Addition Block 1 Lot 1 R).

Staff described the application as a proposal for a business-and-professional school in an existing retail strip center: a roughly 1,050-square-foot suite with one on-site employee, classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training for approximately four to six students, and one training vehicle. The proposal includes converting about three to four parking spaces on the site's western edge to parallel parking; staff said that loss of a few spaces would not be detrimental to the site’s overall parking availability. "This is a specific use permit application for a driving school," city staff member Enrique told the Commission, outlining site photos, the overlay zoning and the development-pattern guidance for the property.

Applicant Abdul Ghazi, who identified himself as proprietor of Ghazi Driving School, told the Commission the Bedford location would be his first in the area and that the business will offer classroom instruction and road testing. "My name is Abdul Ghazi. I'm proprietor of the Ghazi driving school," he said.

Commissioners raised practical questions about how the parallel spaces would be demarcated and whether property-owner authorization for restriping was documented. Enrique said the owner and property manager had participated in site-plan iterations and that written authorization and striping details arrived by e-mail after the formal application packet was filed. Staff also said applicants typically use cones or similar markings for on-site training areas when needed and that a condition requiring restriping and cordoning of the designated spaces could be applied.

A commissioner moved to approve SUP25-14; the motion received a second and passed by a voice vote of 7–0. The chair welcomed the applicant to Bedford following the vote.

The permit approval was recorded without further conditions detailed on the record beyond staff’s description of standard site-control measures and the requirement that the applicant complete the restriping and marking of the designated parallel parking area. The record showed 31 property owners were notified and that staff received zero written responses to the notice.