Council approves Uptown banquet facility permit; member recuses, applicant pledges no alcohol or cooking

Cedar Hill’s City Council on Dec. 9 approved conditional use permit CUP7312025 for a banquet facility in the Uptown overlay at the intersection of Hickerson and Hardy streets. Councilmember McCurdy announced a conflict of interest and recused himself from deliberation and voting because he owns properties within the notification zone.

At the public hearing, resident Camisha Williams spoke in favor of the project, citing family connections to local schools and event‑planning experience. Resident Philip Balamowitz also said he favored the project but warned the council that recent adjustments to other CUPs and Councilmember McCurdy’s public comments could create a perception of unfairness if code enforcement is applied selectively: “He said he wasn't going to deliberate or anything, but yet he threw a big pile of stuff in there and sicked code enforcement on,” Balamowitz told the council.

Applicant Lorenzo Dupree described the proposed business as a roughly 3,000‑square‑foot event space that would host birthday parties, quinceañeras, retirements and nonprofit events. Dupree said there would be no on‑site cooking and no alcohol sales, estimated typical events at roughly 50–70 people, and said the site has 31 parking spaces with informal arrangements with neighboring businesses for occasional overflow. He said interior sound levels were modest in tests and that the business would provide security for events.

Councilmember Hayden moved to approve the permit “subject to the P&Z conditions”; the motion was seconded and carried 6‑0 with McCurdy recused from voting. The council’s approval applies the Planning & Zoning conditions that staff had recommended.

The council next moved on to a separate public hearing regarding a restaurant alcohol permit.