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Council rejects special‑use permit for proposed vape shop on Dalrock Road after neighborhood opposition
Summary
After staff presentation and public testimony, Rowlett council voted down a motion to approve a special‑use permit for a vapor store at 1800 Dalrock Road; the vote failed 5–no, 1–yes following testimony citing youth vaping, neighborhood character, and police concerns.
The Rowlett City Council voted Sept. 2 to reject a motion to approve a special‑use permit for a vape shop proposed at 1800 Dalrock Road, an item that drew testimony from neighbors and a contested staff record.
Community Development Director Derek Hall summarized the case, noting the property’s zoning (planned development with an underlying C‑2 retail district), the city’s 2022 ordinance (027‑22) requiring SUPs for businesses selling electronic cigarettes and CBD products, and staff’s outreach results: multiple notice mailings and 17 online comments in opposition. Hall also said the applicant’s initial product-percentage breakdown had been corrected since Planning & Zoning.
Applicant Robert Nunez (Alkami Development Partners) told council the planned tenant operates a Plano store, that the Rowlett location would be primarily vape products, and that the operator uses cameras and additional staff to control loitering. "This is gonna be not a smoke shop. This is a vape shop, basically," Nunez said.
During the public hearing, Tiffany Gilmore of the Bayside neighborhood urged denial: "Our community is already saturated with vape shops ... Please just consider the long term health and safety issues of our community and just deny the proposed vape shop at 1800 Dalrock," she said, citing local school‑district efforts and county health data about youth vaping.
Councilmember discussion referenced local police research cited by a councilmember that connected vape/smoke shops with increases in certain crimes and juvenile incidents. A motion to approve the ordinance and grant the SUP (mover: Councilmember Reeves; second: Councilmember Bowers) failed by a roll‑call vote of 5 no and 1 yes.
The denial preserves the application of the city’s SUP process for businesses selling vape and CBD products and leaves the property subject to the existing zoning restrictions unless another applicant or a revised application is submitted.
