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Council rejects Oldtown zoning change to allow medical/professional offices on West Main Street
Summary
A request to permit medical and professional offices on the ground floor of a new Oldtown mixed‑use building at 767 West Main Street was denied after a lengthy debate about Oldtown’s long‑term vision for nighttime activity. Supporters argued the owner needs flexibility to fill a multi‑year vacancy; opponents said allowing offices undermines goals for evening foot traffic and an eventual entertainment district.
The Coppell City Council on April 14 voted down an applicant’s request to amend plan‑development zoning for 767 West Main Street to permit professional and medical office uses in the approximately 2,300‑square‑foot leasable area on the first floor.
Staff had recommended denial, saying the building had been planned to generate evening and weekend activity with retail and restaurants on the ground floor, and that allowing medical/professional uses could reduce nighttime foot traffic. Planning & Zoning had denied the request 5–1; a supermajority (six of seven) was required for Council approval.
Property owner Diana Ahmad told Council the ground floor has been vacant for more than two years despite three years of active marketing and thousands spent on commercial listings. She said many inquiries from prospective tenants were for professional or medical uses and that maintaining the retail‑only restriction had left the property 67% vacant on the ground floor, producing significant carrying costs. "I will keep trying for restaurant or retail, but I would like flexibility if I cannot find the right tenant," Ahmad said.
Council members split along two positions. Some members favored giving the owner flexibility to fill the long‑vacant storefront — noting the owner installed a 1,500‑gallon grease trap to facilitate restaurant use and argued leases for professional tenants are often short enough to allow future conversions — and they cited the hardship of carrying large vacant space.
Other members emphasized the Council’s adopted Oldtown vision and ongoing work to establish an entertainment district and longer‑term policy tools intended to attract nighttime venues. Council Member Hill said the Council should not "abandon" the entertainment district effort and warned that approvals now could preclude achieving an evening/nightlife goal that requires state approvals and may take years to implement.
When put to a roll‑call vote the motion to approve failed: Walker, Mayor Pro Carroll and Council Member Matthew voted yes; Council Members Brianna H. Smith, Neville, Prem Kumar and Hill voted no. The request therefore did not receive the required supermajority and the zoning change was not approved.
The owner said afterward she would continue seeking restaurant or retail tenants but asked the City to explain a rational basis for denial if the council would not allow limited flexibility; Council members said they welcomed additional discussion about Oldtown’s long‑range strategy but were not prepared to change the zoning now.
