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Denison council approves zoning change to allow small-scale food processing downtown
Summary
The Denison City Council on April 6, 2026, unanimously approved a text amendment to Chapter 28, section 28.49, allowing small-scale food processing uses (bakeries, coffee roasters, ice-cream makers, small breweries) in the Central Area and commercial districts to support downtown small-business development.
The Denison City Council unanimously adopted a text amendment to the city’s zoning code on April 6, 2026, to permit small-scale food processing uses in Central Area and commercial zoning districts.
Miss Shaw, a city planner presenting the item, told the council the change would amend Chapter 28, section 28.49, to allow on-site food production operations such as bakeries, coffee roasters, small ice-cream manufacturers and small-brewery systems that are commonly part of mixed-use downtown development. “Staff recommends approval of this request,” Miss Shaw said, noting the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the amendment at its March 24 meeting.
Council members asked whether the amendment would eliminate a previous pathway and whether the allowance had been addressed in older incentive programs. Miss Shaw said the use had effectively been prohibited in the Central and commercial districts and that the regulation for this use had not been updated since 2009, creating a gap for businesses that expected a downtown path to occupancy.
The mayor opened the public hearing; no members of the public came forward to speak. Mayor Pro Tem Tim Adams moved to adopt the ordinance; Councilman Courtright seconded the motion. The council voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously.
Why it matters: planners and staff said allowing these small-scale production uses downtown can create destination businesses that increase pedestrian activity and support surrounding retail. The ordinance change is intended to help small local producers locate in central commercial areas without being confined to industrial districts.
The council did not specify numerical conditions or a new special-use permit in the motion; the adopted text amendment changes the use-regulation chart in section 28.49 to permit the listed food-production uses in the Central Area and commercial districts. The Planning & Zoning Commission had already recommended approval on March 24. No public comments were recorded during the hearing. The council moved on to other agenda items after adopting the ordinance.
