Planning and Zoning Commission Workshop and Regular Meeting – August 24, 2026
Planning and Zoning Commission Workshop and Regular Meeting – August 24, 2026
The Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission met on August 24, 2026, beginning with a workshop at 4:30 p.m. to discuss Robert’s Rules of Order training, agenda items, and a proposed North Killeen Revitalization Overlay District (NKOD). The regular meeting commenced at 5:14 p.m. and included two public hearings on rezoning requests, both of which were approved. All commissioners were present except Chairman Patrick Purifoy.
Public Comments & Testimony
- PH2 – Rezoning to B-C-1 (General Business and Alcohol Sales): Bill Hinky, a resident at 4602 Old Florence Road, spoke in opposition. He described ongoing noise and vibration problems from existing businesses in the same strip mall, including generators, loud music, and shaking windows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. He expressed concern that additional alcohol sales would exacerbate the issues. He noted that previous rezoning for a wine bar eventually led to a nightclub. He also mentioned encountering enforcement difficulties between KPD and code enforcement.
- PH2 – Speaker in support: Natalie, representing the property owner of Lamar Plaza, stated that a neighbor living adjacent to the plaza reported no noise or window shaking. She characterized Mr. Hinky’s claims as false. (The transcript indicates she spoke through an interpreter; her remarks were limited.)
Discussion Items
- Robert’s Rules of Order Training (Workshop): Assistant City Attorney Dan Ross reviewed proper motion procedures, recommending commissioners make “positive” motions (e.g., to approve) rather than motions to disapprove, to avoid confusion as occurred at the previous meeting. He clarified that making a motion does not bind a commissioner to vote for it.
- Staff Updates on City Council Actions (Workshop): Staff reported that at the August 18 council meeting, case Z26-11 (rezoning 313 East Texas Avenue to R-1) was approved with property owner consent. Four other parcels in cases Z26-11 and Z26-12 were postponed pending receipt of written consent; those will go back to council on September 1, 2026.
- Proposed North Killeen Revitalization Overlay District (NKOD) – Workshop: Brian Chandler, Assistant Director of Development Services, presented the draft overlay. Key elements:
- Tiny homes on wheels would be allowed on non‑conforming lots (less than 3,600 sq ft) within the overlay, currently 201 properties identified, of which 99 are zoned residential (R-1, R-2, R-3). Lots average 2,500 sq ft; median 2,878 sq ft. 55 lots are under 2,000 sq ft. Tiny homes must meet the 2024 International Residential Code.
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) would be allowed up to 50% of primary gross floor area but capped at 800 sq ft.
- Incompatible uses would be limited: BYOB establishments, after‑hours nightclubs, private gambling clubs (e.g., poker clubs, eight‑liner facilities), and outdoor sales of secondhand goods (excluding used cars) would be prohibited in the overlay.
- The overlay boundaries match the existing North Killeen Revitalization Area (bordered by South Fort Hood Street, Fort Hood, South W.S. Young, and Hallmark/Tremere/Terrace).
- Staff plans to mail 4,000 notices by August 27 (or by August 25 legally) and return to the commission on September 14, 2026, with a city council hearing set for October 20, 2026.
- PH1 – Rezoning from B-3A to B-5: The applicant (Harlan Bell) stated the request is for a social club/poker room with no alcohol sales. The 0.043‑acre suites are the only portion of the property still zoned B-3A; the rest is already B-5. Staff reported one notification response in support, none in opposition.
- PH2 – Rezoning from B-5 to B-C-1: The applicant seeks to open a lounge with on‑premise alcohol consumption on 0.030 acre. Staff confirmed the property is not within 300 feet of a church, school, or hospital. One anonymous opposition response was received.
- Commission Discussion on PH2: Commissioner Cooper noted that the existing noise and vibration issues described by the speaker are pre‑existing and not attributable to the applicant. She and other commissioners encouraged the resident to pursue code enforcement remedies. Commissioner Alvarez stated that progress cannot be stopped. Commissioner Sabree ultimately voted no based on opposition to alcohol sales.
Key Outcomes
- PH1 – Rezoning Z26-16: Motion to approve (Cooper, seconded by Sabree) passed unanimously. The request will go to City Council on October 6, 2026.
- PH2 – Rezoning Z26-17: Motion to approve (Cooper, seconded by Alvarez) passed 6–1, with Commissioner Sabree voting no citing opposition to alcohol. The request will go to City Council on October 6, 2026.
- NKOD Next Steps: Notices to be mailed by August 27, 2026. The draft overlay will return to the Planning and Zoning Commission on September 14, 2026, and to City Council on October 20, 2026.
- Training Opportunities: Staff announced free training events: Central Texas Council of Governments on September 9 (9 a.m.–noon) or October 7 (1–4 p.m.) in Belton; and a land use fundamentals webinar on September 2 (9 a.m.–noon) hosted at the city conference room.
- Adjournment: The next regular meeting is scheduled for September 14, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. (workshop) followed by the regular meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Hey y'all, uh Dan Ross assistance the attorney. I meant to be like put together some slides, but I did not get a chance to I just after our meeting last time, kinda wanted to maybe do a little once over of the Roberts Rules of Order, maybe print kind of confusion we had with the the two motions last time. Um first, and this is not necessarily Robert's rules of order, but necessarily maybe just for the ease of this meeting. When you guys make a motion, I'd really recommend it be like for a positive thing, not necessarily if like if you're against it. So for instance, Mr. Brie, you were against the previous the the motion last time. You don't when you make a motion for something, you don't have to vote for that motion. But it's always more concise to be a dispositive motion. So for instance you're saying is that we shouldn't disapprove a motion, we should only approve motion. Correct. It makes 'cause because what happened with with y'all's motion, you had the motion to disapprove, and when it failed, nothing happened. So my recommendation to y'all is like even if you don't want something to go through, if if you want the opposite, making a motion for something doesn't bind you to that motion. You can make a motion to approve the the item as as listed and when in the discussion period, I'm going to disapprove it for these reasons. But uh when you make a motion that's just positive or it moves something along when it when it passes, it does something, when it fails, it does something. When you make a motion against something, if it fails, it doesn't do anything. So that you just know that when y'all make a motion, you're not bound to vote for that motion. You can vote against it. Next um discussion item, so you have your motion, your second, and your discussion. And so generally it's pretty good. I know it's sometimes you get s mixed up when y'all so it's you to want you know, the chair can c can call for a vote, but during that period y'all can discuss, go back and forth with it. Once they call for a motion, or the you know, the discussion ends, you call for motion, like the discussion is we're done, we're done. We just need to vote on that motion. So I can put together a quick slide. I know the Roberts rules are super long. We use them as a guide, they're not definitive, but I know sometimes, especially when topics can be a bit contentious, we kind of we can get we c and it can jam people up and get confused. And so I think I can be put together one slide, I'll have Johan send it out to y'all. Just for the simplicity of moving of moving these meetings along, it's not to meant to stifle debate. It's not meant to push you to vote a certain way. It's just simply meant to like so we don't we avoid what happened last time. Like, what did I vote for? Why do I have to have a second motion? So, but yeah, just yeah, if I leave you all with two things, yeah. Just vote vote for it, yeah. I'll answer. I've been like on several boards before, and this is the first time that I've ever heard that that you cannot make a motion to disapprove. And I'm not saying you can't. I'm just saying for the sake of debate and the sake of well, I remember last time we had all that confusion. And so it's not in the Robert's rules of order, I'm not telling you that you can't. Oh, okay. That's what I thought you were doing. I'm not telling you that you can you can't do it. I just said this, you know, we all saw the confusion that it all created last time. So my recommendation. Okay. And it's it when you when you make a motion, you don't it doesn't bind you to that motion, it doesn't mind you to vote for it. So yeah, I'll put together a one slide or we can send it out to y'all. We can maybe make it available in all package just to help that y'all debate on the issues rather than what I go on. We'll go on. So I'm happy to answer any questions. If not, I'll probably I'll send it over to y'all fully.
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