Weatherford Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Session – May 14, 2025

The Planning & Zoning Commission met on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 2:30 PM in City Council Chambers to consider several plat approvals, zoning map amendments, conditional use permits, and receive staff reports. The meeting lasted until 4:07 PM. Key actions included unanimous approval of multiple final plats, two zoning clean-ups, and a conditional use permit for a contractor facility, while a proposed truck stop and related plat were disapproved on a 6–1 vote.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (April 9, 2025): Unanimously approved.
• Final Plat – Centerpoint Addition (3 lots, 9.174 acres): Unanimously approved with conditions.
• Final Plat – Morningside (70 residential lots + 9 open space, 25.669 acres): Unanimously approved. A question was raised about lot distribution changes, but staff confirmed the adjustment still met requirements.
• Final Plat – Wossum Ranch Phase 6 (10 residential lots, 15.969 acres): Unanimously approved.
• Final Plat – Carus Estates (2 residential lots, 12.576 acres): Unanimously approved. A brief discussion about audio clarity was resolved.
• Zoning Map Amendment – 111 N. Dubellette St. (0.234 acres, C1 to R1): Unanimously approved after a public hearing with no speakers. Staff noted this was initiated to align residential use with zoning for mortgage purposes.
• Zoning Map Amendment – 114 N. Boundary St. (0.279 acres, C1 to R1): Unanimously approved after a public hearing with no speakers. Properties already have houses.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 3G – Conditional Use Permit (Bell Gems Inc. DBA S.C. Bell Construction, 2502 Old Brock Rd.):
  • Applicant Stuart Bell expressed support, thanking the commission for the opportunity and stating the proposal was a win-win. He noted that most work is outside Weatherford and that 24/7 access for vehicles is needed for returning trucks, but on-site operations would comply with the 6 AM – 9 PM condition. He agreed to a wire fence on the west side as requested by a neighbor.
  • Kyle Miller (2702 Old Brock Rd.), the adjacent landowner to the west, stated he did not want a privacy fence because he wants to see the property and not block breezes. He preferred a wire fence. He also expressed concerns about prior dumping by previous owners.
• Item 3H – Zoning Map Amendment & CUP for Truck Stop (RaceTrac, 1825 Old Brock Rd.):
  • Kyle Miller again spoke, questioning the need for another station given three existing ones at Dennis Road and another at Mineral Wells Highway. He said traffic at the intersection is already bad and would worsen.
  • Applicant team (Daniel Box, zoning attorney; Tony Rittigliano, RaceTrac representative; Christy Lambeth, traffic consultant) presented in support. Box argued the site is consistent with the general plan (regional activity center), that RaceTrac does not encourage overnight stays, and that the truck route designation makes it appropriate. He stated the use would not attract new trucks but serve pass-by traffic, improving congestion elsewhere. A traffic consultant noted that even with conservative assumptions, the interchange would operate at Level of Service B or C. Rittigliano emphasized the company’s 90-year history, commitment to quality, and that this location was chosen by their real estate team.

Discussion Items

• Item 3G – CUP for Contractor Facility at 2502 Old Brock Rd.: Staff recommended approval with five conditions, including hours of operation (6 AM–9 PM), no temporary signs, a 50-ft buffer yard, truck routing via westbound Old Brock Rd. to Dennis Rd., and concrete drive approaches. The applicant’s proposal included a 6-ft privacy fence on north, east, and south sides, but neighbor Kyle Miller requested a wire fence on the west. The applicant agreed. The commission discussed soundproofing (the fence is not soundproof) and the 50-ft setback from the north property line. The public hearing was held, and after discussion, the commission approved the CUP unanimously with one recusal (the identity of the recusing member was not specified in the transcript).
• Item 3H – Zoning Map Amendment (AG to C2) & CUP for Truck Stop at 1825 Old Brock Rd. (RaceTrac): Staff recommended disapproval, citing 31 existing operational fueling stations (plus 4 recently approved) and safety concerns from mixing cars and trucks at intersections. The city engineer clarified that trucks exiting I-20 to fuel constitute diverted trips, not pass-by trips, but acknowledged the traffic study showed acceptable level of service. Commissioner discussion focused on traffic impacts, the number of existing truck stops per capita, and the future land-use plan. Director Kaleb Kentner noted that previous joint meetings with council raised concerns about the proliferation of truck stops along I-20. A motion to disapprove was made and passed 6–1.
• Item 3J – Fueling Station Update (Staff Report): Staff presented data showing Weatherford has 35 fueling stations (including recently approved) for a population of ~38,000–42,000, which is high compared to comparable cities (e.g., Burleson 28 for 50,000; Temple 24 for 93,000). Staff recommended keeping the existing case-by-case conditional use permit process rather than imposing radius restrictions, as radius maps (0.5, 1, and 2 miles) would be too blunt. The commission discussed requesting additional data, including fueling stations within a 10-mile radius outside city limits and pump counts. It was decided to revisit the topic at the next meeting with more information.
• Staff Reports (Items 4a–4c):
  • Housing Analysis: 377 multi-family units remain available through 2030 after subtracting units already approved, under construction, or completed since 2017.
  • Monthly Building Report: Activity is low, especially single-family inventory; commercial side showing a pickup.
  • Project Update: Summary of projects currently in process.

Key Outcomes

• Item 3G (CUP for Bell Construction at 2502 Old Brock Rd.): Approved unanimously (with one recusal) subject to the five staff-recommended conditions plus the applicant’s agreement to a wire fence on the west side instead of a privacy fence.
• Item 3H (Zoning & CUP for RaceTrac Truck Stop at 1825 Old Brock Rd.): Disapproved by a vote of 6–1. The motion was for disapproval of both the zoning map amendment and the conditional use permit.
• Item 3I (Preliminary Plat for RaceTrac Weatherford): Disapproved by a vote of 6–1, as the necessary zoning amendment was not approved.
• Item 3J (Fueling Station Update): No action taken. The commission directed staff to gather additional information (10-mile radius data, pump counts) and will revisit the discussion at a future meeting.