Carvana, a used car dealership using technology to deliver new cars plans to open in Frisco.[/caption]

Frisco planning and zoning commission approved a car vending machine on the north side of SH 121 just west of Legacy Drive.

Carvana is a used car dealership that leverages technology for customers to buy a car online and then to simply visit the onsite location for pick up. Carvana representatives were present during the Jan. 26 meeting to request a specific use permit for automobile sales in the designated space that was originally zoned for retail/office space.

Commissioners had several concerns regarding parking and whether the dealership would have cars outside of the facility.

Staff told the commissioners that Carvana is a new, modern and unique way to shop for cars. The plans for the building include a tower that will have cars displayed and ready for pick up once the customer is ready to pick up. Once the customers type in their information, the robotic platforms within the tower will retrieve the car and deliver it to customer.

The facility will only be a pickup site for the customer. A Carvana representative said he expects to employ about 15-20 people for the new site.  This would be Carvana's second location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The first is in Dallas.

The measure passed 3-2 with Commissioners Robert Cox and Will Russell having concerns with parking and the viability of the building outside its original concept.

Cox said the elevators and robotics of the building will not work well with another business if Carvana fails.

"I'm just not comfortable having a used car lot, while this is a very unique one...but it's a completely unproven concept and Frisco is not the place to do experiments in my opinion," Russell said.

The request will go before city council at a later date for final approval.