At a Nov. 20 meeting, Celina’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended that Celina City Council reject the project, but the council could ultimately choose to approve the dealership’s rezoning request at its Jan. 13 meeting.
The context
Council discussed possible locations for future car dealerships at a July 8 meeting.
According to previous reporting, dealerships such as Chevy, Honda and GMC are interested in doing business in Celina, especially along the Dallas North Tollway.
“That is prime real estate in Celina,” said Dusty McAfee, Celina’s director of development services, at the July 8 meeting.
However, according to Celina’s Future Land Use Plan, the land along that section of the DNT is reserved for regional mixed-use developments.
The area is meant to be a regional activity center and is envisioned as a major employment and entertainment destination, according to city documents.
At the July 8 meeting, Mayor Ryan Tubbs and council member Philip Ferguson said they may be open to a dealership in the area depending on the specific project, but other council members, including council member Brandon Grumbles, expressed concerns about limiting future development opportunities.
“They're asking for us to rezone this land,” Grumbles said. “Well, if we do that, then we're stuck with this land that's zoned automotive, and there's nothing we can do with it at that point.”
On the other hand
City documents acknowledged that the dealership would provide a needed product or service and noted the potential economic benefits.
The dealership would create jobs in Celina, and while passenger vehicles are not subject to local sales tax, the city would collect sales tax on service parts as well as property and inventory tax.
City staff have worked with the potential dealership to alleviate aesthetic concerns and lessen the impact on nearby residents, according to city documents.
Next steps
Council will consider the rezoning request and decide whether to approve it despite the commission’s recommendation at its Jan. 13 meeting.
