Celina City Council approves city’s first car dealership

Celina City Council voted in favor of the city’s first car dealership.

Ewing Buick GMC requested 20 acres along Dallas Parkway be rezoned from commercial use to a planned development, which would allow them to build a car dealership.

Council approved the rezoning request 7-0 at a March 10 meeting.

The details

The dealership will be located on the western side of future Dallas North Tollway north of Frontier Parkway.

Development Services Director Dusty McAfee said the design of the proposed dealership includes extensive masonry and limited branding.

“This will be a new standard for dealerships in the metroplex,” he said.

McAfee also said the dealership’s limited hours of operation and low noise levels will mitigate negative effects for neighbors compared to a potential mixed-use development.

“This will, long-term, have a much lower impact on nearby and adjacent residents,” he said.

While sales tax on passenger vehicles goes to the state, the city of Celina will be able to collect property tax, inventory tax and sales tax on service parts.

The context

Celina’s zoning for land along DNT, called the Dallas North Tollway Overlay District, is divided into suburban and high-rise subzones.

The high-rise subzone is “envisioned as a major employment and entertainment destination,” according to a previous report by city staff, while the suburban subzone allows more flexibility.

At a work session last summer, council members said they wanted to avoid putting car dealerships in the high-rise zone.

“They're asking for us to rezone this land,” council member Brandon Grumbles said at the time. “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.”

Ewing originally wanted to build in the high-rise subzone, but the company found a new location within the suburban subzone at council’s direction, McAfee said.

“Ewing has demonstrated a commitment to doing the right thing and listening and working in partnership with the city,” he said.

One more thing

Plans for the proposed dealership include partial construction of Clear Creek Parkway, a future road that will help connect the dealership to DNT and neighboring properties.

An amendment to update Celina’s master thoroughfare plan is tentatively scheduled for April, McAfee said.