City Approves Zoning Requests, Denies Liquor Store

The Killeen City Council emphasized growth as it approved nearly all of Tuesday’s rezoning requests during its regular meeting.

The first request, which was presented by resident Oteeka Davis, rezones a small, 0.22-acre property on 761st Tank Battalion Avenue from multifamily residential (B-3) to business district zoning (B-5).

According to Davis, who has owned the business for several decades, the request will allow the towing company to hold closed auctions for vehicles and to provide for automobile storage, and will lead to growth for the business.

“We’ve been in the area for a long time, and it seems to me that general commercial is in the best interest of everybody,” Davis said.

Councilwoman Mellisa Brown objected to the zoning request on the grounds that it was out of compliance with the city’s comprehensive plan and noted that the site would be used as an auction grounds.

Speaking in turn, Councilwoman Jessica Gonzaelz said that it is “important for businesses to be able to grow and expand,” and suggested that the City Council approve the rezoning request.

The request passed 5-2, with Councilwoman Brown and Mayor Pro Tem Debbie Nash-King voting in opposition. Councilmen Michael Boyd, Rick Williams, Ken Wilkerson, and Councilwomen Gonzalez and Nina Cobb voted in favor of the request.

A similar and concurrent future land use map adjustment request for the same location was approved also in a vote of 5-2, with Brown and Nash-King in opposition.

Another request, which would rezone an existing commercial property into a single-family residence on Trimmier Road, was approved unanimously.

Liquor Store

An attempt to establish a liquor store on W.S. Young Drive failed when the City Council voted to disapprove a rezoning request on behalf of Jim Wright.

Despite a valiant attempt from a company representative to convince the City Council that the liquor store would not be disruptive or otherwise detrimental to the area, and even with what appeared to be an attempt by Mayor Jose Segarra to play devil’s advocate, the request met a quick and decisive end when the City Council moved to disapprove the request in a vote of 5-2 with little to no discussion.

Boyd, Brown, Nash-King, Gonzalez and Williams voted in favor of disapproving the request, while Cobb and Wilkerson voted not in favor of disapproving the request.

Objecting council members noted the proximity to an existing liquor store, and resident Bear Jones said during the public hearing that “two liquor stores is too much.”

Wilkerson noted during the previous public hearing for this request that there is a stigma surrounding liquor stores and that balancing the right of business owners to operate liquor stores against residents’ aversion to living in proximity can be a difficult process.

Citizens’ comments

Resident Charles Jackson, a commercial truck driver who lives within the city limits, said Tuesday that current city ordinances regarding commercial parking are discouraging to truck drivers and make it difficult for Jackson to find parking.

According to Jackson, the nearest commercial parking lot is 41 miles away from Killeen, which makes it difficult for him to get home between trips. Jackson asked the City Council to consider creating a permit system for drivers who live within the city limits.

Consent Agenda

The City Council also passed the following items on a consent agenda:

Consider a memorandoum/resolution approving the purchase of LED solar lights for Conder Park Sport Field from Musco Sport Lighting in the amount of $184,750.

Consider a memorandum/resolution authorizing an enterprise licensing agreement with Azteca Systems, LLC in an amount not to exceed $205,250.

Consider a memorandum/resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an advance funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the W.S. Young and Little Nolan Road Traffic Signal HSIP Grant Project.

Consider a memorandum/resolution authorizing the execution of amendment no. 1 to the professional services agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. in the amount of $12,000 for the W.S. Young and Little Nolan Road traffic signal project.

Consider a memorandum/resolution appointing Kris Krishna as presiding municipal court judge.