Two major development proposals that could reshape Carrollton’s busiest corridors are on the City Council’s Thursday night, December 11 work session. A large mixed-use project along the Highway 166 Bypass moved forward with a positive recommendation. At the same time, a rezoning request for a new gas station at Brumbelow Road and Alabama Street faced unanimous opposition from planners and nearby residents. The Carrollton Mayor and City Council held a work session on Thursday to review several development proposals that could reshape key gateway corridors into the city. Two items in particular drew attention: the revisions to a 54-acre mixed-use development off Highway 166 Bypass and Cedar Street, and a request to rezone property at Brumbelow Road and Alabama Street for a new gas station and convenience store.
A portion of the work session focused on Wintercress, Inc.’s request to amend a previously approved site plan on a 54.23-acre tract along the Highway 166 Bypass and Cedar Street intersection. The parcel, initially approved in 2023 for a mixed-use development featuring 330 apartments and 19 acres of commercial space, has since had multiple revisions.
The latest proposal would:
- Reduce commercial acreage from 19.43 acres to 10.12 acres
- Expand the residential portion, though the total number of units would remain 330
- Decrease required open space for commercial lots from 10% to 5%
- Remove a previously envisioned grocery-store-sized parcel
- Allow flexibility in shaping future commercial outparcels depending on tenant needs
The intersection of Cedar Street and the bypass is identified in the city’s Safety Action Plan as one of the highest-risk intersections in Carrollton, ranked 5th citywide. Since access to the site relies on this intersection, the Planning Commission recommended, and staff supported, a condition requiring a full traffic study and completion of any necessary intersection improvements at the developer’s expense before permits are issued. These improvements may include deceleration lanes, turn lanes, or, pending GDOT coordination, a traffic signal.
The Planning Commission voted 6–0 to recommend approval with conditions, including:
- No gas stations allowed on the site
- No quick-service (fast-food) restaurants; fast-casual permitted (sit down restaurants)
- Three-bedroom units capped at 10% of total apartments
- Sidewalks were waived along the Bypass, but required internally to support walkability
- Commercial buildings must face Highway 166
During the December 9 Planning Commission hearing, several citizens spoke, including one opponent citing concerns about traffic and neighborhood impacts. A letter provided to the council by a nearby resident noted uncertainty regarding a prospective restaurant tenant but confirmed ongoing negotiations with a national brand for a future commercial pad.
The second major topic was a proposal by Arpit Patel to rezone a 0.84-acre tract at the southwest corner of Brumbelow Road and Alabama Street from M-1 (Light Industrial) to C-2 (General Commercial), paired with a Special Use Permit to construct a gas station and convenience store with additional space for a restaurant or retail tenant. While the city’s Comprehensive Plan identifies the Alabama Street corridor as suitable for medium-scale commercial development, community response to this particular project was overwhelmingly negative. According to the work session packet, numerous residents from surrounding neighborhoods spoke in opposition, citing:
- Traffic and congestion concerns
- Proximity to existing gas stations
- Potential safety issues
- Impact on the nearby residential area
After discussion, the planning commission voted 6–0 to recommend denial of both the rezoning and the special use permit. Both cases will move to a formal vote by the Mayor and City Council at an upcoming regular meeting. The next one is scheduled for January 5, 2026.
Update 1/5/25: At its regular meeting on January 5, the Carrollton City Council took formal action on the development proposals discussed during the December work session. Council members unanimously approved the annexation and rezoning request for 1421 Highway 27 North, as well as the site plan amendment for the mixed-use development along the Highway 166 Bypass and Cedar St, which includes a Texas Roadhouse restaurant. The rezoning and special-use request for a proposed gas station at Alabama Street and Brumbelow Road was not decided because the applicant requested a continuance. The council unanimously approved postponing that item to a future meeting
