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Farmers Branch City Council unanimously approved three zoning requests during their April 1 meeting, including a temporary vehicle storage permit and signage exemptions.
In the first item, council members approved Ordinance No. 3919, granting a specific use permit for temporary vehicle storage at Envision Dallas, a nonprofit organization serving individuals with visual impairments located at 1801 Valley View Lane.
Deputy Director of Planning and Zoning Sarah Bergman explained that due to the unique nature of the facility, much of the Envision Dallas parking remains unused since many visitors rely on transit rather than driving themselves.
The permit allows Envision Dallas to use a portion of their underutilized parking area to store vehicles for a local dealership. The temporary permit will remain valid for 36 months from the date of approval.
"I happen to live basically almost across the street from it and one of the things that I was mindful of is making sure that all the storage that's going on is invisible to the public," said Councilmember Omar Roman, who represents the district where the property is located.
A representative from Envision Dallas clarified that the stored vehicles are operational and primarily new police vehicles. The nonprofit had been storing vehicles since January without realizing they were in violation of zoning regulations.
The council also approved Resolution 2025-050, allowing Envision Dallas to install a third wall sign on their building. The existing zoning limited signage to two signs per site, but the organization requested an exception for additional signage for their Workforce Innovation Center.
In the final zoning case, the council approved Ordinance No. 3920, granting a specific use permit for a self-storage facility at 4545 Spring Valley Road. The applicant plans to convert an existing warehouse building constructed in 1976 into commercial storage spaces for businesses.
The permit includes provisions for outside storage of moving trucks at the rear of the property. After discussion regarding screening requirements, council members agreed to waive the masonry screening requirement typically mandated by the city's Light Industrial Ordinance.
Councilman Richard Jackson noted that given "the highly commercial nature of that area and how far back from Welch Road it sits," he didn't "feel compelled to put the property owner into the expense of putting up screening."
All three items passed with unanimous support from the council.
