The Weatherford Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-1 on May 14 to disapprove a zoning map amendment and conditional‑use permit (CUP) requested by the Racetrack company for a proposed truck-stop and fueling center on 7.341 acres at 1825 Old Brock Road.

Commissioners and staff centered their objections on traffic impacts, the concentration of fueling stations within city limits and compatibility with the city’s planned land uses. Staff had recommended disapproval and presented data showing 31 operational fueling stations in Weatherford with four recently approved, for a total of 35.

Daniel Box, a zoning attorney with Winstead PC representing the applicant, said the proposal combined a rezoning from AG (agriculture) to C-2 (interstate commercial) with a CUP for truck-stop use. Box told the commission the site would not include lodging or amenities that encourage overnight stays: “we are establishing nothing on-site, proposing nothing on-site that would encourage a long term or overnight stays. That means no showers, no laundry, no lodging whatsoever.”

Tony Retigliano, a Racetrack executive, described the company and its approach to site design and operations, saying Racetrack operates about 600 stores nationwide and roughly 100 travel centers; at the Weatherford site the applicant proposed six fueling pumps for larger trucks. Retigliano said Racetrack aims for “architecturally prominent entrances” and that truck‑oriented functions would be placed away from Rick Williamson Memorial Highway and I‑20.

Residents and staff raised concerns about the effect of trucks decelerating and accelerating at the nearby interchange. Kyle Miller, a neighbor, told commissioners the site is near already busy intersections and said adding a fueling center would “make the traffic even worse.”

Christie Lambeth, a traffic consultant for the applicant, summarized the traffic analysis presented to staff and commissioners and recommended a signal at the intersection if the site is built out. Lambeth said her traffic impact work showed the nearby interchange would operate at acceptable levels of service when accounting for projected trips, and noted TxDOT guidance limits the percentage of trips counted as pass‑by in analyses; she said the study used conservative assumptions (TxDOT’s 25% pass‑by cap) and still showed the interchange operating at level‑of‑service B or C.

City Engineer Bill Smith cautioned that trips that exit the interstate to fuel become “diverted” trips and therefore add load to local intersections, a point Lambeth’s analysis addressed but that staff and some commissioners said still raised safety and congestion concerns.

After extended discussion about truck routing, intersection queuing and community expectations for corridor development, Commissioner Hinton moved to disapprove the zoning map amendment and CUP; Commissioner Williamson seconded. The motion to disapprove passed 6‑1. Commissioners did not record individual roll‑call votes in the minutes excerpt provided; the commission recorded the outcome as disapproval by a 6‑1 vote.

As a direct consequence, the commission also voted to disapprove a related preliminary plat for Racetrack Weatherford (two lots, 7.341 acres) “based on our last action.” That plat denial was moved and seconded and recorded as denied by the commission.

Staff and commissioners asked the applicant and Racetrack’s team to consider traffic mitigation and to note that the commission’s recommendation could be appealed to the City Council; the applicant may bring the proposal to the City Council following the commission’s denial.

Why this matters: truck stops and fueling centers affect traffic flow, safety and the character of adjacent parcels; the commission tied the denial to both the site’s traffic impacts and the city’s existing high per‑capita concentration of fueling stations. The commission directed staff to continue analyses and indicated additional information on regional fueling availability and pump capacity could be brought back for further discussion.