Providence Village residents spoke out in droves against a request for a special use permit for a liquor store in the Providence Square development along Main Street.
Some residents came in person to make their opposition known, and others who were unable to attend the meeting expressed their stance via email.
“We had 44 pages of residents that sent in comments by email, and it was just too many of them for me to read aloud, so our attorney recommended that we kind of summarize it and put them all together,” Town Secretary Hilary McConnell said.
That summary highlighted residents’ concerns about the location and its proximity to the existing residential development.
Others raised issues related to traffic and safety on an already congested road.
Concerns about an increase in alcohol-related crimes were also listed, along with worries about the long-term impact a liquor store could have on the community and neighboring properties, including property damage, increased police patrols and excessive use of limited resources.
Residents also spoke about the proposed property's proximity to children, as it would be close to both Monaco and Providence Elementary schools, as well as multiple child care facilities.
Although some residents who spoke or wrote in opposed a liquor store in Providence Village completely, others like Shirley Conroy were open to the idea with certain conditions.
“I don't think I have an opinion either way, whether I want it or don't want it, but I started doing some research on having a liquor store in the neighborhood, and what I found was rather disturbing,” Conroy said. “… The Denton [Record-]Chronicle actually did a report on it, and we can expect a 4 to 20% increase in crime.”
She questioned whether there were enough police officers and firefighters on hand to handle that increase.
“That's what we need to be prepared for if we decide to have this liquor store,” Conroy said.
Resident Elise Jumbelick questioned the proposed location.
“If this is going to be the town square, the heart of our town, do we really want to say that the liquor store is the heart of our town?” she said. “We want businesses that are going to encourage us to gather, not to get bottles of liquor and to hang out drinking.”
The application was for Liquor Mart, which is part of a chain operating for over 10 years with five locations.
Stephen Brown, founding partner of Buttry & Brown BBD Providence Village Partners, spoke about the request.
“So, as far as the Liquor Mart is concerned, I think they'll be a great tenant in the community,” Brown said. “They're gonna be bringing sales tax dollars, which are important to the community as well.”
Before the town council's regular meeting, the Providence Village Planning and Zoning board unanimously voted to recommend that the Town Council deny the SUP request for the liquor store’s development.
The council followed that recommendation.
After the council unanimously denied the permit for the liquor store, Mayor Linda Inman, expressed her thoughts.
“I would love to see y'all come to a different location,” she said. “The square is not the place I think the residents want to see y'all at. And it's really hard to ignore the number of opposition letters that we have.”
She spoke to Brown’s comment regarding the financial impact for the town.
“While sales tax is great, not all sales tax is beneficial to us,” Inman said.
The Home Rule Charter Review Commission board provided final recommendations for amendments and ballot propositions to the Town Council.
Jumbelick, the chairwoman of the Home Rule Charter Review, presented the eight proposed amendments and ballot propositions.
Proposition 1 suggests implementing term limits.
Proposition 2 proposes the Town Council can remove a council member if they are absent from 25% of regular meetings in a year without justification.
Proposition 3 would require the town to alter its protocol for filing a council vacancy “to require public notice, candidate applications and related procedures” available for the community.
Proposition 4 would “prohibit Town Council members from holding office or employment with any other Texas [municipalities] or serving on the governing body of any property owners or homeowners association or organization over property in the town.”
Proposition 5 proposes that 25% of qualified voters’ signatures would be required for initiative, referendum and recall petitions to prevent non-residents from forcing elections.
Proposition 6 would require initiative, referendum, recall and charter amendments to be started by a committee of at least 10 qualified voters who reside within Providence Village to be legitimate.
Proposition 7 would allow the town to use the same accounting firm for more than five consecutive years “so long as the accountant within the firm is changed.”
Proposition 8 seeks to align the signature requirement for petitions related to charter amendments with state law.
The Town Council tabled its decision on those propositions for the Feb. 3 meeting to discuss and finalize before the Feb. 13 deadline.
