Council approves rezoning for proposed Dallas Highway gas station despite traffic concerns, vote 3-2

Villa Rica  The Villa Rica City Council voted 3–2 on April 14 to rezone 974 Dallas Highway from agricultural (AG) to C1 commercial low density, clearing the way for a convenience store, fueling canopy and a 1,200-square-foot retail pad subject to nine staff-recommended conditions and a binding to the submitted site plan.

Brea Carter, director of community and economic development, told the council the site sits between two recently completed roundabouts and adjacent to an occupied single-family home and agricultural land. Staff recommended denial, saying the proposed high-intensity fueling station poses adverse impacts for adjacent residential uses and may not align with the city's current comprehensive-plan designation for low-impact neighborhood commercial.

Applicant Chris Patel urged approval, saying the development would serve residents, nearby employers and travelers on the corridor and would add entry-level jobs, EV charging and retail services. "We intend this project to serve the Villa Rica residents, those traveling along the corridor and nearby employment such as Tanner," Patel said during the public hearing.

Council members raised traffic and safety concerns given the site's proximity to back-to-back roundabouts and asked for engineering measures, interparcel connectivity and a deceleration lane. Staff presented conditions addressing deceleration/taper, interparcel access to the neighboring Dollar General, required buffers, compliant site plans, and other engineering stipulations. The council added a binding condition that the approval be limited to the uses and the site plan submitted (most-recent revision dated March 12, 2026).

The public hearing drew supporters who said the site would spur additional corridor development and opponents who warned the parcel is too small for the proposed intensity and could worsen congestion. After questions and discussion the council approved the rezoning 3–2. The motion included the nine staff-recommended conditions and the site-plan binding; councilmembers recorded objections based on traffic and comprehensive-plan fit.

Next steps: Applicant must submit final engineered plans that meet the conditions, coordinate the required interparcel easement with Dollar General, and obtain city engineering approvals for deceleration lane and access design before site work begins.