Denton County denies rezoning request for Lake Ray Roberts wedding venue
June 24, 2026 | Denton County, Texas
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Denton County commissioners on Tuesday denied a rezoning request for a 4.6-acre parcel on Jones Road at Lake Ray Roberts that the owner proposed to use as a wedding and event venue and a vacation rental.
County planner Stephen told the court the parcel (R57239) sits on the west shore of Lake Ray Roberts and that the applicant had been operating the property without the necessary permit or zoning change. He said the property’s size prevented an R5 residential estate zoning and that the owner had applied for a planned development (PD) with a recreational commercial base to allow the event use. Stephen also said the owners had stopped operating “unless and until we can get the permitting and the zoning situated.”
Stephen said the Planning & Zoning Commission (PNZ) debated the case and voted 4–1 to recommend denial. Commissioner Williams argued that allowing the PD would undercut long-standing land-use expectations for the Lake Ray Roberts planning district, saying that once one exception is allowed, “when do you stop?”
Commissioner Williams moved to deny the rezoning; Commissioner Falconer seconded. The court voted unanimously to deny the request.
The decision preserves the parcel’s current agricultural zoning and closes the path the applicant had proposed to use for a commercial event venue in that planning district. The court did not announce any conditions for a future application; the planner noted the PD path is available only when base zoning and lot-size rules cannot accommodate a desired use.
Next steps: the applicant may revise its request or pursue other allowable uses, but any new application would return to PNZ and the Commissioners Court for review.
County planner Stephen told the court the parcel (R57239) sits on the west shore of Lake Ray Roberts and that the applicant had been operating the property without the necessary permit or zoning change. He said the property’s size prevented an R5 residential estate zoning and that the owner had applied for a planned development (PD) with a recreational commercial base to allow the event use. Stephen also said the owners had stopped operating “unless and until we can get the permitting and the zoning situated.”
Stephen said the Planning & Zoning Commission (PNZ) debated the case and voted 4–1 to recommend denial. Commissioner Williams argued that allowing the PD would undercut long-standing land-use expectations for the Lake Ray Roberts planning district, saying that once one exception is allowed, “when do you stop?”
Commissioner Williams moved to deny the rezoning; Commissioner Falconer seconded. The court voted unanimously to deny the request.
The decision preserves the parcel’s current agricultural zoning and closes the path the applicant had proposed to use for a commercial event venue in that planning district. The court did not announce any conditions for a future application; the planner noted the PD path is available only when base zoning and lot-size rules cannot accommodate a desired use.
Next steps: the applicant may revise its request or pursue other allowable uses, but any new application would return to PNZ and the Commissioners Court for review.
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