Lowe’s Home Improvement on Inwood just north of Forest has applied for an amendment to its planned development zoning with plans to rent out part of its property for a Murphy Express gas station/convenience store, which would be allowed to apply for a beer and wine permit. However, it will not accommodate 18-wheelers as some initially thought.
Considering the lot is across the street from Jesuit and St. Rita, residents in Melshire Estates and surrounding areas are not happy about the possible amendment. They held a petition at Tuesday night’s LBJ Express town-hall meeting and, by the end of the night, had gathered about 75 signatures.
The issue arose when a neighbor happened to notice a very small public notice posted on Lowe’s property and alerted others. District 13 councilwoman Ann Margolin said in a recent meeting that in order for the amendment to pass at a city plan commission public hearing, Lowe’s must conduct a parking study to prove that it can operate without the 85 spaces it would lose to build the convenience store.
Margolin said it would take up to four months to get to that point, but in the meantime, neighbors are building their case against the store.
Ironically, Melshire Estates fought tooth and nail – and won – to keep Cinemark from moving into the neighborhood 10 years ago. As an alternative, they got Lowe’s.
