Weatherford council denies Liquor Mart’s request to expand on North Main

Weatherford city officials on Tuesday denied a liquor store owner’s request for a conditional use permit to expand his business on North Main Street.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission had unanimously approved the proposal for Liquor Mart on March 11. But on Tuesday, Mayor Paul Paschall and the City Council voted 4-1 against owner Sushi Bartaula’s request to redevelop the store at 1015 N. Main St., at the corner of West 2nd Street. Council member Zack Smith cast the lone vote against the denial.

Bartaula had sought a conditional use permit to turn his store into a two-story building greater than 5,000 square feet. Bartaula’s design engineer, Prabin KC, addressed the council before the vote.

“I have the owner, and they want to improve, and the only way to improve is to (demolish) the building,” KC said. He added that the new building would comply with city requirements and represent about $1 million in building costs and $400,000 in inventory costs.

Paschall said he had concerns about having a two-story liquor store in the downtown area, noting that it would be unusual and not fit the vision for the area. Paschall, as well as council member Heidi Wilder, said they felt the expanded liquor store would be too close to residential blocks and churches. Paschall added that the current lackluster appearance of the property did not give him much faith it would be better maintained in the future.

“I’m not seeing what’s depicted here now as something that’s cared for,” he said. “I think it’s very important we use the current example … to add some relativity and perspective to what we see as the proposed location.”

The proposed project — which would have been 30 feet tall and located in the back corner of an approximately 0.3-acre lot — conforms with current zoning, said Scott McDonald, director of development services. The project also would have included five more trees than the city requires, McDonald said. Staff recommended the council approve the application, with conditions including no bars on windows and limits on signage.

The liquor store is currently in legal nonconforming status, meaning the business complied with the property’s zoning when it opened but no longer does, McDonald said. If the liquor store closes for more than six months, it will not be able to reopen, he said.