Colleyville pushes back vote on proposed hotel

The city’s first hotel is on hold.

The Colleyville City Council was scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to allow developers to build a five-story hotel along the Texas 121 frontage road, near La Hacienda Ranch restaurant and Colleyville Heritage High School.

But that vote was pushed back to Jan. 20 to give Irving-based Icon Lodging more time to work with its possible new neighbors. Council members would need to approve a zoning change for the developers to proceed.

“We’re going to sit down with our neighbors to see what we can do to make this work,” said Santos Martinez, a consultant who represents Icon Lodging.

The proposed Hampton Inn & Suites would have 91 guest rooms and 500 square feet of meeting space, as well as a swimming pool and other amenities, on 2 acres.

Councilwoman Carol Wollin said that Colleyville would benefit from having the hotel but that “the height really, really bothers me.”

“Right now, I could not give 100 percent positive approval,” she said.

Parking is one of the biggest issues for La Hacienda Ranch, which does not want hotel guests using restaurants spots. Icon Lodging plans to offer the required 93 spaces.

Icon Lodging is also proposing adding a wrought-iron fence between the two businesses and an 8-foot decorative masonry fence between the hotel and the high school.

“This does not adhere to common sense,” La Hacienda Ranch proprietor Jeff Lowery said. “I appreciate the proposed wrought-iron fence, but it will not deter anyone from parking in our lot and walking to the hotel.”

Parents of students in the Grapevine-Colleyville district shared their concerns about having a hotel next to the school.

“I see the windows overlooking the ballfields and the senior parking lot,” Julie Glenn said. “I just feel like this is the wrong site for the hotel.”

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Taylor, however, says the spot is perfect for a hotel. The area is on a busy stretch of Texas 121 that includes grocery stores, restaurants and retail stores. Across the freeway, in Grapevine, sits Delaney Vineyards & Winery. And the north entrance to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport is a couple of miles away.

“This is a freeway, a very intense commercial frontage,” he said. “If you’re going to put a hotel anywhere, this would be the most logical place to put it.”

If the proposal is approved, developers plan to begin construction this spring, and the hotel could open by summer 2016.

This story was originally published January 7, 2015 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Colleyville pushes back vote on proposed hotel."