On August 12, 2024, the Richardson City Council deliberated an application
by Clay Cooley VW to add a repair shop, a body shop, and a vehicle storage lot
on their property in the Interurban District. Clay Cooley VW's vision is for a
car-centric business located along a busy freeway. The City's vision for the
district is at odds with that. There's already a major mixed-use development
underway just south of this site, Belt+Main, for which Clay Cooley VW's
dealership will act as a blockade against extension of that mixed-use
neighborhood to the north.
Spoiler alert. After ninety minutes of deliberation, the City Council
continued the hearing until September 23 to give the applicant time to...to do
what, exactly? Mayor Bob Dubey punted that question to City Manager Don
Magner, saying, "Don, would you please tell the applicant what we're asking
him here?" And Magner punted that question to tomorrow morning, saying, "I
think if it'd be okay with the applicant, I can follow up tomorrow, and we can
put our thoughts together and give you some clear direction."