Gatesville council advances long-awaited zoning overhaul to final reading

Gatesville property owners, vape shops and mobile food vendors are facing a new rulebook that could change what gets built, how fences are approved and which businesses face city penalties. The Gatesville City Council advanced a zoning rewrite that city leaders said has been updated after years of work and had not seen a meaningful overhaul since 1995.

The draft zoning ordinance would create Chapter 49, Articles I-X, under a code first adopted in 1975 and amended in 1995. It covers the purpose and intent of zoning, enforcement and administration, definitions, zoning districts and the map, nonconforming uses, parking and loading, lighting and landscaping. City secretary Holly Owens told the council the main change from the earlier draft was the addition of corrugated metal to the list of approved fencing materials. The city says the rewrite is meant to give stronger guidance over land use while promoting public health, safety and general welfare and preserving the city’s appearance. Because it had only reached a third and final reading, the council still had one more chance to change the wording before the ordinance could take effect immediately.

The draft also says the Planning and Zoning Commission and the council held the required notices and hearings before the ordinance moved forward. Gatesville’s zoning and comprehensive plan page says the ordinance and plan are meant to work together to guide responsible growth, protect community character and balance residential, commercial, industrial and public uses. In a city that serves as the Coryell County seat, those rules will matter first to landowners planning subdivisions, builders seeking new permits and neighbors watching how much density their streets can absorb.

The council also took up first-reading amendments to the city fee schedule, which Owens said came forward earlier than usual because of new state legislation. One proposal is tied to Senate Bill 1202, which governs third-party review of property development documents and inspections for home backup power installations. The bill requires a regulatory authority to provide requested information no later than the second business day after receiving it, and Gatesville’s reading of the law was that approvals, permits or certifications must be issued within 48 hours after proper notice or documentation. Another change would move fire permit review in-house with both the fire chief and building inspector, while reducing related fees.

A separate draft ordinance would regulate vape shops and cannabis-related retail businesses and align them with local rules already on the books for coin-operated machines and indoor amusement facilities. The proposal says those businesses need added regulation to protect public health and safety, defines vape shops and electric vaping devices, and would carry a penalty of up to $500 per offense. Gatesville also has a related draft ordinance for coin-operated machines and indoor amusement facilities on the agenda, showing a broader push to tighten local business rules as Coryell County, estimated at 85,592 residents on July 1, 2025, keeps growing around its county seat.