Jefferson County Council members voted unanimously to approve a petition to rezone an Imperial property on May 26, paving the way for owners of the Marco’s Tacos food truck to open a permanent carry-out stand.
The Planning and Zoning Commission OK’d the petition to rezone a parking lot and patch of grass between 1006 and 1014 Main St. from a single-family residential district to a non-planned community commercial district in April.
However, the council changed the zoning by amending the petition to allow for a non-planned neighborhood commercial district.
County staff originally recommended denying the petition with Planner Rachel Hall, saying the request for a community commercial district wasn’t the right fit for the area.
She said properties to the south and west are zoned and developed for single-family homes.
Councilman Charles Groeteke (District 4, Barnhart) represents the area where the food stand is planned to be built.
He said there are many businesses allowed in the community commercial district that wouldn’t work for the area, such as bars, dance clubs, hotels and pawn shops.
Businesses in the neighborhood commercial district typically draw less traffic and offer a more transitional zoning from the commercial districts on Main Street and the residential district behind the parking lot, Planning Services staff said.
Property owner Misty Whetstone said she and her husband, Bill, will eventually expand the parking lot behind their commercial building at 1006 Main St., allowing Marco’s Tacos to build a permanent building for carry-out orders.
Marco’s Tacos currently sells food and drinks from its food truck in the parking lot on the weekends.
Whetstone will need to submit another petition to the county’s Planning Department with plans for the food stand before Marco’s Tacos can begin building.
“Now the real work begins,” said Nikki Ramirez, who owns Marco’s Tacos with her husband, Marco.