The Temple City Council on first reading approved a conditional-use permit to allow retail sales of all alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption at 2204 West Avenue M, Suite 120. Council Member Grant moved approval and Mayor Pro Tem Tim Walker seconded; the measure passed 4-1.

Jason Deckman, Planning and Development staff, told the council the proposed package store sits in the Temple Heights neighborhood in an existing retail building and that the suite is roughly 900 feet from a church and more than 1,000 feet from the nearest school — well outside the 300-foot distance referenced by state law and local Chapter 4 rules. Deckman said the property is compliant with the Unified Development Code (UDC) provisions cited during the hearing (UDC §5.3.0.17) and with the city's comprehensive plan regarding appropriate uses along collectors and minor arterials. He also noted the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended disapproval at its Oct. 20 meeting (6-0) and that staff's recommendation had been to disapprove.

During council questioning, Deckman explained the city has no routine, scheduled annual compliance check-in for conditional-use permits. Instead, enforcement is complaint- or patrol-driven: code compliance, police reports, or repeated nuisance findings can trigger an internal review led by the assistant city manager and could lead to revocation. "If there's a pattern of criminal activity directly associated with that property," Deckman said, "the police department... could raise that as a concern." He added minor site-plan variations could be approved administratively but major changes would return to council.

Multiple members of the public addressed the council during the public hearing. Josie Morris, a nearby rental property owner, said properties around the site have been cleaned up and that she supports the request. Alexander Hunt, a frequent customer of the retail center, said the site is "completely clean" and that he had not observed drug use or violence. Building owner Fahim Khan said more than 100 residents had signed in support and that most mailed notices returned were in favor; he said two of the opposing letters were, in his view, retaliatory from neighboring business disputes. Tenant and store operator Vinod Taba said the business had had TABC licensing in the past and that they closed when notified they needed a CUP; he said customers and police relations had been positive.

Council members debated neighborhood compatibility and Planning & Zoning's public-safety-based recommendation to deny. Council Member Grant moved approval; Mayor Pro Tem Tim Walker seconded. The motion carried 4-1.

The CUP includes standard conditions: compliance with the approved site plan, with Chapter 4 and UDC §5.3.0.17, and with all state licensing requirements. The CUP runs with the property and may be revoked if the business is found to constitute a nuisance or violate conditions.

The council recorded the vote as 4 yes, 1 no. No ordinance number or TABC license number was provided during the meeting; state licensing would be pursued separately after local approvals.