H-E-B is deepening its Dallas-Fort Worth presence. The San Antonio-based grocery chain was approved to build its first store in another North Texas city, Carrollton, during a city council meeting on Tuesday, January 6. The OK comes after some residents expressed concern about congestion in the area.
The Carrollton City Council approved the ordinance to rezone the land located at the northeast corner of Parker Road and Josey Lane. The 120,000-square-foot store will feature a gas station, car wash, restaurant, pharmacy and two drive-thru services. The store will also have covered grocery pick-up and more than 600 parking spaces.
Before the city council discussed, the Carrollton Planning and Zoning Commission voted in favor of the zoning after hearing from a few locals who shared their worries about increased traffic congestion. However, there was an expressed overall support for the new store at the meeting.
At the Tuesday meeting, city staff said they have conducted a traffic impact analysis for the project and worked with H-E-B after revealing its findings. H-E-B will now construct three turn bays at its site to help control traffic. H-E-B also agreed to construct a traffic signal at the main entrance on Parker Road. After the project is completed, city staff said it will work with the Texas Department of Transportation to try to determine which additional improvements the city can add to improve traffic at that intersection.
“We know we have a very heavily congested intersection today, as it is, that needs improvements,” Tom Hammons, the city’s transportation engineering manager, said in the meeting. “We will have all the right-of-way we need, and we will work to develop the improvements most needed and cost-effective and have those done in a timely manner.”
Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick stated in a city news release that the venture is a culmination of years of “hard work” across the region by several actors. He added that the project shines a light on Carrollton as the community continues to set itself apart as an example of investment and development opportunity.
No construction timeline has been finalized, according to Mabrie Jackson, H-E-B’s managing director of public affairs. H-E-B plans to share more details later this year.
H-E-B has expanded its presence in North Texas since it opened its first store in Frisco in 2022. Since that time, the grocery giant has opened 14 stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including Plano, Allen, McKinney, Prosper, Melissa, another Frisco location, Mansfield, Burleson and Hudson Oaks.
Additionally, H-E-B aims to open its first store within Dallas city limits on the southeast corner of Hillcrest Road and LBJ Freeway. The location has also drawn opposition from some due to similar concerns of congestion. Like in Carrollton, the Dallas City Council approved the rezoning request and made way for H-E-B to resume its plans.
H-E-B has said it plans to add turn lanes and make other upgrades to ease congestion in that area.