Village of Salado Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing 6 p.m. July 14 at the Municipal Building, 301 N. Stagecoach Road, Salado, Texas, to discuss and consider a request to amend the Historic District Overlay Ordinance 2023-08 regulations to add the retail sale of firearms and ammunition as a permitted use.

Will and Tawnya Dankert have been working since January to open The Ammo Can, a firearms store to be located at 677 N Stagecoach Rd, Suite B.
In their first contact with the village, the Dankerts were informed via email from Gina Pence and copied to then village administrator Manny De La Rosa that “The Village’s Zoning Ordinance 2013-08 permits the retail sale of firearms, including in-store sales and special orders, within non-residential zoning districts.”
The current Zoning Ordinance still shows that a Firearms store is permitted in the Historic District (https://www.saladotx.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/ordinance/2513/ord_2013-08_zoning_ordinance.pdf)
On June 4, the Dankerts were informed by Pence via email that “The Zoning Ordinance 2013-08 the Village’s zoning except the historic district (HD) has a separate zoning district overlay that regulates business use.”
Village of Salado aldermen adopted the Historic District Overlay ordinance on May 18, 2023 on a 3-2-1 vote. Alderman Jasen Graham gave the motion for approval with a second by Alderman Paul Cox. Mayor Michael Coggin joined Graham and Cox in voting in favor. Mayor pro-tem Rodney Bell and Alderman Jason Howard voted against. Aldermen Bert Henry abstained, noting that he “did not have enough information to vote,” according to the approved minutes.
The Historic District Overlay ordinance (2023.08) states at the bottom that the ordinance was approved at a May 5, 2023 meeting (not May 18). The Ordinance also refers on every page to “Zoning Ordinance 2009.03.”
Prior to the adoption of the Historic District Overlay ordinance, a firearms store was permitted in all non-residential zones except Office, including the Historic District.
The Zoning Ordinance (available online) lists on its cover page the following dates of amendments: December 11, 2014; February 19, 2015 and June 18, 2015. There is no reference to the May 18, 2023 adoption of the Historic District Overlay ordinance. On page 78 of the most current Zoning Ordinance, a firearms store is still listed as permitted in the non-residential zones.
After requesting a variance to allow a firearms store, the Dankerts are pursuing amending the Historic District Overlay ordinance to permit a firearms store.