At Tuesday’s Coppell City Council meeting, the expansion of an AstraZeneca production site was approved by the council. The site in Coppell is the only producer in the world for the pharmaceutical drug Lokelma, a treatment for hyperkalemia. The council approved the plan to add a pharmaceutical tank farm and an additional 3,000 square foot building. This will allow more resources to be stored at the facility, allowing for greater production of Lokelma. 

Public hearings made by residents Kristina Lowe, Allen Hager, Jose Fernando Teruya were held about various zoning change requests and new development plans in the city. 

Additionally, Architect and Urban Designer Teruya requested approval for the development of a commercial office and residential lots on S. Denton Tap Road, near Bailey Orthodontics. As a long-time resident of Coppell, he explained his desire to move his small business to within the city. 

He described his bold plan for an office building that is lifted off the ground, supported by beams, with a parking lot underneath the building. This style of architecture is completely new to Coppell and could add a lot of visual interest to the area.

“I think this is the best use for that property,” council member Mark Hill said. “We could have something that could be much more of an eyesore constructed there and I think that Mr. Teruya has done an outstanding job.”

There was some opposition to the proposed plan. An environmental attorney brought up her concerns that the construction of the project would increase the stormwater flow to the creek and result in the erosion of the area. She cited a study by the EPA that found that the building of parking lots increases the velocity of the stormwater runoff by 500%. She believes the creation of the project will lead to flooding and degradation of the property and surrounding properties.

Regardless, the council unanimously approved the development plan and approved the zoning change from commercial to single-family residential and commercial.

Also, the council unanimously proclaimed the month of September as Senior Citizen Month. Council members, Mayor Pro-Tem John Jun, Kevin Nevels, and Jim Walker, expressed admiration for the senior citizens of Coppell and their contributions. 

“As a Korean-American, our tradition is always being respectful of our seniors for their knowledge,” Jun said. “I do appreciate [the senior citizens] setting a good example for all of us to follow.”