SPIN2025-09 - Southlake SnoSPIN MEETING REPORT
SPIN Item Number: SPIN2025-09
City Case Number: N/A
Project Name: Southlake Sno
SPIN Neighborhood: 7
Meeting Date: August 12, 2025
Meeting Location: 1400 Main Street, Southlake, TX
City Council Chambers
Total Attendance: 50
Hosts: Ryan Firestone
Applicants Presenting: John Cornelsen, Mitchell Allen
City Staff Present: Ryan Firestone, Planning Technician
FORUM SUMMARY:
Property Situation: 1170 N. White Chapel Blvd.
Development Details:
x Proposing a small business, which will be known as Southlake Sno, that will teach
entrepreneurship and raise money for local charities, while selling sno-cones in the
summer and hot chocolate during the winter.
Presentation:
Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
Southlake, Texa s
August 12, 2025
Location
2
Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
Sno
Allen
Residence
Highland Street
Owner
• Southlake Residents since 2008
• Allied Rivals
• Lead Rival
• HireSanta (Shark Tank fame)
• DECAF
• EveryDay Media Group
• Justipedia
Served active roles in:
• Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO)
• YPO
• Southlake Economic Recovery
Working Group
3
The Allen Family
Carroll ISD
Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
OTHERS
4
Site Plan Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
• ~100% Tree Preservation
• Existing Home Re-Use
• Crushed Rock Drives
• Minimal Signage
• Soft String Lighting under
trees
• Picnic Tables
OTHERS
5
Elevations Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
OTHERS
6
Why Support? Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
Southlake Sno will be a hands-on
Learning Lab for Southlake youth
who work there. Teachin g
Entrepreneurship
Giving BackBuilding
Community
A portion of every sale
will go to local charities
and organizations.
Southlake Sno will be a low-
impact, community-first use, that
will provide a safe place for people
to gather and share a smile.
Comments, Questions, and Concerns:
C: Voicing concerns over safety issues for children and teenagers, especially being located right
off the traffic circle. Reemphasizes that his two main concerns are safety and doesn’t want a
business on White Chapel. He also wants to hear more about the entrepreneurship aspect of
the business.
A: Totally valid. Safety is totally my issue as well and you see how fast people drive down White
Chapel and I am upset about that all the time. As far as entrepreneurship, that is my number 1
passion. I talk about entrepreneurship all over the country. This is a real passion, and I would
hope that children would gravitate to that and learn from it, about how to run a business and
about how hard it is to run a business.
Q: Is this going to be a business or charity?
A: It’s a business. I bought this property from Mr. Woods Family. I think you’ve probably driven
by it and I think it looks really good and we’ve done a lot of work on it already. I didn’t want four
houses built next to me. This was a good solution in my mind that I can have my cake and
hopefully eat it too. When it comes to charity, all of my businesses give back and it is important
to me. I think a great portion of this would be having people decide what you want to donate
money to. Every purchase goes to some charity, whether it be the fire department, band or
swim program or whatever it is that your children are involved in. They’re able to decide where a
portion of it goes to. But make no mistake it has to make money.
C: Voicing more concerns for the safety of the children off White Chapel with speeding cars.
A: I think it is interesting for me, even if you compare the two presentations tonight, what you’re
bringing up about safety sounds very much like the drainage issue earlier, this is a pre-existing
condition. This will give us an opportunity to work with the city, and I would like to take that on
but we will talk to the city. There may be other things that we can do, enhancements that we can
do as part of this process that could increase safety.
Details
7
1. Southlake Sno will offer Snow Cones during the summer, and Hot Chocolate and
Santa-themed cheer during the Holidays. Tin Roof Treats is currently the only other
“snow cone stand” in Southlake.
2. Approval will be sought that will specifically restrict the development to be this single
use and no other. Approval will be contingent on sticking to and honoring the mission
discussed tonight.
3. Traffic will circulate one-way through the site, utilize existing drives, with no drive-up
service. Parking will be under trees, and walk -up service only.
4. Hours will be restricted to honor the neighborhood.
5. Landscape Enhancements will be installed along the street frontage and neighboring
homes.
6. We welcome feedback that will enhance the mission or improve our impact.
Southlake Sno
1170 White Chapel Boulevard
John Cornelsen
Founder
Evolving Texas
3000 Race Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76 111
(817) 529-2700
QUESTIONS?
C: Voicing concern over this turning into a Grapevine Christmas Wonderland… How will the
donations work?
A: Say you wanted it to go to the swim team or the band, then you’re able to decide where you
want that money to go to at point of sale.
C: I think this is a really good use. I know that you could go back with a higher density use than
this. This is about as low density as I think you could ever get. I think this is outstanding.
C: I agree that this is a great use of the land. I like that you’ve got the one way in and one way
out. That’s comforting to know. Then the hours of operation were kind of a concern, and I am
glad that you addressed that. In the winter, is it 5 days a week or do you know what that looks
like?
A: I haven’t really decided about that. It just seems natural to tie it in with Christmas and Santa.
Having some hot cocoa for a particular day or two seemed to make some sense, but the main
thing is Southlake Sno.
SPIN Meeting Reports are general observations of SPIN Meetings by City staff and SPIN Representatives. The report is neither
verbatim nor official meeting minutes; rather it serves to inform elected and appointed officials, City staff, and the public of the issues
and questions raised by residents and the general responses made. Responses as summarized in this report should not be taken
as guarantees by the applicant. Interested parties are strongly encouraged to follow the case through the Planning and Zoning
Commission and final action by City Council.
Southlake Connect Results for August 12, 2025, SPIN Town Hall Forum