BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— The planning and zoning board approved some features of two proposed projects within the City of Keystone Heights, while turning down other requests from the two developers of the properties.
Popeye’s Chicken
The developers of a proposed Popeye’s Chicken on Green Way between Walgreens and Dollar General won approval from the board to build two driveways 175 feet apart from each other, even though the city’s code requires 200 feet between driveways. The board also approved a use by exception for the restaurant, allowing a drive through for the eatery.
However, when the developer requested access from its parcel to a Walgreens-owned winding driveway coming off Commercial Circle between the post office and Auxadyne, the board indicated they would likely follow a staff recommendation to deny the access, and the developer withdrew the request.
Planning and Zoning Board member Gene Ivey noted that the north driveway leading to Commercial Circle is very active and the pavement is only 19 to 20 feet wide.
Chad Rischar, client services manager for the city’s engineering firm DRMP, added that while an auto turn plan provided by the developer showed a delivery truck could navigate the north driveway, because of the 19.5-foot width of the pavement, the truck would make two-way traffic on the driveway impossible.
In withdrawing the request for access to the driveway, the developer’s representative said he would talk to Walgreens about possible upgrades to the driveway that would alleviate the city’s concerns, and then request access at a later date.
Gas station-convenience store
The board also approved plans for the new owner of the formal Circle K convenience store at the corner of South Lawrence Boulevard and Nightingale Street to reopen the store with nine parking spaces, even though, based on the area of the store, the city’s code requires 14 spaces. In addition, the board waived landscaping requirements for the parking lot.
However, when the owner requested to retain the 20-foot-high sign that has been on the property for decades, the board turned the owner down.
City Manager Lynn Rutkowski said that since no business has been operating at the location for over 180 days, the new owner would have to comply with the city’s sign ordinance, which was enacted several years ago. That ordinance restricts signs to a height of eight feet.
City Attorney Rich Komando noted that when the city passed its sign ordinance several years ago, all the businesses in the downtown district were forced to comply with the new ordinance. He added that the city’s community redevelopment agency paid for replacement signs for many of the businesses.
