Cobb Planning Commission hears and holds Z-30 Quik Trip until December 5

After hearing Z-30 on November 7 Cobb Planning Commission held the zoning  until the December 5th Planning Commission meeting. Cobb DOT was still waiting on a completed traffic study #2 from the QT Engineers.

The restaurant owners of Vespucci, represented by Attorney Lawton Jordan reached a deal with QT, in which QT would give them 10 parking spaces and repave their parking area. There would be a revised easement agreement.

In exchange, the owner of Vespucci dropped their opposition to QT, and the attorney spoke briefly in favor of the rezoning.

HOWEVER there is a bigger picture than Vespucci's parking.  It is a very intense use which the QT engineers project will add 2,057 visits to the site per day. The lot size of 1.67 acres is small for the large Convenience store and 16 pumps and the access onto Jamerson and Canton is very limited. The Jamerson exit is right in right out and questions remain about vehicles needing to get in the left turn lane to go north in a fairly short distance from the signal.

The Canton Road access point is currently full access meaning turns are not restricted HOWEVER Cobb Development Standards recommends that due to the distance from the Canton Road signal, that driveway will be limited to right in right out.  Quik Trip disagrees with the recommendation.  The recommendation is made for safety reasons to prevent collisions.  Area drivers will recall that the Racetrac to the south also had issues with drivers turning left southbound onto Canton in spite of a restriction on left turns.  Lots of accidents took place and of course, it was only a matter of time before a median was installed which enforced right in right out.  

The owner of the Citgo across from the proposed QT site spoke in opposition, fearing the competition would put him out of business in 6 months.  IF  history on Canton Hwy south is a guide, he is correct.  CRN spoke in opposition and turned in the Change petition with 104 signers.

The Planning Commission held the case until December 5.  Thank you all for signing the petition. Please ask your friends or neighbors who have concern to contact JoAnn.Birrell@cobbcounty.org  and ask them to sign t his petition.

Carol Brown, Canton Road Neighbors, Inc.