The Hendersonville Planning Commission recently approved site plans for four new businesses along East Main Street including a second Chick-fil-A location in front of the historic Bradford-Berry House.
Originally pitched by the developers of a new commercial development across the street, the 6,108-square-foot Chick-fil-A will be located at 262 East Main Street as part of the Mayfair planned development.
Owned by Old Acre McDonald, LLC, the development is comprised of four commercial lots – three of which front the north side of East Main Street between Maple Row Boulevard and Maple Drive.
The development is adjacent to the deteriorated 18th century home of Revolutionary War veteran Henry Bradford, as well as a Bradford family cemetery. Old Acre McDonald donated the home, cemetery and 13.24 acres to the city last year.
Chick-fil-A’s site plan calls for a double-lane drive-thru that wraps around the building, 90 indoor seats and 80 parking spaces on the 2.38-acre lot.
Entry to the site will be via a right-in/right-out off of East Main Street, and a full access at the rear off of a newly created road, Maple Row Boulevard North.
Drive-thru queuing will start at the rear of the building and wrap around the west side of the building, and finish at the pick-up window located on the front façade of the building, facing East Main Street.
Planning Commissioner Wendy Slatery asked about the stacking capacity for the drive-thru during the June 4 planning commission meeting.
The drive-thru at the Chick-fil-A in the Glenbrook shopping area has undergone three different designs in an attempt to prevent traffic from spilling onto Glenbrook Way, she noted.
“This is a true double-lane drive-thru,” said Mark Campbell, civil engineer for the project. Campbell added that the stacking capacity for the new drive-thru will be more than double what the capacity is at the Chick-fil-A in Glenbrook, even after that restaurant’s recent remodel.
Slatery also asked why the new restaurant needed 80 parking spaces when the city only required 62.
Campbell said that the chicken chain typically has more staff than other quick service restaurants and wanted to make sure it had enough parking for its employees.
A second Chick-fil-A was mentioned last year as a possible location for the Alexander Commercial development across the street at 255, 261 and 267 East Main Street. The city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to rezone that 4.34-acre property, located between the Regions and Simmons banks in October.
At the time, developers R&C Enterprises said they had interest from Starbucks, Chick-fil-A and an urgent care facility.
Several aldermen expressed concern about traffic in the area at that time. After a traffic study showed that a traffic light was warranted at the corner of East Main Street and Maple Row Boulevard, the BOMA approved the rezoning with the stipulation that R&C pay for half the cost of the light. City leaders attained a similar agreement from Mayfair developers.
During the June 4 meeting, planning commission members approved site plans for a 3,714-square-foot Fast Pace urgent care facility east of Regions Bank and a 2,503-square-foot Starbucks restaurant to the west of Simmons Bank. No plans have been submitted yet for the middle lot, originally slotted for Chick-fil-A.
The development’s master plan calls for access to the three lots via a new right-in/right-out access to be constructed on East Main Street, and an existing full-access in front of Simmons Bank. There will be a third access to Maple Row Boulevard between Regions Bank and Innova Dermatology with additional parking for Innova behind Fast Pace.
Plans approved for a second AutoZone
The planning commission also approved a site plan for an AutoZone at 531 East Main Street across from Bluegrass Yacht and Country Club.
The 6,816-square-feet building will be located on a 1.34-acre lot at the intersection of East Main and Brittan streets, in front of the Bluegrass Landing residential subdivision.
Access to the site will be via a full-access driveway off of Brittan that aligns with the Dollar General driveway.
When asked if there would be a traffic light at the intersection, Planning Director Keith Free said that one wasn’t currently in the works.
Slatery asked if the project was replacing the current AutoZone located less than three miles down the road at 341 West Main Street.
An AutoZone representative said this would be an additional store, not a replacement for the current one.
Slatery acknowledged the business was an acceptable use according to the property’s master plan.
“But it’s alarming to me the auto-related businesses that are moving further and further up Main Street,” she said.
The planning commission member added that she counted 45 automotive-related businesses along Main Street between Brittan Street and Rockland Road – roughly a 4.5-mile stretch.
“I’m disappointed that we’re moving this automotive trend further and further up Main Street,” she added. “That’s my own personal opinion.”
