The City Council on Tuesday night approved a special exceptions permit to allow a new Race Trac convenience store on South Broad Street in the block bounded by 25th and 26th streets.
The store will have 16-20 employees, according to Race Trac official Philip Cochran.
It will also add $500,000 to the local tax base, according to Ann Weeks of the South Broad Street Redevelopment group, which supported the approval.
Entrances to the store will be off 25th and 26th streets and not South Broad.
Mr. Cochran said Race Trac agreed to conform with the color scheme along South Broad, and he said about half the site will be impervious and have more landscaping than the normal Race Trac.
However, he said some suggestions by the Regional Planning Agency staff were not practical, such as putting the building up against the curb and have the pumps in back. He also said it was not practical for Race Trac to cut off a piece of the property to make it a multi-use site.
The RPA staff had recommended denial for the urban general commercial zone, but the Planning Commission recommended approval.
Steve Hasse and Joe Martin of the city's Smart Growth Action Team said Race Trac will be placing a suburban style building in an older urban area that is being redeveloped.
Mr. Martin said Race Trac should consider using pervious pavement rather than constructing a large detention pond in the back.
Glen Craig of Lookout Mountain said he drives by the property each day and did not want to see the "cookie cutter" convenience store design.