A fuel center and convenience store is being planned for the corner of Third Street and Holtzclaw Avenue.
A request for a zoning change for the project is set to go before the Planning Commission next Monday at 1 p.m. at the County Courthouse.
The staff of the Regional Planning Agency is recommending that the rezoning not be approved.
The proposal includes a 3,936-square-foot convenience store and 18 fuel pumps under a 6,636-square-foot car island canopy. The site plan depicts 24 parking spaces and access from Holtzclaw Avenue and East 3rd Street.
The 1.58-acre site currently contains vacant office buildings.
The property owners are listed as Joe Franklin, Edgar Scott and Cornerstone Bank.
In recommending denial, RPA staff said, "The adopted Bushtown Community Plan recommends for commercial zones, specific land uses comparable to the current R-4 Special Zone with some
additional small-scale C-5 neighborhood commercial uses to achieve the Plan’s vision of promoting pedestrian-friendly development that enhances the urban residential character of the area. This zoning is intended to encourage more community-centered uses and to protect the residential area from commercial encroachment from the west. While the proposal provides convenience shopping opportunities for the neighborhood, the proposed gas station use and site design featuring a large canopy with 18 pumps fronting the street does not align with the plan’s vision of mixed-use, pedestrian friendly development. In addition, the properties fronting on the southern side of this block of East 3rd Street mainly contain social service facilities, offices, and religious facilities.
"This rezoning would introduce a high-intensity commercial land use that is inconsistent with the remainder of the southern side of East 3rd Street.Staff is recommending denial of this request because a convenience store with fuel sales is an inconsistent land use with the rest of the southern side of the East 3rd Street block, is not an extension of an existing zone on the southeastern side of this intersection, and is not supported by the adopted neighborhood plan. However, staff acknowledges the potential for future redevelopment of this important gateway corner perhaps as the mixed