Restaurant, pub site in Fayetteville opposed strongly by nearby county residents

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

A developer's plans to locate a restaurant and pub near a residential area in Fayetteville has met with some strong opposition.

A number of county residents who live near the site spoke out against the plans at Tuesday's meeting of the Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission. Developers want to build a 5,000 sq. ft. building for Loco's Deli and Pub along Ga. Highway 314 just south of the new Bank of America near the Fayette Pavilion.

Although the land is zoned for community commercial, which allows restaurants, most of the residents' worries centered around the sale of alcohol at the establishment.

"Please don't put that on our back door," said resident Betty Hasty, one of 15 persons who spoke against the pub plans during the meeting. Some comments drew applause from the crowd of roughly 40 people who attended the meeting.

Other residents were concerned about the development reducing their property values, rodents being attracted to the dumpster and traffic safety in the area.

The commission voted to table the issue because a number of other outstanding issues must be addressed with the plan before it can be approved, according to Jahnee Prince, the city's director of planning and zoning.

Commissioner Allan Feldman said he wanted a legal opinion on the matter from the city attorney after a resident questioned whether or not the location met distance guidelines set forth in the city's alcohol ordinance. Approval of the

Commission chairman Myron Coxe said the planning commission would not decide whether the establishment could serve alcohol. He asked residents to come to the city with any problems they might have in the future.

"We have very well established standards for trash, drainage and lighting," Coxe said, noting some of the citizens' concerns.

Developer Darrell Baker said Locos is chiefly a restaurant that serves alcohol and not a "pub." He also noted that the property has been zoned commercial for 18 years.