The Cookeville Planning Commission eliminated drive-thru restaurants inside Neighborhood Commercial zones during its Monday night meeting.
Code stated drive-thru restaurants could be developed by permitted use on a major collector roadway inside a Neighborhood Commercial zone. Cookeville Community Development Director Jon Ward said the newly amended code would only apply to restaurants.
“Walgreens has a drive-thru, we have banks that have drive-thrus, but I think those are considered much less impactful than what a fast food restaurant chain and how that would impact adjacent properties,” Ward said.
Resident Peggy Semmes put forth a petition to amend the code after plans to build a McDonald’s were submitted for a location on Washington Avenue. Though the petition did lead to a code change, Ward said the amended code would only apply to future proposals.
“They have submitted official plans, so you can’t change the zoning to stop that, so that would have to be allowed to move forward,” Ward said.
Semmes said that after sitting in on many meetings, she believes one problem is that she did not even realize that Washington Avenue was considered a major collector road.
“I don’t think anybody wants to live right next to a fast food restaurant,” Semmes said. “I think everybody here does not want to live next to a fast food restaurant.”
Semmes also said one homeowner near the proposed McDonald’s has sold their home due to the submitted plans.
The planning commission approved to amend the zoning code with a unanimous vote.
In other business, the Planning Commission approved a six-month extension of the preliminary plat for Turnberry subdivision. The 61-lot subdivision proposed for Hawkins Crawford Road.
The commission approved a variance for a flag lot and the final plat of Waverly East. These are two lots located on South Walnut Avenue.
The commission approved rezoning a portion of property located at 2034 West Broad Street from Commercial-Industrial Mixed-Use (CI) to Local Commercial (CL).
The commission approved to rezone a property located at 1630 Blackwell Road from Light Manufacturing (LM) to Commercial-Industrial Mixed-Use.