QuikTrip wants to open a new gas station and convenience store with bays for truck refueling on U.S. 441 west of the exiting RaceTrac and across U.S. 441 from the Oconee County Administrative Building now under construction north of Watkinsville.
Access to the proposed gas station and convenience store would be via a fourth side to the existing three-sided traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 441 and SR 15 (North Main Street).
The 6.3 acre parcel would be carved from two larger parcels currently zoned AR (Agricultural Residential) that abut the University of Georgia Durham Horticulture Farm and a tract of the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research Center.
The proposed QuikTrip would be at the southeast corner of the Horticulture Farm.
The Oconee County Planning Commission will hear the application from Eberhardt and Hale LLP on behalf of QuikTrip for a rezone of the 6.3 acres to B-2 (Highway Business) at its meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Courthouse in Watkinsville.
QuikTrip also is seeking a special use approval to construct the diesel truck refueling bays.
The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to make a decision on the rezone request and the special use approval at its meeting on July 11.
Properties For Rezone
Kerry Barwick and Ken Barwick through Jacobs Properties LLLP currently own two properties with frontage on U.S. 441.
Map Of QuikTrip Site |
The first of these is 43.4 acres and forms the eastern and southern border of the University of Georgia Horticulture Farm. It also borders the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research Center.
The second parcel, consisting of 22.5 acres, borders the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research Center.
Both of these properties currently are zoned AR (Agricultural Residential).
The proposal is to carve 4.32 acres from the 22.4 acre property and 1.965 acres from the 43.4 acre property and then rezone the combined 6.285 Acres B-2 (Highway Business).
The smaller property has been owned by the Barwicks since 2001 and the larger parcel has been owned by the Barwicks since 2003, according to county tax records.
Details of Proposal
According to the narrative submitted with the rezone request, QuikTrip’s proposed use of the property “will mimic similar QuikTrip convenience stores that specialize in a wide selection of grab and go food and drinks, snacks, and other convenience items.”
The convenience store will have a QT Kitchen that offers food items such as pizza, barbeque tacos and sandwiches, according to the narrative.
The building is expected to be 5,312 square feet in size.
QuikTrip has no identifiable plan for further use or development of the additional acreage in the foreseeable future, according to the narrative.
The concept plan submitted with the rezone shows four diesel truck fueling bays behind the convenience store.
According to the narrative, QuikTrip will provide a single canopy of bays on the backside of the property for diesel truck refueling and will not offer truck parking, showers, laundry, or any sort of seated restaurant.
Traffic Analysis
It is estimated the project will result in an average of 2,286 daily trips to the location, with 230 AM peak hour trips and 191 PM peak hour trips.
The daily average includes an estimate of 887 new vehicles to the project location.
Beyond the addition of the fourth stub to the 441/SR15 intersection traffic light to facilitate ingress/egress from the project location, QuikTrip says the project will result in minimal impact to local traffic, according to narrative.
QuikTrip has had several preliminary meetings with the Georgia Department of Transportation regarding access, and adding the fourth side to the current three-sided traffic control signal at the intersection of US 441 and SR 15, according to the narrative.
The Oconee County planning staff has recommended approval of the QuikTrip request.
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