Dollar General council topic, zoning hearings Feb. 7

by Clarke Davis

The Valley Falls City Council approved a rule exception to the city’s zoning laws requiring less survey work on property that sits next to land where developers plan to build a Dollar General store when it met Jan. 18.

Administrator Chris Channell said the developers have provided the necessary survey for the site where the new store will be built, but the zoning laws require the neighboring lot owned by Valley Ag to also be surveyed. The council’s action eliminated that requirement.

Dollar General Corp. is proposing to build a 9,100-square-foot building at 1501 K-4 Highway provided it can get direct access off the highway.

The matter will go before the city Planning and Zoning Board at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 7 where three things will be under consideration.

Dollar General is asking for the property to be rezoned from medium industrial to highway commercial and to have its development plan approved. Also being requested is a variance on the size of the parking.

Channell said they want a reduction in the size of the parking lot from what the zoning laws require. Based on the company’s history, they expect a traffic count of 145 vehicles a day, but no more than a peak of 23 at any one time.

Channell said there is a concern with traffic safety coming off K-4 highway, but if the state Department of Transportation allows it, the city will continue to lobby for a reduced speed limit in that area.

Submitting the plans for Dollar General is a firm called Valley Falls DKPV I, LLC, Brentwood, Tenn. Gresham Smith & Partners, civil engineers, Nashville, Tenn., drew the plans available at city hall.

In other business, the city approved the purchase of a used Highway Patrol car for $15,800. It’s a Dodge Charger with approximately 49,500 miles.

Council members Lucy Thomas and Todd Harrington were absent.