John Coffelt, Editor

The Manchester Board of Zoning Appeals approved in a split vote during the May 19 meeting a variance request that would allow the expansion of the Murphy Oil station in the Walmart parking lot.

Engineer Kat Kirk representing Murphy Oil said the location’s new 1400 square-foot walk-in store will replace the current 165 square foot, walk-up facility. The improvement will have six pump islands with 12 fueling positions and four parking stalls.

The variance allows a portion of the store to be built inside the 20-foot rear lot setback, five feet from the property line.

The BZA as a whole supported the project, but members disagreed on whether a variance was the appropriate way to facilitate the position of the store.

Half the members felt Murphy should approach Walmart for a lease of an additional 15 feet of property to accommodate the setback, while the other half felt a variance would be a more streamlined approach. Chairman Mark Williams broke the tie with a yes vote.

The placement of the building within the setback allows fuel trucks to access the new underground tanks.

“This placement will allow better flow of traffic throughout the site,” Kirk said.

BZA member Ward Johnson said the acquisition of additional property to accommodate the setbacks would only impact truck parking closest to the station.

Vice Mayor Mark Messick said the outcome was the same, but moving the property line would be the more complicated way to get there.

“I don’t see anything wrong with going from a 165 square foot building they’re paying taxes on to going to a 1400 square foot that they’re paying taxes on. It’s in the same lot and no one would ever recognize the difference, (except on paper).”  

Members Ken Seuberling, Johnson and Brad Goodwin voted no on the variance. Messick, Leif Swanson and Cheryl Swan voted yes.          

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.