JOHN COFFELT
Editor  

A rezoning request for four lots on McArthur Street near the Coffee County Administrative Plaza has received a positive recommendation from the Manchester Planning Commission in an initial step in a development that will bring possibly two new drive-thru restaurants to town.  

One is planned to be Firehouse Subs.

Dr. Leif Sven Swanson and Eric J Burch of Swanson Developers requested the rezoning of lots 1310-1316 on McArthur Street from R-3 residential to C-3 general commercial zoning during the May 18 Planning Commission meeting.

Swanson said he intends to demolish the four houses that are currently standing and build a commercial lease space.

“There’s going to be drive-thru restaurants,” he said, “I actually have a couple of letters of intent for restaurants that want to go in there.”

Swanson declined to name any additional businesses at the time but has since confirmed Firehouse Subs in an email to the Times.  

He also said during the meeting that the ingress and egress of the drives to the location are shown on the rough preliminary site plan to line up with the CCAP drives to facilitate a traffic light if that is ever deemed necessary 

The proposed development drew concerns from the neighbors along McArthur Street about noise and traffic in the area. Neighbors to the rear of the property expressed concerns about light pollution and buffer zones.

City codes require additional setback distance and buffers such as landscaping or fencing when a commercial property abuts a residential one.

The recommendation to rezone the property passed the Planning Commission with Swanson (a member of the board) recusing himself from the vote and Paul Thornton and Cheryl Swan absent.