By Bill Short
The Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen has unanimously approved a Development Agreement for construction of a Jack’s Family Restaurant on Highway 51.
Board members took the action during their March 8 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Alderman Don Lowry and seconded by Alderman Thomas McGhee.
Charles Goforth, planning consultant for the city, said Jack’s Family Restaurant is purchasing the
0.952-acre tract zoned B-2, General Commercial, at 7954 Highway 51 North and the building that was originally the Shoney’s restaurant to demolish it and construct a new building.
The Millington Planning Commission, on a motion offered by Curtis Park and seconded by Brenda Barber, unanimously approved a Site Plan for the restaurant at its Feb. 22 meeting.
The required Site Plan bond or optional cash payment with Escrow Agreement must be approved by the city board prior to its release.
While noting that Jack’s is “common” in Alabama, Goforth told the commission that the company is “starting to move” into this area with some restaurants in West Tennessee and North Mississippi.
“I’ve eaten at them a lot,” he said, “driving down Highway 78 going through that area.”
He said the building will have stone and fiber cement panels. But because its signage exceeds Millington’s requirements, Jack’s will have to submit a separate sign application.
On Goforth’s recommendation, the commission approved the Site Plan with the following conditions:
(1) The developer will pay the city $42,200 to extend an existing 8-inch water line to the south side of the property and install a Millington fire hydrant with an isolation valve and an 8-inch gate valve at the terminal end of the new extension.
(2) The water service will be “tapped off” of this new main extension at a location agreeable to the Millington Public Works Department.
(3) The water line will be standard ductile iron installed in accordance with Millington’s standards and under the city’s inspection.
(4) With the city’s assistance, Jack’s will be required to develop a permanent water easement for the new water extension across the property to the north and dedicate a water easement across the frontage of its lot.
(5) Several sections of sidewalk are in “poor shape” and must be replaced.
At the March 8 board meeting, in response to a question by Alderman Bethany Huffman, Goforth said the Development Agreement will give the city an opportunity to “fix the drainage issue” it has dealt with for “a number of years” between that property and the adjoining one to the south.
“Lake Shoney’s will be gone,” he noted, eliciting laughter from the board members and audience.
