By Bill Short
The Millington Planning Commission has approved a Site Plan that was submitted for construction of an Express Oil Change business at 8546 Highway 51 North.
Commission members took the action during their May 17 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Vice Chairman Brett Morgan and seconded by Mike Caruthers.
The motion was passed by six affirmative votes, with member Leanna Dagen absent.
Charles Goforth, planning consultant for the city, said the applicant is planning to construct two buildings. Each will have a “block” on the bottom, brick on the front and a blue metal roof.
He noted that the front building will be a “drive-through” structure with a “base” where the employees will work below the customers’ cars. It is also where the “tire work” will primarily be done.
The rear building will be more of a “mechanics” shop.
Goforth said the business will use the existing driveway on Highway 51 that serves the Zaxby’s restaurant and will extend it west to Creek Mill Road.
He noted that the site is “next-door” to where the Cook Out restaurant will occupy the former Dairy Queen building.
Goforth said the front building will be 2,200 square feet and the rear one approximately 3,400.
He noted that the applicant will construct a stormwater detention basin “right below” the former Dairy Queen lot, and the drainage will be piped from there.
Goforth said this business is not open at night. So, the only lighting shown on the Site Plan will be aimed “downward” on the back of the building to provide security for the employees’ parking lot.
There will be no lighting in the front parking lot for the customers.
Goforth recommended that the commission approve the Site Plan with several conditions, some of which the applicant had already completed.
(1) A larger “curb radius” had been provided for at the Highway 51 entrance by removing one parking space.
(2) The detention pond is now accurately shown on the Site Plan.
(3) The exit onto Creek Mill Road will be a driveway and not a curb radius. But the driveway must meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(4) A 5-foot-wide handicapped parking space is shown on the Site Plan. But it must be a “van-accessible” space, which requires an 8-foot-wide lane for the striped area.
(5) The revised grading and drainage plans must be completed by the applicant and approved by the city engineer.
(6) A revised landscape plan and “photometric” plan was provided for the two buildings.
