FARMINGTON -- Two national chain businesses, a coffee shop and fast food restaurant, will open in early 2021 along Main Street in Farmington, if plans go as scheduled, according to Hank Kelley with Farmington JK, LLC.
Farmington Planning Commission on May 22 approved the large scale development plan for a Starbucks coffee shop and an adjacent "proposed fast food restaurant." After the meeting, Kelley said Wendy's has committed to opening up a new restaurant on the adjacent lot.
Both businesses will lease space from Farmington JK.
"We're delighted to be a part of Farmington," Kelley said. "This is a growing community and both customers wanted a location here and we were fortunate enough to be able to make it happen."
Starbucks will be located at the corner of Angus Lane and Main Street, 297 W. Lane. Wendy's will be directly to the east of Starbucks and next to Brand New Church, 271 W. Main St. The building and parking lot now used by Brand New Church also are owned by Farmington JK.
Kelley and Jordan Jeter are partners with Farmington JK, Kelley said. They both work for an organization called Kelley's Commercial Partners, which has an office in Northwest Arkansas and an office in Little Rock.
Prior to approving the large scale development plan, the commission granted two variances for the project.
Rick McGraw with HFA (Harrison French and Associates) architectural firm explained that the property lines for Tract A (Starbucks), Tract B (Wendy's) and Tract C (Brand New Church) had been adjusted to accommodate the overall site design.
Because of these property line adjustments, the developer was asking for a side setback variance for the Starbucks plan and a side setback variance for the church building.
The Planning Commission approved both variances before taking up the large scale development plan.
No one from the public had any questions or comments about the large scale development plan.
Commissioner Judy Horne, who approves landscape plans for the city, told the group, "The landscaping they are going to do in the space they have will be beautiful."
McGraw said the project was "pretty self-explanatory," adding it will be a prototypical layout. Starbucks will be located on a parcel that is 0.90 acre and Wendy's parcel is 0.96 acre.
The large scale development plan shows customers will be able to access both businesses from Angus Lane and Main Street. Access also will be available from the Brand New Church parking lot.
Kelley said Starbucks should open in early 2021 and Wendy's should open shortly afterward.
"Both of these customers are very enthusiastic about being new customers in Farmington," Kelley said. "The drive-through restaurant business is what is thriving now."
Both businesses will have sit-in areas, along with drive-through lanes. According to the plans, Wendy's also will have a separate "bailout" lane adjacent to its drive-through lane.
"This will be a benefit for both to provide orderly movement," Kelley said. "Our customers asked for this."
In other action, the Planning Commission approved a large scale development plan for an expansion for Pedal Pops at 169 W. Main St. Owner Mike Thompson submitted a plan for the undeveloped property next to his Pedal Pops building. The plan is for 0.31 acres and shows locations for five food trucks, sidewalks, a paved parking lot and landscaping.
The commission approved the plan with the contingency for changing some of the trees near Bois D'Arc Street. Horne was concerned the trees would grow too big and be an obstruction for people pulling out of the street onto Main Street.
The commission wondered if there would be enough parking. The plan shows 10 parking spaces. City engineer Chris Brackett with Olsson Inc., noted that Farmington does not have an ordinance that addresses mobile food trucks.
City Attorney Steve Tennant said the commission could address the issue if parking becomes a problem in the future.
The commission also approved a conditional use permit for the sale of fireworks for Freedom Fireworks in the parking lot of Brand New Church, 271 W. Main.
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Facemasks, Distance Required
Two days following the Planning Commission meeting, the city issued a notice for future in-person meetings that everyone would be required to wear a facemask and to socially distance from each other. Most people in the room were wearing facemasks and spread apart at the June 22 commission meeting, except the commissioners themselves and some city staff. They were not wearing masks or sitting 6 feet apart. The city will provide the option for people to attend meetings virtually instead of in-person.