Zoning Change Approved for Candler Park Market Lot By Decatur City Commission
Decatur Metro | December 21, 2012 | 10:53 am
Totally lost in the hubbub of the annexation approval this past Monday night, the City Commission approved the rezoning of the residential lot at 712 West College Avenue to commercial to accommodate a planned grocery run by the Candler Park Market.
With the Zoning Ordinance Task Force’s changes to the city’s zoning ordinances approved by the City Commission in early December, the developers of the Market no longer need five exceptions, which was the main point of contention when this plan was voted on by the Planning Commission last month. The only variance approved on Monday was an additional curb cut along College Avenue. The new plan will have 10 more spaces than is necessary under the new parking ordinance (29 instead of 19). The building will be 5,900 square feet, the same exact size as the existing Candler Park Market in, well, Candler Park, and the building is now sited along College Ave with parking at the rear (see above).
Much better plan for all involved. I look forward to the opening.
I don’t see designated bicycle parking in the plans. This is a chance to put in now rather than as an after thought.
+1.
It may not be reflected on the plan but bicycle parking is required with all commercial-zone development in Decatur, so I’m sure the city will be holding them to that.
Also, the curb-cut exception was for Mead, rather than College. The project qualifies for one cut per street. It already has one on Mead for where the loading zone will be. In order to have two entry/exits for parking (rather than College being the only way in or out) they needed the second one on Mead. An important traffic-management adjustment, as it will allow customers coming from south of the tracks via Mead to visit the market without having to get onto College.
Good news. Really looking forward to this addition to the city and neighborhood. I see myself as a regular patron.
Approval of this market is great news! I never bought the idea that OA was a “food desert” (or whatever) since we always had the Hop N Shop for milk at least if you could not, like me, bear to go in to the Big H or Danneman’s after the first time you gave it a chance. The CP market cannot compare to the Trader Joe’s we wanted but it’s a great addition and I’m so happy to see that corner come to life again and not be a crumbling, graffitied shell. Sorry for running on, but yay!
Did you ever play the game in the Big H where you try to spot boxes on the shelves in packaging from the 1970s? Okay, I was bored, but you really could!
I am glad this is coming in. I am one of the few who has been very disappointed in the Oakhurst Market ( and I agree with you about the Hop N Shop; they saved me more than once over the last 15 years and I remain loyal), so this is good news.
As a Mead Rd. resident I am extremely happy this all worked out – I echo the earlier comments of this corners transformation. Busy time on Mead with the Elementary addition etc…will be frequenting the market as soon as it opens…
Will this cut into the Oakhurst Market’s business? I really love that place.
Pete Whitlock addressed that during the meeting. It sounded like he had talked with them about that very subject (though I don’t recall if he said he had actually had discussions with the Oakhurst Market owners).
He said the Oakhurst Market is more of a butcher shop that also carries some other food products. The Candler Park market would be more of a regular neighborhood market with a much broader selection of food items. If anything, it would compete more with the former Danneman’s (S&H?) and perhaps a little with Hop & Shop.
My perception is that the main overlap between Candler Park Market and Oakhurst Market would most likely be in beer / wine and perhaps prepared foods.
Hopefully there will be evoltion between the two and changes will occur to enhance each other’s selection such that the broadest selection of products is available between the two stores. I don’t think either market is trying to dominate the Oakhurst shoping public and crush it’s competition to become a “one stop location” like a super Walmart or Target Greatland. Both of these markets have a different, more neighborly business model.
I love Oakhurst Market too. And Family Dollar. The other day, I got pork chops at one and 3 oz. plastic containers for airplane carry-on at the other. Perfect. Funny how those two have worked out just fine despite complaints about one being too high brow and the other being too low brow. Hope Candler Market finds a good niche because I am often schlepping around Decatur, out of time, out of ideas, and looking for some quick solutions to our shopping needs.
Awesome news!