Third Sulphur Springs store to be constructed on College Street near Russell Drive
Sulphur Springs could be getting a third Dollar General store soon.
The city has one regular store on Main Street and a second on South Broadway Street that is currently being renovated. The Broadway store officially closed Sunday and is expected to remain closed for about 2 weeks while a crew from out of town works with store employees to convert the space from a regular Dollar General into a DG Fresh market store.
Action was taken Monday night by a city board which would allow a third Dollar General to be built inside the city limits. The City of Sulphur Springs Planning and Zoning Commission Oct. 16 approved a final plat for the College Street Dollar General Addition, which would divide 1.814 acres out of a 10.54 acre tract at 1300 College Street.
The property in question is located west of Interstate 30, where the northwest corner of Russell Drive will tees into the south side of College Street and has been vacant for many years. According to Community Development Director/Assistant City Manager Tory Niewiadomski, there’s an existing sewer line across one end of the proposed building site that is “not in that great a shape.” HP Investments, LLC, the developer proposes “relaying that sewer line up along the property line and across the frontage to stub it up to the remainder of the 10 acres.” The developer would tie into the existing sewer and thus, would be responsible for installing the sewer line.
City staff recommended that the plat be approved and authorization be given for a community facilities contract for the sewer line, Niewiadomski said.
“Is this going to be a completely new Dollar General, they’re not going to shut down one of the others?” asked College Street resident Neil Lemons. “I was just curious — I don’t know if this pertains to this situation — is it a completely new Dollar General or is it a location moving from one of the other Dollar Generals?”
Niewiadomski assured the location is planned as a new store and location with a new owner.
There will be another lot to the east that fronts Industrial Drive.
“I think, Tory, that we have met all of the requirements for the city,” said Jimmy Howell, developer for the College Street Dollar General Addition to the assistant city manager, who affirmed that to be correct. “We dedicated some additional right of way for College Street, putting in a new side walk, along with the sewer retention and doing the drainage easement across the back of 10 acres ourselves for future use of the property.
“If you’ve been by the site, College Street sits up higher and it kind of flows along Industrial. So on the west side of that property there’s kind of a tree lined area. That’s a natural drainage area he’s referring to, that they’ve provided a drainage easement as well as off-site drainage for future development,” Niewiadomski added.
P&Z Commission member Garrett Glass made a motion, which Twila Gill seconded to approve the final plat for Dollar General Addition as recommended by city staff and authorizing the execution of a community facilities contract for the sewer line.
The P&Z Commission too approved a request from the Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation to re-plat 50.26 acres of land into two industrial lots to be called Assurance Business Park on West Main Street, west of State Highway 19, on the north side of US Highway 67, just east of Clayton Mobile Homes.
Lot 2 of Assurance Business Park, per the EDC proposal, would be subdivided into a 37 acre lot and a 13 acre parcel, to be heavy industrial zoning, which would be consistent The EDC proposed subdividing the property for future industry, which would include a new street with water and sewer extensions. Zoned heavy industrial, the EDC would install about 650 feet of 40-foot wide concrete street and cul-de-sac within the standard 60 feet of right-of-way. There would be about 640 feet of sewer installed into the site and a 12-inch water main along Main Street, including off-site extension and fire hydrants.
The city engineer reviewed the plans and found the roadway design, utilities and drainage plan for the site and found them to be acceptable. Niewiadomski said city staff recommended approving the plat and authorizing the city manager to execute a community facilities contract for the public infrastructure improvements.
“What is the reason for the split?” asked P&Z Chair Craig English.
“They have a user that wants to go on the back part of that property and they don’t need the full 50 acres, so they’ve got to subdivide it. And if you’ll recall too when we were talking about the Stone Creek subdivision, it’s on the other side of the 12 inch water line. EDC will be bringing the 12-inch water line from CMH Road up to this development so that a future time will make that connection between the two to have a full loop through the system,” Niewiadomski noted.
The motion was unanimously approved by the four members of the P&Z present at the Oct. 16 meeting granting approval and authorizing the city manager to execute a community facilities contract for the public infrastructure improvements.
Special Use Permit
process
Niewiadomski also discussed and presented to the P&Z Board additional potential parameters for consideration during the special use permit application process. City officials were charged with revamping the standards and requirements to include specific criteria that may be considered. Six different types of uses were noted, as well as whether each should still require a special use permit, whether it should have a minimum zoning requirement and other considerations addressed brought forth that might be applicable for consideration.
The proposal would require amusement parks, hotels and motels to obtain special use permits, and to be light commercial zoning or higher. City staff recommended that athletic fields, race tracks, carnivals, fair grounds and golf driving ranges still be required to obtain special use permits, but would not necessarily require minimum zoning. Hospitals and certain clinics would not necessarily require a special use permit. but would be recommended as heavy commercial; the language for this group needs to be updated, however, to incorporate mental health and group homes. Penal correctional use would need a special use permit, would be at minimum heavy commercial zoned and meet state requirements. Radio towers would need special use permits, but would not be zoned, but should be aesthetically pleasing, with certain federal preemptions that limit local regulation.
Standards of approval would be added for conformance, traffic, impact to surrounding areas, public safety, environmental impact, aesthetic and design considerations, historical and cultural preservation, hours of operation, whether it has adequate infrastructure, impact on schools and services, mitigation measures and special requirements, as recommended by city staff.