Scaled down EZ Stop? Store brass ‘evaluating’
It was, in effect, a roughly 29 percent chop of EZ Stop officials’ original plans to build a 7,000-square convenience store/restaurant at the corner of Concord Road and Second Street adjacent to the Old Concord Historic neighborhood.
While EZ Stop was required to scale down its plans to a maximum 5,000-square foot operation to meet the standards per a Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals ruling Wednesday, Aug. 28, it left an outspoken Old Concord neighborhood resident — a leader in the movement to prevent EZ-Stop from building at this location — confused.
“Since their initial plan was proposed, they have insisted that they could not meet the zoning requirements for building size or address some of the other larger community concerns, such as eliminating the drive-thru and decreasing the number of pumps and still be profitable,” stated Taylor Harris, president of Old Concord Residents Association, which has led the fight to stop EZ Stop’s Concord Road plans, in a press release Monday afternoon, Sept. 9.
“So if that is true, we would be surprised to see them submit a plan that meets their business needs and the needs of the community,” she added. “I wouldn’t be able to comment on a plan I haven’t seen, but we’ll certainly be keeping an eye out.”
It was KCBZA reversing a Knox County Planning Commission vote of 8-4 July 11 granting the full-sized option, though requiring EZ-Stop’s number of gas pump stations reduced from seven (14 points of sale) to four (eight points of sale).
Tommy Hunt, president of Calloway Oil Company — parent company of 26 EZ Stops in the Knoxville Metro area — was quoted as saying his company would “have to go back with the architects and engineers and get that kind of design” to comply with the 5,000-square foot maximum.
However, a statement e-mailed to farragutpress Monday afternoon from Benjamin C. Mullins, EZ Stop attorney from the Knoxville firm Frantz McConnell & Seymour, it read, “We are currently evaluating options regarding the property and will share more details once available.”
Meanwhile, an archeological assessment apparently continues on the proposed store/restaurant site concerning the possible detection of unmarked graves there.
