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Council approves setback variance for new Raising Cane’s drive-through; DOT review sought for Highway 80 traffic
Summary
A variance was approved to allow a double‑lane drive-through at the former Applebee’s site on Highway 80 East for a proposed Raising Cane’s; council noted traffic congestion and said staff will request Georgia DOT review.
The Statesboro City Council approved a variance (B25-O8-O5) to allow a reduced setback for redevelopment of the former Applebee’s site at 24087 Highway 80 East, where the applicant plans a two‑lane drive-through for a Raising Cane’s restaurant. Planning staff said the site is in an MX (mixed-use) activity regional center and that most traffic will use existing ingress/egress points.
Planning staff described the site layout and the need to demolish the old building to construct a new restaurant footprint. The only enumerated condition of the approval requires the applicant to submit a tree and landscaping plan conforming to the unified development code.
During discussion council members raised traffic-congestion concerns along US Highway 80 and said staff would contact the Georgia Department of Transportation to request an updated study or mitigation review. The applicant’s engineer, Cody Rogers of EMC Engineering, was present and available to answer technical questions. The council voted to approve the setback variance with the staff-recommended landscaping condition.
