Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners hear objections to Dollar General parking variance; public and some commissioners question fairness
Summary
A public hearing on a requested parking reduction for a proposed Dollar General store drew objections from residents and at least one commissioner who said large national retailers should not get exemptions smaller businesses must meet. The developer presented a parking study based on similar stores and said site constraints limit more spaces.
At a public hearing July 15, Baker County commissioners considered a variance request to reduce off‑street parking for a proposed Dollar General store on State Road 121 and County Road 23C. The county’s planning staff reported the building plan would normally require roughly 52 spaces under county code (5 spaces per 1,000 square feet); the applicant asked to reduce the requirement to 33 spaces based on a parking study and similar store performance.
TerraMore Development’s counsel, Britney Williams, told commissioners the company’s counts at comparable rural stores showed peak demand far below the county formula and argued a reduction avoids unnecessary pavement and drainage impacts. Engineer Pete Schonauer said site constraints — septic setback, well and detention placement — limit the available footprint, and the plan therefore showed the proposed layout with 33 spaces.
Several commissioners and at least one resident pushed back. Commissioners noted that large national retailers often seek variances that smaller local businesses cannot afford to request, and that the county’s code is applied unevenly when large chains receive relief. Commissioner Bennett said he had “a hard time approving something for reducing the parking requirements” and asked for staff to provide alternative layout options and confirm whether additional parking could be reasonably accommodated on the parcel without undermining septic, drainage and buffering requirements. Residents at the hearing asked for landscaping and fencing buffers because the proposed site sits near existing homes and an RV park.
Local planning staff noted the variance is permitted under county code if the board finds that the site constraints and technical data justify less parking, and that LPA (the county planning board) had recommended approval. No final decision on the variance was recorded in the public hearing minutes; the item remained under consideration pending additional information.
Quotes: “If Dollar General, which is a high‑volume retail, they move a lot… if they don't need to meet (the standard), then why don't we change our standards completely?” Commissioner Bennett said, reflecting the fairness concerns raised by small local businesses.
Next steps: staff will provide the commissioners the site civil plans, seek any possible layout alternatives to increase parking if feasible, and present additional site‑specific buffering and code compliance information to the board before any final action.
