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Planning Commission recommends setback reduction and fast‑food conditional use for proposed Chick‑fil‑A
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended approval of a Major PUD revision to reduce a Washington Road setback and approved a conditional‑use permit for a Chick‑fil‑A, citing access and topography constraints and enhanced landscaping; both recommendations go to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 16, 2025.
The Columbia County Planning Commission on Dec. 4 recommended approval of two related applications from a proposed Chick‑fil‑A at Marketview Parkway and Washington Road: a Major Planned Unit Development revision to reduce the front setback and a conditional‑use permit to allow fast‑food use on the parcel.
Staff presented the applications and said the site — roughly 1.9 acres within the Riverwood planning development — faces access and topographic constraints that limit where the building and drive aisle can be located. Staff explained the setback along Washington Road is currently 125 feet but the applicant asked to reduce it to about 80 feet to accommodate a drive‑through canopy. Staff also said the applicant increased landscaping along Washington Road to screen the canopy and that, overall, the canopy is a relatively small, open structure intended to shelter customers and employees while orders are taken.
“Right now it’s a bunch of undergrowth that’s kind of developed over time, and we want to make that look well while still doing what we need to help with traffic flow,” John Welsh of Foresight Group, representing Chick‑fil‑A, said about the proposed landscape improvements.
Will (planning staff) told the commission that the drive‑through canopy is the primary reason for the requested reduction and that staff recommends approval of the PUD revision and the conditional‑use application. Commissioners moved and voted to recommend both items; the commission recorded the motions and a voice/hand vote but did not read an individual roll‑call tally into the record.
The applications were identified in the record as RZ25‑12‑02 (Major PUD revision) and RZ25‑12‑03 (conditional use for fast food) and reference Tax Map 065, Parcel 674. Both recommendations will be forwarded to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for final action at its Dec. 16, 2025 meeting.
Next steps: the Board of Commissioners will consider the staff reports and the Planning Commission’s recommendation on Dec. 16; no final county decision was made at the Dec. 4 meeting.
