Lincoln County tables Kwik Trip special‑use permit after hours of traffic and safety concerns

Commissioners and the Planning Board on Feb. 3 paused a decision on a proposed Kwik Trip gas station and convenience store after residents and local merchants raised persistent concerns about traffic, seasonal beach crowds and safety at a congested Unity Church Road/NC‑16 Business intersection.

Planning staff introduced ZMA‑740, a rezoning petition to reclassify about 1.42 acres at the northeast corner of NC‑16 Business and Unity Church Road from neighborhood business to general business; the special‑use permit (SUP‑517) for a gas station and convenience retail is contingent on that rezoning. After presentations from the applicant and the county’s traffic engineer, more than a dozen residents and business owners urged delay or denial.

Why it matters: Speakers said the intersection is already congested during peak hours and that a nearby seasonal swim beach will increase one‑way traffic flows in summer months. Multiple residents pointed to safety risks for children at a nearby daycare and to the likelihood drivers will cut through local sites to avoid backups.

Kwik Trip representatives said the company’s site analysis shows much of the store’s activity will be “captured” from existing local traffic and that the company plans construction sequencing to avoid opening while DOT intersection improvements are active. “We are committed to coincide our construction with the scheduled road improvements, and they are committing on the record tonight that they will not open that store until those road improvements have completed,” said JD Dudley, a Kwik Trip real estate manager.

Traffic study and company commitments: Clay Smith, the traffic engineer for the applicant, said the firm followed Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) guidance (version 11) and modeled weekday and weekend peaks. He said the study predicts the intersection will reach an acceptable level of service (level C) after planned improvements are completed. Residents disputed the assumptions and timing used in the study, arguing counts taken in August do not reflect peak beach season.

Public concerns: Martin Oaks, a resident, told the boards that “when the beach parking lot is full, there won’t be any more trips down that road” is a faulty assumption, adding that drivers routinely turn around and leave when a destination is full and those trips still count toward congestion. Multiple small business owners and residents added that construction traffic and the long, uncertain timeline for DOT work could compound short‑term safety and access problems.

Board action and next steps: After hearing presentations, questions and extended public comment, Commissioner Cecena moved to table SUP‑517 to the boards’ Feb. 17 meeting. The motion passed by voice vote. The tabled hearing gives staff and applicants time to address traffic modeling questions, coordination with DOT on the intersection schedule and potential mitigation measures such as signage to signal beach parking capacity.

What’s next: SUP‑517 will return to the Feb. 17 joint meeting for additional consideration; the applicant and staff said they will provide supplemental material about traffic counts, construction sequencing and proposed mitigations.

Sources: Planning staff presentation; applicant testimony (Rob Brown; JD Dudley; Clay Smith); public comments from residents and business owners at the Feb. 3 joint meeting.