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Commissioners allow third drive‑thru at Hickory Flat Marketplace to accommodate Chicken Salad Chick
Summary
After a public hearing and applicant presentation, the Board unanimously approved a modification permitting a third full drive‑thru with a menu board at the Hickory Flat Marketplace site to accommodate an incoming Chicken Salad Chick tenant.
The Cherokee County Board on May 19 voted unanimously to permit an additional full drive‑thru lane at the Hickory Flat Marketplace, modifying prior zoning conditions that had capped drive‑thru facilities.
Planning staff reviewed the request from Hickory Flat 140, LLC and the applicant presented a site plan and operational rationale. Ethan Underwood and Miles Coggins of Chicken Salad Chick explained that drive‑thru sales represent a substantial share of the chain’s business in locations of similar scale and that the proposed menu board and drive‑thru design are tucked behind the buildings and not readily visible from Hickory Flat Highway.
Commissioners sought and received public input and asked whether the change would be appropriate regardless of tenant. Several Commissioners signaled they would support a third drive‑thru based on the site's layout and community interest; Commissioner Wetherbee moved to approve the third full drive‑thru, a motion seconded and approved unanimously.
The board’s decision allows three full drive‑thru restaurants with menu boards and one pickup‑only window at the development; staff noted that site design and traffic management will be reviewed as part of subsequent permitting.
