Callaway commission approves variance for Dutch Bros drive‑thru and Firestone repair after heated public debate, 3‑2 vote

The Callaway Board of Commissioners voted 3‑2 on June 23 to approve a variance for a redevelopment at 535 North Tyndall Parkway that will allow a Dutch Bros drive‑thru concept (no indoor seating but outdoor seating and a pedestrian service window) and a Firestone auto repair/tire sales site in the town‑center overlay district.

Attorney Mike Burke, representing Palmetto Capital Group, introduced the project and said it lies in the city's CRA and will include shared access, sidewalks and stormwater improvements. Burke told the commission the proposal implements design and infrastructure features the applicant believes satisfy redevelopment objectives for the CRA.

Jeremy Anderson of Kimley‑Horn, the project's planner, outlined traffic and stacking studies, pedestrian access and architectural commitments, saying the design exceeds overlay standards for landscaping and building quality and that Dutch Bros provides substantial stacking and an order‑runner system to reduce queuing at the pickup lane.

The city's planning staff told the commission the Planning Board had unanimously recommended denial. Longtime residents and property representatives who spoke in favor of the variance argued the site has been vacant for years, that the proposal would remove an eyesore, and that it would create jobs and tax revenue. Christina Melvin, representing the property sellers, urged approval: "It's going to bring jobs and people and more opportunities to Callaway," she said.

Opponents and several commissioners cautioned that the town‑center overlay was designed to discourage drive‑thru‑only operations and automotive service uses in that corridor. Public commenters repeatedly said neighborhood character and the overlay's original intent should be respected; Teresa Langston, a resident, argued there are already multiple coffee shops and tire shops in the area and urged commissioners to heed citizen preferences.

Several commissioners said they were torn: some said they would rather attract restaurants or other uses, while others noted the property had been vacant for a decade and that attracting investment can be difficult. The commission debated precedent and whether approving the variance would undermine the overlay's long‑standing objectives.

The motion to approve the variance passed 3‑2. The recorded vote count was announced from the dais (passage on a 3‑2 vote); individual vote names were not recorded in the public portion of the transcript. Staff and applicants said the project will proceed through permitting and FDOT coordination for the state road frontage improvements.

Because the Planning Board recommended denial, staff said the approval represents a departure from the prior recommendation and would likely require careful conditions and permitting steps to ensure cross‑access, pedestrian connectivity and stormwater requirements are met.