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Staff recommends partial denial of variances for proposed gas pumps at 5039 Buford Highway; applicant requests council consideration
Summary
Staff told council it could not support several variance and waiver requests for a proposed six-pump fuel canopy at 5039 Buford Highway (PZ20251324), recommending denial of several items while supporting others related to pump and dumpster placement; the property owner told council a traffic study would cost about $15,000 and has not been completed yet.
Staff revisited a deferred application (PZ20251324) for multiple variances and waivers to allow six fuel pumps under a freestanding canopy at 5039 Buford Highway. Staff said the item had been deferred previously to give the applicant time to submit additional materials addressing traffic, pedestrian safety and façade issues; staff reported no new materials arrived by the deadline and recommended denial of variances 1 and 2 and several waivers, finding the site constraints did not constitute the hardship needed to support those requests. Staff recommended approval of variances 3–5 and waivers 4–5 (relating to dumpster placement, pump location and on‑site parking placement) with conditions, including masonry enclosure materials and substantial conformity with plans dated Sept. 30, 2025.
The applicant/owner (Rajnikandidi) spoke in the hearing and described the business history in Chamblee and a phased plan to add pumps and later change the building façade, saying the applicant had submitted required plans but had not commissioned a traffic study because of cost: "it's about to costing us more than, dollars 15,000 to do a traffic study, which is not a viable, option for us to spend until we know that what would be the decision of mayor and council." Council and staff exchanged questions; the work session transcript does not record a final council vote on the variances during this meeting.
