Plans for alcohol sales at Macon Starbucks approved

Starbucks moved closer to getting the permitting it needs to sell beer and wine at its Forsyth Road location.

The Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved Monday a conditional-use permit to allow alcohol to be consumed at Starbucks' existing restaurant at 4640 Forsyth Road.

“This is part of Starbucks’ evening program where at a certain time of the day they will convert to an evening menu and have some small plate dinner options, and if approved, start serving craft beers and wine,” said Macon attorney George Greer, representing Coffee House Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. “The general time for converting to the evening menu is at 2 p.m.”

The restaurant would be open 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, except on Sundays when it would close at 10 p.m.

When asked by Commissioner Bryan Scott when Starbucks would begin offering the new menu, Greer said the company had not given him a timetable.

“But my expectations are that this is moving quickly based on my interactions with them so far,” he said.

In another matter, plans for a convenience store on Arkwright Road at Sheraton Drive and Interstate 75 in Macon were deferred again.

A conditional-use application has been filed with the commission to allow a convenience store with alcohol-to-go sales at 3910 Arkwright Road. The 1.02-acre site is at the northwest corner of Arkwright Road and Sheraton Drive, adjacent to the Highridge Center office building.

The item was deferred at the Feb. 22 hearing to allow time for the applicant, Jim Mitchelle, to provide more information about the building and retaining walls.

Plans call for a 3,800-square-foot store, canopy and five fuel pumps. The store, which would employ four people, is expected to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to the commission’s staff report.

Paul Shannon, representing the developer, asked the board to defer the matter until some questions about the architectural drawings are resolved, and the commission agreed.

Other items on the agenda were:

CONDITIONAL USES

154 McGhee St.: Conditional use to allow a group personal care home at an existing home healthcare agency, C-2 District. Dowanna Hardy, applicant. Approved.

4354 Mercer University Drive: Conditional use to allow a church in an existing building, C-1 District. Kevin Williams, applicant. Approved.

985 Plant St.: Conditional use to allow phase II of a previously approved multifamily development with modification to the conceptual site plan, PDR District. George Greer, Tindall Partners II, LP, applicant. Approved.

111 Trojan Trail: Conditional use to allow a telecommunication tower, R-1AAA District. Kiersten Lurer, TowerCom V, LLC, applicant. Deferred.

5926 Columbus Road: Conditional use to allow a contractor office with outside storage, sales and display, PDE District. Jeff Surles, applicant. Approved.

452 First St.: Conditional use to allow nonprofit art center, music venue and business incubator, CBD-1 District. Melissa Marker, applicant. Approved.

VARIANCES

111 Trojan Trail: Variance in telecommunication tower height requirements, R-1AAA District. Kiersten Lurer, TowerCom V, LLC, applicant. Deferred.

VIOLATIONS

2055 Knightsbridge Road: In violation of Section 23.01 of the Comprehensive Land Development for the city of Macon and Bibb County for operating an illegal home occupation (auto repair and storage). Janet Hunt. Found in violation. Owner has 30 days to become compliant or will be cited.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Plans for alcohol sales at Macon Starbucks approved."