Fast food restaurants are 24 hours of noise, lights and smells
The idea of allowing fast food restaurants in or near neighborhoods was supposed to be heard by the Cookeville City Council last Thursday. The potential change to the zoning code would allow drive-thru restaurants in the Neighborhood Commercial Zone (NCZ) (the zone is intended to be a mix of residential and limited business use) and has been met with resistance by citizens who live in those areas.
“We are hearing you,” said councilman Chad Gilbert, “and we want to get this right. I encourage everyone … to go to the Planning Commission (meeting) … Your ideas are welcome. We want to hear your comments and we want to get it right.”
The council sent that action back to the Planning Commission Thursday night because, as we know, fast food restaurants are 24 hours of noise, lights, and smells. For those reasons, Peggy Semmes, among others, made it known that they would prefer a palatable distance between a neighborhood and a fast-food restaurant.
Seems like a reasonable request.
“I think it is important for everyone who came out for this tonight to make sure you make it to the planning commission and hear that process through,” said Councilman Erik Walker.
Walker said he agrees that fast food restaurants should not be allowed in NCZ.
“ I think that drive-thru restaurants, fast food specifically, should probably be left out of the Neighborhood commercial. There are a lot of other drive-thrus, so we can find a way to mitigate that. … Banks are certainly neighborhood businesses, and the pharmacies have been good for neighborhoods. We have great neighborhood coffee shops that have sprung up in Cookeville. Some of them have been able to do a little drive-thru window. … If there is a way, or if we can find a way to mitigate that, that would be great.”
In 2018, the city voted to allow the restaurants in NCZ, but only in areas of high traffic. The council wants the zoning commission to take another look before fast food restaurants begin to set up shop in the NCZ. The planning commission meets on Monday, July 28, at 5:30 p.m. at Cookeville City Hall at 45 E. Broad Street.
Photo via City of Cookeville.
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