SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Planning and Economic Development rejected the application for a new Chick-fil-A restaurant on 29th and Regal on the South Hill on Nov. 29.
In the letter to 4G Development & Consulting, Inc., the development company that submitted the application for the South Hill Chick-fil-A, the planning and development department said the application proposed nearly 100 more parking spaces than can fit in the desired location.
In the application, the company said they plan to demolish existing buildings in its selected lot, across the street from KFC and A&W, and create a 4,987-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant. The restaurant would include 90 dining room seats, an indoor playground, 16 outdoor seats, two drive-through lanes capable of holding 28 cars and more than 100 parking spaces.
According to the planning and development department, the proposed Chick-fil-A location can hold four parking spots per 1,000 gross square feet of floor area.
The application requested a total of 4,987 square feet of floor area, meaning the proposed Chick-fil-A location can accommodate a maximum of 20 parking spots. The proposal sought 113 parking spots, in addition to drive-thru facilities for the restaurant.
Kirstin Davis, the city of Spokane's communication manager, told KREM 2 the developers met with planning staff on Dec. 9 for more clarification on why the application was denied. The developers were given until Tuesday to appeal the decision, but Davis said they did not.
The city planning department said a major change to the proposal "would be necessary to be considered for exemption from the parking maximums."
This news comes as South Hill Grill, which is currently located on the lot 4G Development & Consulting wanted to put the Chick-fil-A, is preparing to move to a new location on 57th Avenue.
"It felt like everything turned upside down suddenly," South Hill Grill general manager Chelsea Struck told KREM 2. "The news hit that the Chick-fil-A was coming, it kind of blindsided us. We had no idea that was even happening."
Struck did not want Chick-fil-A rumors to shut down her restaurant.
"The outreach of the community and just how devastated everyone was made us kind of be like, we can't close down," she said. "This can't be the end. We have to relocate."
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