The owner of a fairly new convenience store on a busy entryway into downtown can no longer legally operate after Macon-Bibb County’s Planning & Zoning Commission revoked his zoning compliance during Monday’s hearings.
Sonal Patel will have to restart the zoning application process if he wants to continue business at 1436 Forsyth St., and comply with historic district guidelines on the adjoining parcel that has its own issues at the corner of Monroe Street.
The revocation comes after a long saga of violations involving unauthorized signs, a prohibited driveway and lack of required landscaping on the historic district corner property, 1408 Forsyth St., which once housed the 1966 Handy Andy that a contractor illegally demolished in 2022 as part of this project.
“We have had a long history with this property and this property owner,” P&Z Executive Director Jeff Ruggieri told commissioners. “We’ve had a lot of discussions, gave a lot of concessions, understanding that we want businesses to be successful here in the county. So, we work with the applicant to provide him a way to do so. The applicant has not done that at every step of the way.”
Commercial realtor Jim Rollins, who represented Patel before P&Z as the applicant on this project, had no excuses to relay at Monday’s hearing.
“The owner of the business is guilty, guilty as charged,” Rollins said, but still appealed to commissioners for mercy when it comes to the driveway. He said the owner is struggling to stay in business and has not been able to rent two adjoining storefronts on one-way Forsyth Street.
“I would ask y’all to take into consideration possibly leaving that driveway open to help him and hopefully help his business enough so that he can stay in business,” Rollins pleaded.
After hearing Ruggieri explain that Patel failed to follow through on other promises made, P&Z Chair Jeane Easom said: “I would like to see him not have a license until he actually does what he says he’s going to do.”
In summer of 2022, P&Z denied the original design which included gasoline pumps. Commissioners worried that would be a safety hazard with fuel tankers turning into the property near a busy intersection.
After agreeing to a rehearing, and more discussion about traffic concerns, Rollins agreed to drop fuel sales.
Zoning compliance for a convenience store with alcohol sales to go was issued in 2023 only after the store scrapped plans for an entrance off Monroe Street. The chair of the Design Review Board at the time objected to that driveway in fear motorists would use it to circumvent the traffic light. That application also did not include any signage, but Patel erected signs without approval.
In October of 2024, when P&Z inspectors noticed what looked like driveway construction on the corner lot, they cited Patel. To bring Patel into compliance in February of 2025, Rollins secured P&Z approval to build a sidewalk to allow foot traffic from Monroe St.
Patel was required to landscape that corner lot with bushes and grass as part of that approval.
Only a handful of tiny shrubs were planted and asphalt pavement was placed adjacent to the sidewalk and a portion of a retaining wall along the dividing line of the store parcel was removed. As a result, vehicles can now enter the store parking lot from Monroe Street, which was evident by tire tracks shown in a recent photo of the property.
Patel also faces fines of $1,000 and P&Z will notify state and local authorities and request revocation of Patel’s licenses to do business.
The store was still open Tuesday afternoon and vehicles were using the unauthorized driveway to enter and exit.
3 Strikes for Fatty’s, turning trucks
After Fatty’s Pizza’s Christine Lee failed to show up for a third scheduled hearing before P&Z to gain approval for a drive-thru at 3955 Arkwright Road, P&Z denied the request.
At each scheduled hearing, commissioners and staff raised concerns that there is not enough room for two lanes of traffic to circle the building that also houses Steve’s Steak & Seafood, Azul Salon & Spa and Republic Finance.
They requested an accurate site plan with distances clearly marked, but never received one.
At 4400 Cavalier Drive, a revised site plan sealed the deal for a new 88-space truck parking lot on a 21-acre site.
At the last P&Z hearing, commissioners were concerned about adding additional truck traffic on that road that is also home to Cavalier Fields, Mount de Sales Academy’s athletic fields and football stadium.
Considering the number of new drivers traveling to the fields, commissioners requested a redesign that would only allow right turns out of the parking lot so that the big rigs would head up to Thomaston Road to Interstate 475, and not go past the fields that are closer to Columbus Road.
Monday, Justin Spillers of Spillers Design & Construction presented a new plan for a right-turn-in and right-turn-out.
Commissioners noted a tractor trailer driver could conceivably use the right-turn-in as an exit and head toward the athletic complex.
“You can’t stop people from being stupid,” Spillers noted. “Just honestly, if somebody wants to go out the wrong direction, I can do that in any place. I can go on the wrong exit way to the interstate, people do that all the time. I can’t stop everything.”
Spillers said truckers, many who are expected to be parking overnight, will go the quickest way back to the interstate to continue the journey, which is back to Thomaston Road.
Just to be sure, Ruggieri suggested they redesign the entrance to only allow left turns into the lot, which would require trucks also to arrive from Thomaston Road.
The revised plan was approved 3-1. Commissioner Mindy Attaway, who has a teen driver in her family who travels to the fields, voted against the plan.
East Macon ‘affordable’ homes, Tobo variance
In east Macon, Rowland Engineering is picking up again where the Great Recession of 2007-2009 left off — developing 94 home sites off Gray Highway on 26.6 acres abandoned when the economy tanked nearly 20 years ago.
P&Z approved the Stonebridge North cluster development at 2340 Crissy Drive three years ago, but Steve Rowland was back Monday applying for a 10-foot variance in front yard setbacks for 13 lots that back up to a steep drop, which leads to a regulated state waters buffer that cannot be disturbed.
The variance is needed so those lots could have “a little bit” of backyard, Rowland said.
“Ten feet vs. zero if we don’t get the variance,” Rowland explained.
Smith Douglas Homes expects to build two- to four-bedroom houses ranging from 1,051 to 2,053 square feet.
“Smith Douglass has a three-bedroom home that they’re building that they claim will start in the low two hundreds ($200,000), which is rare these days,” Rowland said.
Commissioners Kesia Stafford lamented there was no greenspace or amenities included in the design, which is not required in this R-3 zoning.
“I’m just looking at affordable housing and they tend to shortcut a little bit,” Stafford noted.
Easom also would have preferred less density to have common areas, but all four commissioners present Monday approved the variance.
“I’m delighted that this site is finally being developed and east Macon needs some new housing,” Easom said.
Commissioners also approved a 15-foot variance for 6375 Moseley Dixon Road, so the property owner can position a new home on a uniquely-shaped waterfront lot.
The new location of Academy Sports at 3651 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd. also will be allowed to display and sell merchandise under the overhang at the front of the old Publix grocery that most recently housed Big Lots. Academy also plans to expand the walkway in the front of the store.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
