Aiken City Council gives final approval to east Aiken Parker's Kitchen
Mar. 15—Two of the three Parker's Kitchens planned for Aiken continue to move forward.
The Aiken City Council voted unanimously Monday evening to approve the second and final reading of an ordinance allowing a Parker's Kitchen to be constructed at the intersection of East Pine Log Road and Levels Church Road.
The ordinance approved Tuesday upon the motion of Lessie Price and a second by Ed Girardeau annexes 3.38 acres at the intersection of East Pine Log Road and Levels Church Road, zones it planned commercial and approves the concept plan for the convenience store.
The group asking the city council to annex, zone and approve the concept plan was VSL Development.
The property being annexed is owned by William Putnam. Aiken County property tax records indicate he purchased the property from Clarence Lamont DeLoach on Sept. 3, 2022 for $100,000.
Aiken County zoned the property urban development prior to its annexation into the city.
The concept plan calls for the construction of a 5,175-square-foot store with a kitchen and indoor seating and 10 fuel pump islands under a canopy. Another part of the site would provide a fuel location for larger vehicles.
The store and fuel pump island would be located on the southern portion of the property near the intersection of Pine Log Road and Levels Church Road. The larger vehicle fueling area would be located on the northern part of the property near the railroad tracks.
Access to the gas station would be provided through a right-in, right-out only intersection on Pine Log Road, two full access driveways on Levels Church Road and two one-way turns for larger vehicles on Levels Church Road.
City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said during the discussion of the ordinance he had been informed construction plans had been submitted for the Parker's Kitchen planned for the former Dick Smith property at the corner of Robert M. Bell Parkway (the bypass around Aiken) and the Jefferson Davis Highway (US 1/78) meaning that project would also be moving forward.
The city council approved the plan to construct a Parker's Kitchen on the former Dick Smith property last year.
The concept plan for that project calls for eight fuel pumps, indoor seating for 16 people and a kitchen inside the building. Access would be available via the bypass or the Jefferson Davis Highway.
The Aiken Planning Commission voted to recommend the city council approve the construction of another Parker's Kitchen at the intersection of Whiskey Road and Stratford Drive in January. However, the city council continued the ordinance approving the plan in February and it has not returned to a council agenda.
The council also approved the second and final readings of ordinances annexing and zoning single family homes at 19 Russellwood Court, 1107 Williams Drive and 1892 Huckleberry Lane.
The council approved the first reading of ordinances approving changes to the boundaries of the city council districts to account for population changes found by the 2020 Census and authorizing an agreement with the Municipal Association of South Carolina relating to local revenue services.
The council also approved the reappointment of Dr. Lisa Handy to the Equine Commission.
