Whiskey Road Parker's Kitchen to return to Aiken City Council agenda Monday

Matthew Christian, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·3 min read

Apr. 22—A real estate developer who spoke to the Aiken City Council on March 27 and asked for an ordinance approving a concept plan for a Parker's Kitchen to be located at the intersection of Whiskey Road and Stratford Drive to return on the council's agenda for the April 24 meeting will get his wish.

On the agenda for the 7 p.m. council meeting is the first reading of an ordinance approving a concept plan for a 5,175-square-foot gas station and convenience store to be located between a Lulu's Car Wash that's being built and Stratford Drive.

Parker's Kitchen is a Savannah-based gas station chain with over 70 stores mainly located in the Savannah/Hilton Head Island and Charleston areas. The Whiskey Road/Statford Drive store would be the company's third in Aiken. The first location is planned for the former Dick Smith dealership near the intersection of Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. 1/78) and the bypass and the second is planned for the intersection of East Pine Log Road and Levels Church Road.

Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said in a memorandum to city council the concept plan calls for eight pump islands facing Whiskey Road and access via Stratford Drive and Mammoth Pass. He added the Mammoth Pass access would be right in, right out only.

The Aiken Planning Commission voted 5-2 in January to recommend the council approve the concept plan for the Whiskey Road Parker's Kitchen. It was slated to be on the Feb. 13 city council agenda but was postponed to allow the developers to obtain a traffic study.

Daniel Ben-Yisrael, real estate development manager for the Drayton Parker Companies and Parker's Kitchen, said March 27 the traffic study had been completed and submitted to the city council March 23.

He added the traffic study was not required — Mayor Rick Osbon said Ben-Yisrael wouldn't have liked the council's vote on the ordinance without it — and that the developers had met with concerned residents between the Planning Commission meeting and the Feb. 13 Aiken City Council meeting. Ben-Yisrael said the developers had been told approval of the study from the city and the South Carolina Department of Transportation would be necessary.

He said the company respectfully asked for the ordinance to return to the council agenda April 24 because the developers were facing a contractual deadline to acquire the property and needed some indication from the council before proceeding with the contract.

Bedenbaugh added SCDOT approval could take up to 90 days which is beyond the developer's deadline.

Also on the agenda for the meeting are the first reading of ordinances:

—Rezoning property located at 791 York St. from light industrial to general business to allow for a healthcare business to move into the site;

—Rezoning property located at 206 Edgefield Ave. N.E. from limited professional to residential multifamily to allow for the construction of a single-family home on the property;

—Granting an easement across city-owned property in Verenes Industrial Park to Bear Mountain for use as a driveway; and

—Annexing and zoning a single-family home on Two Notch Road.

The council is expected to consider requests to provide water and sewer service to a 7-Eleven to be constructed near the intersection of Interstate 20 and Columbia Highway (U.S. Route 1) and a warehouse to be constructed near Verenes Industrial Park and a memorandum of understanding with Security Federal Bank for the EQUIP program.

The council is expected to consider a proclamation recognizing the 50th anniversary of Helping Hands, the reappointments of Cody Anderson to the Arts Commission and Kenna Black to the Accommodations Tax Committee and the appointment of Cathy Health to the Senior Commission.

The council will meet at 5 p.m. for a second work session on the 2023-2024 budget.

The meeting will be held in Room 309 of the Municipal Building located at 111 Chesterfield St. S.W.