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During a Zoom meeting Thursday night, Locust City Council tabled a decision until next month regarding a conditional rezoning request by Circle K to open a location at the southeast corner of N.C. Highway 24-27 and South Central Avenue.

The site, in between the South Central and Fairview Street lots, would feature a 5,200-square-foot convenience store, three underground fuel tanks and a canopy of seven fueling stations (0f which four will offer diesel), according to Paul Lawler, with Bowman Consulting Group, who is working with Circle K on the project. The total space would be about 2.5 acres.

Circle K also plans to install two electrical charging stations.

The property is zoned CC (City Center) The applicant is requesting a rezoning from City Center (CC) to City Center Conditional (CC-C).

The topography of the site is such that when it rains, a natural stormwater pond is created. Circle K plans to separate the stormwater area from the convenience store and fuel pumps by planting wax myrtle and large canopy trees to serve as buffers.

As one of the primary intersections in the city, the council members were concerned with the location of the stormwater pond, with many wanting it pushed back.

“We feel like we need to protect this (area) the best we can,” Mayor Pro-Tem Larry Baucom said.

After much discussion, council passed a motion to postpone making a decision until the next meeting, which would give Circle K more time to make necessary adjustments. Council specifically wants the stormwater pond to be pushed at least 10 feet back from the top right corner of the site and also behind the parking lot.

The council also scheduled two public hearings next month for conditional rezoning requests from Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries and PVG Trucking and approved an annexation agreement between the city and the town of Midland.

The next scheduled meeting is 7 p.m. Feb. 10.