Arby’s restaurant coming to Clinton

By Clinton Courier | January 24, 2022 |

By Katherine R. Dougan

With the 5-1 approval of site plans for an Arby’s restaurant at 320 Highway 80 East, Clintonians can soon add roast beef and more to local dining selections. The restaurant will be constructed on the old Bumpers drive in site. Sandeep “Sunny” Sethi attended the January 4 Board of Aldermen meeting, representing both Arby’s and the seller of the lot.
A request for dimensional variances on both sides of the narrow lot was approved at the Board’s October 5, 2021, meeting; however, once civil engineers began work, it was apparent that the variances would not be enough space for a drive-through, City Community Development Director Roy Edwards explained to the Board.
The developer came back before the Board this month seeking to amend the site plan that was approved on October 5, Edwards explained.
“They had originally been granted a two-foot variance from the required five-foot landscaping variance on both sides of the property,” said Edwards. Presently, there is an existing retaining wall on one side of the property that limits the width of the drive-through. Edwards explained that the property will also need a retaining wall on the other side of the property, which will also take space from the drive-through area.
“What they’re asking is to do away with the landscaping on both sides [of the drive-through],” said Edwards. Ten percent of the total gross acreage of the property is required to be landscaped in order to meet City criteria, and the remaining landscaping planned will meet that requirement, Edwards explained. “They will still have the landscaping, but won’t have landscaping between the drive-through and the retaining wall.”
“If you do away with all the landscaping on the side, where will the landscaping be?” Ward 4 Alderman Chip Wilbanks queried.
Edwards explained that there will still be landscaping behind and to the rear of the property, as well as towards the front and around the building.
“And you’re going to use the retaining wall that’s there on one side and build a retaining wall on the other side?” Ward 2 Alderman Jim Martin asked. Sethi confirmed that Martin was correct.
“We knew this was a narrow lot to start with, and we knew you had some challenges with that, too. So, we appreciate you working with that,” Martin said, and then made a motion to approve.
The Board approved the site plan for Arby’s by a 5-1 vote; Wilbanks was the dissenting vote.
According to the company’s website, Arby’s was founded in 1964 and is the second-largest sandwich restaurant brand in the world, with more than 3,400 restaurants in nine countries.