News

Publix zoning request goes to city Planning Board

By Bill Moss, Published: December 10, 2015

Publix fans who have been looking forward to the grocery chain's first Hendersonville store can take heart. It's not dead.

The Hendersonville Planning Board takes up development approval for the supermarket on Greenville Highway at White Street next week.

Engineers have been working with the Hendersonville Planning Department for the past several months on plans for the Atha Plaza property currently under contract.

The developer has submitted site preparation plans to meet drainage, parking and stream buffer requirements, said city planner Dave Hazzard. The developer’s request for a special use permit is scheduled to be heard at the Planning Board meeting at 4 p.m. Monday in the City Operations Center.
The developer, Halvorsen Development Corp. of Boca Raton, Fla., has built shopping centers for Publix in Florida, North Carolina and other states. Although Publix has not yet confirmed that it plans the new supermarket, Halvorsen filed plans recently that for the first time show a Publix on the site.
“We don’t comment until a lease is signed,” said Kim Reynolds, communications manager for Publix’s Charlotte office. “We’re always looking for new locations and we certainly want to grow our business in the Western North Carolina corridor. We continue to get numerous requests from that area for a new store.”
The plans by Kimley-Horn and Associates of Charlotte show a 49,000-square-foot store on 6.9 acres on Greenville Highway at White Street. The development would take the land that currently contains Atha Plaza, Pro-Source, the old Tractor Shed and El Paso restaurant.
Publix is seeking variances on stream buffer setbacks and planting strips, Hazzard said. After the Planning Board makes recommendation, the request for a special use permit goes to the City Council. The NCDOT would review plans for traffic control. Because it’s on an entry corridor, the project also must comply with a city code requirement to add extra landscaping.
Publix would become the 18th grocery store in Henderson County. The City Council has approved plans by Ingles to replace its Spartanburg Highway store with a new superstore that would include a Starbucks and pharmacy and a fancier meat department and meals to go.