News

Publix wins permit to open Wednesday

By Bill Moss, Published: September 25, 2018

Publix is set to open its 50,000-square-foot Hendersonville store at 7 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a temporary certificate of occupancy allowing 90 extra days to get a federal floodplain permit.

Publix has filed numerous applications with regulators for the permit, which the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program administers on behalf of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Henderson County issued the temporary certificate of occupancy on Aug. 29. On Monday, engineers for Publix and its contractor, Benning Construction of Atlanta, received notification that the state flood prevention agency needed more documentation.
“They’re very close,” City Manager John Connet said, describing the regulatory agency’s request as routine.
The state agency required Publix to submit a workmap designating the special flood hazard area that would be removed from the regulatory floodway and evidence that it had notified the public and surrounding property owners of the request. Publix received a Conditional Letter of Map Revision and must have the final letter before it receives its permanent certificate of occupancy.

The regulatory process has been a long one for the supermarket chain's engineers. The state issued the conditional letter of map revision after Publix tried six times to win a no-rise permit under FEMA regulations showing that the development would not cause flood conditions to worsen.

Contractors for Publix have completed work on center-turn and right-turn lanes on Greenville Highway and White Street into the shopping center as required by the NCDOT.