The Kokomo Plan Commission has rejected Chick-fil-A’s proposal due to traffic concerns, delaying the fast food chain’s entry into the city.
The area near Indiana 931 and Markland Avenue is already super busy, and the board members were worried about adding more cars to the mix. They felt the location just wasn’t right for a new fast food spot.
After the vote, the company’s plans for a development were put on hold. It’s unclear if this will completely stop Chick-fil-A from coming to Kokomo, but it definitely slows things down. The city has a rule that says if a proposal gets voted down, they have to wait 180 days before trying again unless they make some big changes.
Some board members shared their thoughts after the meeting. They mentioned that the location was the biggest concern for them. One member, Cathy Stover, said it’s just not a good spot for more traffic.
The board president, Mike Besser, was the one who cast the tie-breaking vote. He said the expected increase in traffic was his top worry. He wanted to know if there would be any changes to the busy intersection, but he didn’t get clear answers.
Chick-fil-A picked this location because it’s busy, but that’s also why many locals are against it. They think there are better spots for the restaurant. The company’s civil engineer mentioned they looked at other places but settled on this one for its high traffic.
Interestingly, Chick-fil-A might not stop at just one location. They’re hoping this could be the first of several in Kokomo. But for now, they’ve got to figure out their next steps after this setback.
Last year, the city asked Chick-fil-A to connect to Imperial Drive, which they weren’t keen on. The city believes this would help with traffic flow, but it’s been a tough sell to residents who live nearby.
One local, Jeffrey Cowell, expressed his worries about how this would affect his property. He feels like his home is right in the middle of all the chaos.
Regardless of Chick-fil-A’s plans, the city is still considering opening up Imperial Drive to help with traffic. They’ll need to get approval from city officials before moving forward, though.
