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Loyalsock Township supervisors approved the land development plan for Popeyes on the Golden Strip but held a healthy discussion with neighbors, an engineering representing the franchise and themselves as they see traffic congestion and stacking of vehicles as a possibility when the restaurant opens in the fall.
Some of these conditions were presented by the township planning commission and efforts are underway to work with state Department of Transportation to get delineation marks on East Third Street to prevent traffic from turning left from the street onto Russell Avenue.
The avenue is where the vehicles will enter the restaurant based on the land development plan as approved.
Bill Burdett, township manager, said in a telephone call unable to be at the meeting live that he would be speaking with PennDOT about the request.
Several supervisors expressed concern, including John C. Bower Jr., not on the project itself, but on potential impact of traffic on the avenue and nearby Homewood Avenue, as people access the restaurant.
Bower said he did not want to see a repeat of what occurs with stacking of traffic entering the Dunkin', also on East Third Street.
"I see a headache coming," Bower said, specifying his concern was related to traffic and not the operation of a new restaurant, which he and the supervisors welcomed.
"PennDOT needs to review that again," Bower said.
A Popeyes engineer said the restaurant design plan shows 12 vehicles able to be lined up from the ordering board to East Third Street.
The restaurant is capable of serving 100 vehicles per hour in its drive-through, he said.
It anticipated about 69 vehicles per hour at peak hours of operation, and that could increase during the initial opening, he noted.
He said he based the data on other Popeyes and data collected as part of land development plan proposals.
But Bower said the situation at Dunkin' has been a "nightmare" for four to five years.
Supervisor Paul Nyman acknowledged the traffic congestion came close to his heart when his daughter was "t-boned" in a motor vehicle accident on the Golden Strip.
Nyman, too, lives close to the commercial district and is familiar with the congestion and traffic-related concerns.
A resident who lives in the 300 block of Russell Avenue said the street is narrow to begin with and he was concerned he would no longer be able to park on it outside of his home and would be blocked by the swarm of traffic heading into the restaurant.
Other residents said the impact of the restaurant will likely be felt on Homewood Avenue and other streets to the north of East Third Street, as people enter the restaurant through residential neighborhoods via Northway Road and Interstate 180.
Additional requirements posed by the supervisors included privacy fencing built around the perimeter and snow removal.
Supervisor Marc C. Sortman, chairman, made it clear while the supervisors welcomed the restaurant they also wanted to ensure the needs of those visiting it and living near it were met.
He noted how taxpaying residents should continue to have the "valued lifestyle" they expect and supervisors were not going to take that away just because they live close to the commercial district.
The solid privacy fence is along the northern and western property lines. It will not go so far as to impede site for those leaving the restaurant.
The commercial district, and taxes derived from it, are one of the reasons the taxes in the township remain low traditionally over the years, according to Sortman.
Supervisor Virginia M. Eaton noted how the supervisors have since she has been on the board promoted safety and traffic control is a part of that role.
Eaton agreed with the privacy screening to block noise and other nuisances related to the restaurant.