IMAX, Rural King development plans move through planning commission

KINGSPORT — The Kingsport Regional Planning Commission met Thursday and approved several development plans, including two sites at the Fort Henry Mall.The commission unanimously approved the preliminary zoning development plan for the IMAX theater at the mall. According to the agenda packet, the Kingsport Planning Division recommended approval of the project considering the proposed addition is far from the parcel boundaries and the minimum parking requirements are maintained."After parking is adjusted to accommodate the theatre, a total of 41 parking spaces will be lost," a report within the agenda packet states. "The mall site and associated parcel will still maintain an overabundance of parking space that satisfies the parking code."According to the packet, the plans also meet the development standards of a B-4P zone.The proposed site "currently contains a mall drive isle and parking stalls," but the proposal would recirculate traffic around the expansion."I think this is a very positive indicator for the city," Alderman Gary Mayes added at the meeting. "I am excited for this project."Owners of the mall applied for a commercial permit pertaining to the theater on Feb. 4. Once the proper permitting is approved, build out for the theater is scheduled to take nine months, the Times News previously reported.Rural KingThe commission also approved the amended preliminary zoning development plan for Rural King's expanded outdoor display area. The Kingsport Board of Zoning Appeals approved a related request at its March 6 meeting.This amended plan adds 11,226 square feet to Rural King's outdoor display area, specifically for the nursery part."This item, just like the initial approval, also got a special exception from our city's Board of Zoning Appeals earlier this month for this nursery as well because they're in the B-4P zone," Kingsport Planning Manager Ken Weems said at the meeting. "These are also special exceptions, and they are still good on their parking requirements, even after these spaces are consumed with outdoor display area."Thirty parking stalls would be lost in the process of implementing this area for Rural King, bringing the new total to 632 stalls across two lots, according to the agenda packet from the March 6 Kingsport Board of Zoning Appeals meeting.No official opening date has been announced for Rural King by the developers or mall owners as of Thursday evening, but mall representatives previously hinted at a spring opening.WalmartThe commission conditionally approved a preliminary zoning development plan for a fuel center at the 3200 Fort Henry Drive Walmart in Kingsport. Commission members discussed traffic concerns regarding the egress on the southern entrance."I wasn't sure if the intention was for people to try to turn left out of that space, or what I couldn't really tell from the drawing," commission member Sam Booher said.Gabriel Loth, a representative of the Walmart store, said that the main issue is that it impacts the truck route, so there are trucks coming in from that direction."We have the trucks coming in there and then turning right, and then moving around the canopy to the fill ports next to the building," Loth said. "So that's why we have that not blocked off. And if we have an entrance there, you might as well have an exit.""You make a good point about the trucks, but I do think folks coming off of Fort Henry Drive are going to merge right there," Mayes said. "And that's a heavy traffic entrance right there, as you well know."Weems said when plans are resubmitted, the commission will review and put it in the "other business" section for next month's meeting.The next Kingsport Regional Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on April 17 in the Montgomery-Watterson Boardroom inside City Hall. A work session for the regular meeting will be held at noon on April 14 in #226 Conference Room inside City Hall.