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Dunkin Donuts building plans brought to trustees
AUSTINTOWN
Austintown Township trustees have approved Cocca Development’s request to expand the business zone on the land at 1514 S. Raccoon Road for a planned Dunkin Donuts.
Brice Jackson, Cocca design manager, requested the zoning changes in January.
“Right now we only have 200 feet in commercial [land] and need 225 feet to get to the rear of our pavement line that goes behind the building for the drive-thru,” Jackson said at Thursday’s special trustees meeting.
Township Zoning Inspector Darren Crivelli said the Mahoning County Planning Commission voted Feb. 23 to recommend the approval of Jackson’s request. The township zoning review board added its approval Feb. 25, but added two stipulations: whatever natural buffer is disturbed by construction must be replaced with a conifer buffer, and Dunkin Donuts’ exterior lighting must be dark-sky compliant.
Dark-sky compliant lights reduce light pollution at night.
Jackson agreed to both stipulations within financial reason and said the property actually already was paved for 220 feet of commercial use, despite being zoned for only 200 feet.
“The existing [previous] development had already been encroached beyond the 200 feet line so we’re not really asking for anything that different than what’s already been there for many years,” Jackson said. “We’re just going to add approximately 5 feet of depth to what’s currently there, and asking for 40 [feet] to allow plenty of clearance.”
Trustees unanimously approved the zoning change request.
Jackson said Cocca’s is in the process of combining the property at 1514 S. Raccoon Road with the parcel next to it, and the architectural and civil-engineering drawings are almost complete.