Politics & Government

Express Oil Given Zoning Recommendation by Alpharetta Planning Commission

The Roswell-based owner of the proposed store promised to try to save two large trees in front of the building site.

A plan to build an Express Oil business on a nearly one acre property on North Main Street (GA 9) in front of the Lowe's store was recommended for approval by the Alpharetta Planning Commission on April 7.

Adam Fuller, who wants to open the auto service business at 830 North Main St., owns 26 Express Oil service centers run out of his headquarters on Mansell Road in Roswell. Those centers include Haynes Bridge Road and Crabapple Road locations.

Director Diana Wheeler said the property was annexed into the city 12 years ago with its existing agriculture zoning designation carried over from Fulton County.

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"Obviously not a lot of agriculture industry [has been] going on Main Street in recent years," Wheeler said.

Rezoning for commercial use fits the comprehensive land use plan for Alpharetta, she said.

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"The land use attributed to this particular site is retail sales and service, which is exactly what the applicant is proposing to do," Wheeler said.

The city wanted to try to save an oak, a magnolia and a hemlock tree on the site, and the site plan showed the magnolia and hemlock trees in a tree save area in front of the center. Two larger specimen trees on the site are considered dead or dying, with the magnolia and hemlock considered in the best condition.

The site has access to a now empty strip center property to the south as planned. The city wants Express Oil to ask Lowe's for access to its parking area for connectivity as well.

The planning commission spent a lot of time discussing this proposed access, with the applicant wanting language changed to make sure it is just an option, not a requirement if Lowe's agrees to it.

Finally Wheeler cut to the chase and said that it's at Express Oil's initiative. If they want the access, they can seek it from Lowe's.

"So if they don't want to pursue it, they don't have to," she said.

Fuller owns 26 of the Express Oil chain's 177 stores, said John Davis of the chain's Birmingham, AL, corporate offices. Two more stores are opening in the next few weeks.

"So we are aggressively expanding," Davis said.

Fuller is probably Express Oil's most successful owner, Davis said. With the economy down, people are keeping car's longer and want to maintain them. That seems to make the business successful, he said.

Fuller said his Alpharetta store has been working on city vehicles from police, fire, public works and community development since 2000, and he wants to make this work.

Fuller told Planning Commissioner Fergal Brady that he tries to be slow and strategic in the company's growth.

"We believe the demand is there. And it is a very significant investment on my part," Fuller said.

His company will own the property. Eight to ten employees work at an Express Oil on average, he said.

While it would be ideal to open during the summer travel season, Fuller said it would be September or October before the service center could open, if approved.

Alpharetta City Council is scheduled to hear the rezoning request at its April 25 meeting.


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