DG Plans

The new Dollar General store is proposed to be 9,100 square feet.

 City of Spring Hill

The Spring Hill Planning Commission approved during its monthly voting meeting on Monday the site plan for a new Dollar General store, proposed to be constructed on the northeast corner of Port Royal Road and Kedron Road.

The proposal saw significant pushback from nearby residents when the project was first introduced to city leaders, particularly from the nearby Royalton Woods community. In a joint letter, the Royalton Woods Homeowners Association raised concerns over the precedent the Dollar General would set for the area in terms of building designs, while also voicing safety concerns, noting that Dollar General stores are a high target for armed robberies.

The Planning Commission voted down the site plan for the Dollar General store back in September.

In late August, however, an attorney speaking on behalf of the project’s developer requested of Spring Hill Mayor Rick Graham that the project see a new vote following some modifications to its site plan, further writing that the Planning Commission did not have the authority to deny the Dollar General’s site plan based on “statements made by others that this use [is] incompatible with neighboring developments.”

That request was granted, with Monday night’s meeting also seeing City Attorney Patrick Carter reminding commissioners that any denial of the site plan “not strictly tied to the zoning ordinance” would be an improper denial.

Furthermore, Carter clarified to commissioners that “perceived use of the building or the value of the brand is not an appropriate consideration at site plan review.”

In a unanimous vote, commissioners ultimately approved the project’s site plan, setting the stage for the Dollar General to eventually come to fruition.