A new Columbia County restaurant could anchor a proposed shopping center at the corner of Washington and Hardy McManus roads.
With development growth in Evans continuing toward Riverwood Plantation, a local property owner and a real estate developer based in suburban Salt Lake City are asking county planners to rezone three parcels of land from residential to commercial.
The applicants are Primary Care Properties and Westside Properties of Augusta, two limited-liability companies represented by Martinez resident Hafeez Chaudhry; and TerraForm Cos., a Midvale, Utah, firm specializing in net-lease commercial development.
They propose building a commercial center filling a little more than 3 acres. All three parcels border property occupied by Columbia County Fire Rescue Engine Co. 5, at 5079 Hardy McManus.
The architectural site plan accompanying their application shows an unspecified 7,166-square-foot restaurant, a 4,042-square-foot Jiffy Lube, and an unspecified 2,325-square-foot drive-thru pad.
All three would be separate, free-standing buildings instead of occupying several suites under one roof.
Chaudhry is pursuing another commercial project in neighboring Richmond County on Claussen Road behind the Augusta Family Y. City planning staff in January recommended approval of a four-story, 120-room Everhome Suites extended-stay hotel at 1060 Claussen to be developed by Denver real-estate firm HighSide Cos.
Chaudhry, a retired Savannah River Site engineer, ran for the Columbia County Board of Commissioners in 2014 and 2018, but lost, respectively, to current Chairman Doug Duncan and District 1 Commissioner Connie Melear.
The Columbia County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the shopping center request at its March 5 meeting.
