The Columbia Planning Commission approved plans for a new Whataburger restaurant on James Campbell Boulevard during a meeting on Wednesday night, February 12.
City Planner Austin Brass outlined that the restaurant would be constructed on the central plot of the former Sloan Ford dealership site. Additionally, the project includes a segment of sidewalk that the city has long planned to develop along James Campbell Boulevard. Mayor Chaz Molder requested that developers ensure the restaurant’s sign complies with height regulations, adding that the city preferred to take a mostly hands-off approach to the project.
“The goal here is to give staff more flexibility to make decisions and keep things business-friendly without always needing to come before the Commission,” Mayor Molder said. “This is an example of that in action.”
Public comment during the meeting largely centered on a new Planned Unit Development (PUD) near Taylor Landing. Joshua Moore, a nearby resident, voiced concerns over the “non-binding” nature of the zoning request, along with perceived neglect by both the developer and the city. Howard Todd, another resident, expressed a preference for the land to be turned into a park but acknowledged the developer’s efforts to address community feedback. Christy Daus, a former civil engineer, raised concerns about potential issues with storm drainage, parking, and the overall impact on the neighborhood.
Greg Gamble of CPS Land, the development company, assured the Commission that the PUD aligned with the Connect Columbia city plan and had been revised based on feedback from local residents.
“We’ve made sure to document all communication from our neighborhood meetings,” Gamble said, highlighting pledges to include ample parking, limit apartment heights to four stories, and restrict the development to no more than 100 homes.
Mayor Molder suggested deferring approval of the PUD instead of rejecting it outright, a recommendation the Commission accepted, voting to defer action on the Taylor Landing development.
In addition to the Whataburger approval, the Commission also gave the green light to the Beechcroft Plaza PUD, a sanitary sewer pump station near Bear Creek, an expansion of the Columbia Power and Water Systems (CPWS) water treatment plant, and several zoning code amendments. However, the Commission deferred a vote on a proposed 45,000-square-foot Walmart near the Honey Farm neighborhood.
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