By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
The rear exit of the new Circle K food plaza and gas station in Chiefland continues to be a point of contention with its neighbors.
Neighbors are complaining of large trucks coming out of the spacious rear exit with headlights shining into homes along NE 11th Drive.
City Manager Laura Cain was instructed by city commissioners Monday to check with the city engineer to determine if the exit meets street and highway design requirements and if it can be redesigned to eliminate truck traffic.
Cain said Circle K has agreed to post signs saying “no truck” traffic through the rear exit.
City Commissioner Norm Weaver said one of his concerns is that in a matter of time trucks will begin using the street consistently. Weaver was the first to bring the concerns of neighbors to the board for discussion.
He said current large trucks are exiting the back of Circle K and driving over a residential driveway. The driveway is directly opposite the back entrance of the commercial project.
But Weaver said NE 11th Drive wasn’t built to handle large truck traffic.
“That road is going to be torn up,” said Weaver, who lives on a side street a couple of blocks from the Circle K project.
Mayor Chris Jones said he doesn’t see any reason why trucks should continue using the exit after construction is finished.
“I don’t see it being an issue once it’s completed,” Jones said.
The rear entrance appears large enough to accommodate semi-tractor and trailer rigs but whether it was designed for that purpose is another question.
Commissioners want to know if changes to the rear exit can be made and how soon the city has to insist on those changes to get it done.
City Attorney Norm Fugate said the city could insist on design changes to the rear entrance so that it won’t accommodate big trucks.
He informed commissioners that the issues of design would have to be taken up by the city engineer rather than the building inspector.
Fugate said the city has the right to change the permit, change what the city wants done with the exit, or even cancel the permit if the company isn’t meeting city standards.
“My assumption is this is listed as a residential street,” Fugate said.
Cain will report back with what she finds out from the city engineer what can be done about the rear exit being used by big trucks.
The gas station and food plaza area will have three entrances when it is finished.
MLK Street
Commissioners haven’t agreed yet on which street in Chiefland should be named for civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, but they agreed Monday night Commissioner Lewrissa Johns should talk to black community leaders to find out which street they think should be chosen for the honor.
Johns brought up the subject several meetings ago and recommended NW 12th Drive, the road connecting U.S. 19 to Hardeetown as the street that should bear King’s name. She said she chose the road in part because it ran past the late Mayor Betty Walker’s home. Walker was a respected black community leader and well-liked across racial lines.
Commissioner Lance Hayes suggested using SW 2nd Street from State Road 345 to State Road 320 as the street that should honor King. SW 2nd Street runs through the heart of one of the city’s oldest black neighborhoods. Hayes and Mayor Chris Jones are black residents.
Jones said his only problem with NW 12th Drive is that it isn’t as closely connected to the black community as SW 2nd Street and he believes the street that is selected should have strong ties to the black people in the community.
Among the people Johns plans to contact is Carolyn Cohen who has written historical books about black and white history in Levy County. She is an artist and her art depicts life in Levy County in the early days of the black community. Johns also plans to talk to Doris Jones, the mayor’s mother, another well-known and respected member of the Chiefland community, as well as other black leaders.
Approving Canvassing Board
Commissioners approved County Coordinator Wilbur Dean, Chiefland Police Chief Scott Anderson, and Chiefland Fire Chief James Harris to serve on the city’s canvassing board for the April 5 municipal election.
Hayes is up for re-election. He is being challenged by former Commissioner Tim West.
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City of Chiefland Regular Meeting February 28, 2022; Posted February 28, 2022
