Here’s the latest on growth and development in the Garner area:

►Tom Jones Drug Store - 101 Gallery Pointe Drive (corner of Timber Drive and Vandora Springs Road) is permitted and has begun construction of a new building.

►The Shops at Garner - These shops are now permitted and will be located adjacent to the new Walmart on Hwy. 401.

►Strayer University - 1812 Garner Station Road is open for business

►T.G.I Friday’s -1100 Timber Drive East has received a construction permit.

►Compare Foods - old Winn Dixie in North Station has a permit to renovate.

►Auto Zone -  7735 Fayetteville Road received a construction permit in December.

►Swift Creek Coffee House - Fifth Avenue, Forest Hills Shopping Center has received a permit to renovate.

►Butterball Headquarters - Construction is well underway at 1 Butterball Lane.

►McDonalds - McDonalds at 7991 Fayetteville Road (McCullers Crossroads Shopping Center) will be converted into a “McCafe.”

►Garner Civitan Club - Construction has begun on their new building 1005 Poole Drive.

►Heather Park Daycare - Construction has begun 900 Heather Park.

►Fidelity Bank - Construction has begun at 919 US Highway 70 West on their new branch.

►The Village at Aversboro - Construction has begun on the club house at 201 Early Wind Lane; single home construction permitting will begin soon.

►Stanley Steamer - Construction has begun at 200 Bricksteel Lane.

►Wal-Mart - Permits have been secured to begin construction at 4500 Fayetteville Street.

►Greenfield South - The conditional use permit was modified for the Greenfield South Business Subdivision.  The permit had created 25 lots and allows for light industrial development, some of the uses of light industrial include, machine shops, welding shops, dry cleaner plants and photo-finishing labs.  The uses are characterized by low intensity industrial uses with no outside operations.

►White Oak Business Park - White Oak Associates was approved with a conditional use permit for the construction of an office/warehouse in the White Oak Business Park.

►McCuller's Auto Zone - McCuller's Auto Zone was approved with a conditional use permit given to Dealership, LLC.  The development is on US 401 and S.R.1010.

►Garcias Service Station - There will be a service station on 716 US 70 West.  It has been recently approved by the Planning Department Staff.

►Quarter Mile Restaurant - The permits from the Planning Department have been secured to open the Quarter Mile Restaurant at 1130 US Hwy. 70 West.

►New Businesses - The following businesses have secured permits and are set to open in the coming month:  Halal Grocery at Forest Hills Shopping Center featuring Middle Eastern Specialty Foods; Lin's Dry Clearners at 245 Aversboro Road; R.E.Michaels will be relocating to Junction Boulevard, Gregory Electric Company will have new construction at Greenfield Parkway.

►New Apartment Complex - Ashton Village Apartments located off Timber Drive East, is permitted and construction has begun.

►Nationwide Building - Construction has begun on the new Nationwide building on the corner of Heather Park Drive and Aversboro Road.

►Fidelity Business Park - Construction is well underway at Fidelity Business Park off US Highway and Yeargan Road.

►Council Action - On August 6, the Town Council approved the following: rezoning & conditional use permit for a 24 acre tract in White Oak Business Park for modification to an existing subdivision, conditional use rezoning and conditional use permit for .96 acre tract on Dynamic Drive, modification of plans for a town home project proposed at Southerby Drive and Heather Park Drive. subdivision plans for 50 lots to be located on a 122 acre tract. This site on Inwood Road off Lake Wheeler Road is not within the Town limits.   Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Garner Town Council at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, September 4, 2007, in the Town of Garner Board Room to consider the following applications: Conditional Use Subdivision Plan Request: CUP-SB-07-03-M, Greenfield South Subdivision – Hagersmith Design is requesting modification to conditional use subdivision previously approved for a commercial subdivision. The site is located in the vicinity of Greenfield Parkway. Conditional Use Site Plan Request: CUP-SP-07-23, Lot 22- White Oak Business Park – Doby Blackmon is requesting conditional use site plan approval for office/warehouse building. The site is located at Lot 22 in the White Oak Business Park on Tinsteel Court. Conditional Use Site Plan Request: CUP-SP-07-24, McCullers AutoZone – Dealership, LLC is requesting conditional use site plan approval for an auto parts store. The site is located on US 401 near Ten Ten Road. The following project is tentatively scheduled for the Garner Town Council at 7:30 pm Tuesday, September 18, 2007: Conditional Use Rezoning and Conditional Use Site Plan Request: CUD-Z-07-05, From Commercial Retail (CR) & Office & Institutional (O&I) to Commercial Retail (CR) (C-151) - WJ Properties is requesting a change in the current zoning Commercial Retail (CR) and Office & Institutional (O&I) to Community Retail (CR C-151) with site specific conditions. A companion conditional use site plan request for an office/commercial complex is accompanying this rezoning request. The site is located at the intersection of Timber Drive and Don Miller Drive. CUP-SP-07-22, Timber Place – WJ Properties is requesting a change in the current zoning Commercial Retail (CR) and Office & Institutional (O&I) to Commercial Retail (CR) (C-151) with site specific conditions. A companion conditional use site plan for an office/commercial complex is accompanying this rezoning request. The site is located at the intersection of Timber Drive and Don Miller Drive.

►Public Hearings Set - Public Hearings on the following are set for April 2, 2007 at 7:30 PM in the Town of Garner Board Room: Conditional Use Site Plan: CUP-SP-07-01, White Oak Business Park – Lot 23 – Tony M. Tate Landscape Architecture is requesting conditional use site plan approval for an office/warehouse building. The site is located at intersection of Bricksteel Drive and Tinsteel Court and can be further identified as Wake County PIN (portion of) 1730 40 7622. Special Use Site Plan: SUP-SP-07-03, Greenfield North – Parcel 19a - Little and Little Architects are requesting special use site plan approval for an office building. The site is located on Greenfield Parkway and can be further identified as Wake County PIN 1730 07 3455. Special Use Site Plan: SUP-SP-07-04, Heather Park – Lot 9 - Development Consulting Services is requesting special use site plan approval for an office building. The site is located at the intersection of Aversboro Road and Heather Park Drive and can be further identified as Wake County PIN 1710 36 9629.

►Recent Council Actions March 5 - Approved a resolution to investigate a petition by Blackcap Properties to annex Breezeway East, a 7.9 acre tract of land located on Thompson Road. The public hearing date is set for April 2. March 5 - Approved a permit request from Development Consulting Services for Anfesa’s Jewelers to allow a retail store and banquet hall at the intersection of Management Way and US 70. March 20 – Approved permit requests by Tom Jones for a 1.8 acre tract at the intersection of Vandora Springs Road and Timber Drive for an office building and pharmacy.

►Public Hearings Set - Public Hearings on the following are set for March 5, 2007 at 7:30 PM in the Town of Garner Board Room: Special Use Site Plans: SUP-SP-07-01, Anfesa’s Jewelers – Development Consulting, Inc. is requesting approval for a jewelry store. The site is located at the intersection of US Hwy 70 East and Management Way and can be further identified as Wake County PIN 1720 09 7266. SUP-SP-07-02; Aversboro Road Elementary School Replacement – Alpha & Omega Group are requesting approval for demolition and replacement of the existing elementary school. The site is located at 1605 Avers-boro Road and can be further identified as Wake County PIN 1710 45 2918.

► Klassy Kids Daycare - Klassy Kids Daycare, at 1600 Benson Road, is nearing completion.

►Crescent State Bank - Crescent State Bank at 905 Vandora Springs Road (former Garner TV & Appliance location) is permitted and construction is underway.

►Residential construction - Residential construction of single family homes has slowed somewhat, but there is still a wide variety of new homes in the Garner area.

►Walgreens - Walgreens is permitted and construction is underway at the corner of Timber and Aversboro Roads.

►Public Hearings - Public Hearings on the following are set for February 5, 2007 at 7:30 PM in the Town of Garner Board Room for: Lot 4 Garner Village Court - Tony M. Tate Landscape Architecture is requesting a change in zoning . A companion site plan request by Tony M. Tate for a flex space building is accompanying this rezoning request. The site is located at Lot 4 Garner Village Court. Tony M. Tate Landscape Architecture is requesting conditional use site plan approval for a flex space building. The site is located at Lot 4 Garner Village Court. Adams Office Building – Mike Yellin is requesting approval for an office building. The site is located at 1288 Benson Road. A Public Hearing on the following is tentatively set for February 20, 2007 at 7:30 PM in the Town of Garner Board Room. Interested parties should contact the Planning Department to confirm whether this will be heard. Vandora Springs Road & Timber Drive – Taylor, Wiseman & Taylor is requesting a change in zoning. A companion site plan request accompanies this rezoning request. Vandora Springs Road & Timber Drive - Taylor, Wiseman & Taylor is requesting approval for an office and pharmacy building.

►Town Home Development Approved - On October 2, the Town Council approved plans for Bella Sera, a town home community targeting ages 50 and older to be located near White Oak Road and Salt Hill Road. The town homes will be constructed in blocks of two or four units ranging from 1510 to 2008 square feet in size and will have two car garages . Staples, the office supply store, is now open in the White Oak Village Shopping Center (in the space for-merly occupied by Home Goods). Play ‘N’ Trade, a “buy & sell” video games store is now open near the movie theaters at White Oak Shopping Center.

►Locked and Loaded - Locked and Loadedrecently opened for business on US 70 East near Garner Towne Center. This new sports bar and grill is located in the building formerly occupied by Schlotzky’s.

►Mayflower - Mayflower, a seafood restaurant, recently opened on 401 South in the building previously occupied by Fire Mountain Steak House.

►Glamorama - Glamorama Cleaners is now open in its new location facing 7th Avenue in Forest Hills Shopping Center. It recently completed its move from across the shopping center and continues to offer dry cleaning and laundry services to its customers. In addition to walk-in service, a new drive-through window is also open.

►Garner Comprehensive Grownth Plan - The Town Council adopted the Garner Comprehensive Growth Plan following a public hearing at its September 19 meeting. This plan will replace the Centennial Long Range Plan adopted in 1989. The new plan addresses key issues in the community regarding land use and development, development constraints, housing, transportation, desired growth levels, growth management, community appearance and economic development. Earlier steps in the preparation of the Plan included review and development by an appointed steering committee, a joint meeting of the Town Council and the Planning Commission in March, a public open house in May and a recommendation for approval by the Planning Commission in September.

►Subdivision for Seniors Approved - On September 5, the Town Council approved a 37.88 acre cluster subdivision for senior housing to be located on Aversboro Road between Heather Woods subdivision and the Shoppes at Timber Crossing . The Village at Aversboro’s 147 homes will have a minimum of 1600 square feet, will be constructed with 80% brick or stone and will have two car garages.

►Staples - Staples, an office supply store, is in the process of moving into the space previously occupied by the Home Goods store at White Oak Crossing.