Parker’s Kitchen’s Simplistic, Single-Variable Approach to Residential Neighborhood Concerns.

by Don Moniak
September 15, 2024

The Savannah-based Parker’s Kitchen gas station and convenience store chain is making a big splash in the Augusta-Aiken market. The company’s expansion into the area involves at least ten new stores—five on the Augusta side of the river, five on the Aiken County side.

The design of Parker’s gas stations and convenient stores are typical of our modern landscapes. The company’s standard store has eight fueling stations and ~5,000 square-foot, 24-hour convenient stores that feature fried chicken and hot-bar breakfasts and lunches—similar in size and amenities to those found at new or updated Circle K’s, Sprint, Pilot, and QT stations.

In Aiken County, the company has obtained approval from local governments to open four stores—two in North Augusta and two in Aiken (Figure 1). All four stores share the trait of being located in existing, well-established commercial and/or industrial districts relatively distant—500 feet or more— from residential neighborhoods. These Parker’s locations have been established without any citizen outcry.

(Figure 1 below: The four approved Parker’s Kitchen locations in Aiken County. The Richland Avenue store has opened for business, the Edgefield Road location in North Augusta is in the site preparation process, the Hwy 1/I-520 store is preparing to open, and the East Pine log location remains in the pre-development stage. Click to enlarge.)

Parker’s Kitchen has only encountered organized citizen opposition at sites that were too close for comfort for residents of older, well-established neighborhoods. In the past year, both Columbia County and the City of Aiken rejected proposed Parker’s locations on South Belair Road and Whiskey Road, respectively, due largely to formidable neighborhood opposition.

In June 2024, the company failed in its attempt to establish its presence in South Aiken at the busy and dangerous intersection of Whiskey Road, Powderhouse Road, and Stratford Drive. There, six months of sustained opposition centered on a myriad of concerns that included noise and light pollution, exposure to benzene and other chemical hazards, Whiskey Road’s chronic traffic congestion at an already dangerous intersection, the risks of fuel truck accidents that could block the only access to two large neighborhoods, incidences of crime at 24-hour convenient stores, a complex zoning issue, and proximity to nearby homes—in this case ~300 feet.

After losing the Stratford and Whiskey Road fight to a well informed and organized community that already had three years of experience fighting city hall, Parker’s sought a new location on Whiskey Road.

This time around, the site is a half-mile to the south, at the corner of Chukker Creek and Whiskey Roads (1). Although some of the same issues as the Stratford location remain, this latest effort is very likely to gain local governmental approvals.

Unlike the abandoned Stratford and Whiskey location, the intersection of Chukker Creek and Whiskey Roads has the advantages being at a less complicated and safer intersection, and being in the unincorporated portion of the county within a zoning district—Urban Development (UD)—that has minimal restrictions on commercial and light industrial developments.

The City of Aiken’s only role is to approve a simple water and sewer service request—which are rarely denied—and not a zoning change and development concept plan. Another advantage for such developments is that, except for traffic issues, City Council approval does not directly impact any city voters.

At the same time, several issues that drew opposition to the Stratford and Whiskey proposal will remain. Most notable is the increased traffic at a busy intersection which, in this case, is the only routine access point to Whiskey Road from Chukker Creek Elementary School— a concern already raised by a nearby resident during the City’s Planning Commission meeting on September 10th (15:40 mark).

The proximity to homes (Figure 2) also remains an issue. The nearest neighbor, whose home is only 150 feet away from the site boundary (Figure 3) wrote a letter of concern (page 46 ) to the Planning Department and Commission.

(Figure 2, below. Parker’s Kitchen proposed locations near existing residential neighborhoods. Click to enlarge).

Parker’s Simplistic Answer Regarding Life Near A Major Gas Station.

In April of 2023, Parker’s responded to the issue of the proximity of homes to gas stations by submitting a simplistic, single-variable analysis to Aiken City Council (2).

The motivation behind the company’s submission was a singular public comment: 

“A comment has been mentioned that there are no convenience stores located near residential properties in Aiken. The following is some examples of several that are. There are pictures of the measurements from the Aiken County GPS maps included.”

The report that followed cited five gas stations in and around the city that are closer than 300 feet to at least one neighboring residential property. Parker’s looked only at one variable—the distance between existing gas stations and the nearest home; but not necessarily to the nearest residential neighborhood.

The company’s submission to Council ignored the numerous variables directly related to residential proximity to gas stations that were repeatedly raised by concerned citizens; including access to and from neighborhoods, operating hours, impacts on property values, the prevalence of crime, routine exposure to chemicals, and the consequences of a fuel truck accident during deliveries.

The company’s implication was that if people live near another gas station, then it must be acceptable to site a new gas station near where people live.

A second set of variables ignored in the “analysis” were facility size and age— the five comparison fueling sites are one-eighth to one-half the size of the standard Parker’s Kitchen eight-pump gas stations and 5,000 square-foot stores (Figure 4).

Four of the five comparison gas stations were built in the 20th century before the City’s current zoning ordinance was in effect. With few exceptions, current nearby residents chose to live near a gas station; whereas Parker’s was, and is, choosing to establish itself near residents who did not op to live near a major gas station and 24-hour convenience store.

Parker’s Comparison Gas Stations

The first Parker’s Kitchen to locate in Aiken County is at the intersection of Richland Avenue and the Hwy 118 bypass, site of the former Dick Smith auto dealership. The development was welcomed by, and faced zero opposition from, a community accustomed to viewing an increasingly blighted property at the western gateway into Aiken.

The station is typical of modern Parker’s facilities—eight fuel stations and a 5,600 square-foot convenience store and restaurant on more than three acres. (Figure 4)

The characteristics of this typical Parker’s facility contrasts sharply with the five gas stations company representatives chose to prove that some people do live close to gas stations.

The first example (Figure 5, above) was the “Huntsman Shell on the Hitchcock Parkway (which) is contiguous to the residence at 70 Deerwood Dr.”

The Huntsman Shell station at 1830 Huntsman Drive was constructed in 1986, has two fuel pumps ( but no diesel), and is located on 0.42 acres—but within a larger shopping plaza of 1.5 acres. The convenience store itself is only 2,000 square feet.

The second example (Figure 6, above) was the newer “Sprint store on (912) East Pine Log Rd….contiguous to two residences in the Gatewood neighborhood.” 

Built in 2008, it is the only one of the five comparison facilities that was subject to the existing Zoning Ordinance.

The size is comparable: six pumps spread across three fueling stations; and a 3,500 square-foot convenient store.

But the business only occupies an acre of land, there is no vehicle access to the adjacent Gatewood community, and a sixty-foot forested buffer separates it from the nearest neighbor.

In comparison, Parker’s proposal at the Chukker Creek location is a ten-foot buffer that may or may not involve a vegetative screen.

The third example (Figure 7, above) was a “Circle K store located only 150′ from the ‘swimming pool’ located at 332 Woodbridge Road.”

The facility is located on 1.72 acres at 1011 East Pine Log Road, at the junction of Banks Mill and East Pine Log Road. It has four fueling islands and four pumps, no access to nearby neighborhoods, and was built in 1996. The convenience store is 3,345 square feet.

There is no direct access to the nearby Gatewood Community, and a 0.72 acre forested parcel with a detention pond sits between the Circle K and the “swimming pool” property, providing a 110 foot buffer.

The fourth example (Figure 8, above) was the “Circle K store located at 315 Hitchcock Parkway…contiguous to the residence at 70 Augusta Rd.”

This gas station is not even within the city of Aiken and there is only the one resident within 500 feet.

Located on 1.6 acres, the facility has only two fueling islands with a total of four pumps, no access to and from any nearby neighborhoods, and features a convenience store of only 1815 square feet.

The final, and most comical, example (above) was “The City of Aiken’s gas & diesel pumps (that) are only 120′ from the residence at 915 Jones Dr. and also only 145′ from the residence at 916 Jones St.” 

The city’s fueling station at 240 DuPont Drive has two fuel pumps on a single fuel station island. The property was developed in 1974 for the engineering and utilities department. 

It is within a shaded, scenic, well-managed landscape. There are two lights above the pumps—not much brighter than a street light. There is no convenient store associated with the fuel pumps, and the fueling station is generally only used during daytime hours.

Summary

As Parker’s Kitchen has grown throughout this area, substantial opposition has emerged to its plans only when the company has tried to shoehorn a large modern gas station and convenience store close to established neighborhoods.

The company’s analysis in 2023 of older gas stations that are within 300 feet of homes offered only that single variable—distance to a home—while ignoring the justifications for citizen concerns.

Essentially, unless a neighbor can prove an older, smaller gas station has made them sick or damaged their property values—both very hard cases to prove even when true—then Parkers views as appropriate the siting of substantially larger and louder gas stations/convenience stores near other neighborhoods.

Footnotes

(1) The two properties are:

A 1.8-acre forested parcel that is zoned Urban Development by Aiken County. The property is classed as Agricultural use, resulting in a market land value of only $420 and tax assessment of only $20. This is despite the fact that agricultural usage requires a minimal of five acres.

A 2.0-acre forested parcel that is zoned Urban Development and classed as Commercial use by the County Assessor’s Office. The land value is listed as $350,000.

(2) The comment first appeared as an anonymous source on pages 80-84 of City Council’s April 24, 2023, meeting agenda informational packet (below).

It was then only referenced as being the handiwork of Parker’s Kitchen during the first, and only Public Hearing that evening.

The submittal reappeared in the June 12, 2023, informational packet, that time with Parker’s identified as the author. It was at the June 12th meeting that the concept plan Ordinance “died” for lack of a Second to a Motion to approve.

Past Stories Regarding the Parker’s Kitchen at Stratford and Whiskey, and Gas Stations in General

Falsus in Uno, Falsus in Omnibus

From Fuel Tankers to an Overdue Report.

Gas Stations, Vice Stores, and Public Safety.

“The Zoning Has Been in Place Forever.”

Waves of Protest