The Atlanta-based fast-food chain Chick-fil-A plans to open a store in north College Park.
The proposed site is at the northeast corner of the Route 1 and Greenbelt Road, adjacent to the Veterans Memorial.
The Cass family currently owns the property and is doing business as a U-Haul dealer. They are talking to the Chick-fil-A parent company about leasing the land to allow a local individual to operate a Chick-fil-A establishment on the site.
At the Veterans Memorial Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, Mr. John Martinez, Development Manager, Design & Construction, Chick-fil-A, Inc. briefed the VMC members on Chick-fil-A’s interest in locating a facility at this location. He informed the members that the Chick-fil-A company finds the sites for their proposed stores and either buys or rents the land, designs the store and builds it while hiring a local franchisee to own the franchise and operate it.
Chick-fil-A has selected this site for a store. They contacted the VMC to inform them that if they are successful in getting permission from the City of College Park and Prince George’s County to locate a store at this address, they want to work with the VMC. They want information on the Veterans Memorial to have in the store. They will offer parking facilities for the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies. They will work with the City for water access for the memorial.A motion was made for the VMC to support a Chick-fil-A restaurant to be built on the Cass property. The vote was unanimous to support Chick-fil-A at this location.
The Council-approved “Rules and Procedures pertaining to Boards and Commissions,” state: A City appointed Board must receive prior approval from the City Council before issuing a position or opinion in writing. If your Board is considering taking a position on a matter (for instance, writing a letter in support of, or opposition to, an issue) please submit a draft to the City Clerk’s office so that we may place it before the Council for their consideration.
At tomorrow’s Council worksession, the City Council will discuss the matter further and may consider supporting the request or a delay until Chick-fil-A has submitted a formal application to M-NCPPC and the application is before the Council for the City to take an official position.