Ribbon Cutting at new Racetrac Drive February 28, 2020

Front row Center, Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, Jamie Shew and Peter Chvala Chimney Cottages beside Commissioner Birrell, CRN Co-founder Carol Brown to right of Chvala

Why was this a big deal? A blighted vacant gas station sat next door to the new Racetrac for 16 years. The residents on the west side of Canton Hwy (30,000 vehicles per day) had no signal to turn left into their street if northbound or turn left onto Canton if heading north. The 2016 rezoning mandated that the gas station be demolished in 6 months (it was) and there was an agreement that a driveway be built on the vacant lot, open to the public, to get from Westerly Way to the signal at Racetrac's new main driveway. It took 4 years to get the public private partnership funded.

Canton Road Neighbors negotiated the zoning with Racetrac and the attorney, Chimney Cottages and other nearby homeowners, and the County.

The zoning Z-21 was approved in 2016. The project was completed in February 2020.