Sunday, May 7, 2023–2:50 p.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

The former American Legion Post 5 building on Shorter Avenue was sold last year to make way for a coffee shop and oil change business. Now the American Legion is looking to build a new facility at 493 Jones Bend Road.

The Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission has approved a special use permit that will allow for the outpost and clubhouse on the parcel. There is already a clubhouse on the site, but the American Legion wants to build a new one.

Steve Rood with the American Legion said the 69-acre site is the perfect location and that he has an architect drawing up plans now so they can break ground in the near future if the permit is approved.

The Floyd County Commission will conduct a public hearing and vote on the special use permit on May 23.

The planning commission is also recommending approval of a special use permit for mini-warehouses and storage units at Burlington Road/Calhoun Highway, and a rezoning for a metal warehouse-type structure across from the bowling alley and golf course on Huffaker Road. The applicant, who inherited the property, told the planning commission that this was a proactive rezoning in preparation for a future sale of the building.

The planning commission also voted unanimously to approve a rezoning request for property at 1219 E. Second Avenue, which is behind Dean Street. The applicant wants to move his wholesale coffee roasting operation from Kentucky to Rome. The plan is to deliver and sell his product in local coffee shops.

A rezoning request for the construction of a 52-unit apartment complex on Martha Berry Highway was withdrawn by the applicant.