Forsyth County Commissioners covered, and smothered, plans for a new location for a popular restaurant at a recent meeting. 

During their work session on Tuesday, March 7, Forsyth County Commissioners discussed plans for a new Waffle House restaurant planned on Browns Bridge Road in the Walmart shopping center, which is currently going through the county’s zoning process.

At Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners approved by a 4-0 vote, with District 5 Commissioner Laura Semanson absent, starting a county-initiated process for a zoning variance to reduce the business’s rear setback from the required 25 feet to 12 feet.

“I would rather do this than give them concessions on the bump-outs and making the building look better, and they were going to lose two parking spaces, and we really think they need every parking space they can get,” said District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills, who represents the area. “Waffle House is going to be really popular there in front of Walmart.”

Mills said the Waffle House would be beside the Guthrie’s restaurant also planned at the shopping center.

Tom Brown, the county’s director of planning and community development, said the plan was for the county-initiated request to be heard at the same upcoming meetings as a previous request for a conditional-use permit to conduct around-the-clock business in a 1,900-square-foot restaurant with 29 parking spaces.

According to information on the county’s website, the permit could be voted on by the Forsyth County Planning Commission at their Thursday, March 28 meeting. If approved by the planning board, the proposal would go to county commissioners on Thursday, April 20.