North Forsyth residents will soon have a new RaceTrac gas station to stop at while driving and, for those that live in the Bridgetowne subdivision, walking.

Forsyth County Commissioners approved Thursday night a request for a conditional-use permit for RaceTrac to build a 5,411-square-foot convenience store with gas pumps, 31 parking spaces and allowing around the clock operation on 3.4 acres at 3560 Browns Bridge Road at the intersection with Bridgetowne Drive. 

Attorney Christopher Light said the site was “a huge area for RaceTrac” and would include a common area with picnic tables, which residents in Bridgetowne will be able to reach via a sidewalk.

Plans submitted show the store will have 16 pumps.

District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said the property would include a sign reading “Welcome to Coal Mountain,” similar to a sign at the recently opened store at the intersection of Hwys. 306 and 369 welcoming drivers to Hammonds Crossing.

Mills said the new store would connect with the proposed Coal Mountain Connector which will reach from Hwy. 9 across the street from Coal Mountain Drive, across Settingdown Road to Bridgetowne Drive.

At a planning board meeting in January, members had questions about whether the store would be impacted by improvements at the roadway, and zoning attorney Christopher Light said the company wanted to start construction with the road and were in favor of a planned traffic light at the intersection.

RaceTrac has been rapidly expanding in Forsyth County in recent years, with the additions of stores at Hammonds Crossing and 1385 McFarland Parkway and the renovation of a store on Buford Highway in Cumming.

While several stores have recently opened, the company has pulled plans for a proposed new store in south Forsyth at the intersection of Peachtree Parkway and Brookwood Road.