Zoning decision expected Tuesday on another fast food restaurant for Memorial Dr.

DeKalb County Commissioners are scheduled to vote this coming Tuesday evening on a request to put a fast-food restaurant in the parking lot of the Citadel Shopping Center at the corner of College Ave. and Memorial Dr., across the street from the Original House of Pancakes.

The proposed drive-through Popeye's would be replace the vehicle emissions inspection station currently located in the parking lot at 5100 Memorial Dr., which serves Office Depot and other businesses.

The proposed site plan is for a 2,400-square-foot building with a drive-through window. The developer proposes 18 parking spaces, including two handicapped spaces that would be connected by a new sidewalk to the sidewalk along Memorial Dr.

The county's Department of Planning & Sustainability is recommending approval of the application. The county's Planning Commission voted 7-2 in favor of the proposal during its Sept. 10 meeting. The District 4 Community Council had earlier voted in favor of the proposal.

Zoning applicants are required to hold a meeting with the community before submitting an application to the county. However, in this case, the county's Department of Planning & Sustainability told the applicant to ignore the requirement, even though it is in the annual zoning calendar and resolution approved each year by the county's Board of Commissioners. The purpose of these meetings is to allow community input before a zoning application is made. In this case, the community meeting was held afterwards, in clear violation of the deadline specified in the zoning calendar.

Popeye's obtained substantial publicity recently when its new chicken sandwich went viral on social media, prompting a so-called Chicken Sandwich War with Chick-Fil-A, which has a restaurant on Memorial Dr. less than one mile away from the proposed new Popeye's.