Taco Bell temporarily crunched

By Frank Ruggiero

Anyone wanting to eat at Taco Bell may literally have to run for the border.

At least for several months.

Boone’s Taco Bell location at 1093 Blowing Rock Rd. was demolished last week, leaving behind only a parking lot and sign that states the obvious — “Closed.”

A new building, though, is already on the way for the same site and, according to store manager David Natusch, should be completed in three to four months, depending on the weather.

Last May, GE Capital Franchise Finance Corp. approached the Boone Board of Adjustment, seeking a special use permit (SUP) to construct a new Taco Bell restaurant with drive-through.

Speaking at that meeting on behalf of GE Capital Franchise Finance was Michael Trew, engineer with Municipal Engineering, which conducted the site work. Trew told how the old restaurant was “very old and in need of upgrading,” as the building was originally built in 1983.

The SUP was required since the location has two driveways too close together.

“There’s something in the ordinance about the corridor district, and how you can have only one access off the main road and, in this case, they already had two driveway entrances,” explained Alan Crees, professional engineer with Municipal Engineering.

Crees said the SUP was obtained to keep the drive-through lane separate from the entrance. The SUP was granted, and construction has already begun.

At the May board of adjustment meeting, Trew explained that the lot is eight-tenths of an acre and that if one driveway was put in, it would still not be 150 feet from the adjoining properties.

George Cole, town planning supervisor, confirmed that the variance should not increase any more traffic than usual on Blowing Rock Road.

Crees said GE Capital will update the Boone location with a new building prototype, which Natusch said customers would enjoy. He said that in the meantime, most of the displaced employees will be offered their jobs upon the project’s completion, while many others now work at other stores.

• Frank Ruggiero may be contacted at ruggiero@wataugademocrat.com.