Rumors surrounding Franklin’s eventual Chick-Fil-A location have many thinking that the new restaurant chain is no longer coming to Franklin — and somehow the town is to blame. However, that is categorically false.
Plans are still in motion for Chick-Fil-A to open a Franklin location and that location will be located across the roundabout from where Walmart is located at the bottom of Dowdle Mountain Road. While some people “have heard” that there is issue with water and sewer — and somehow that the town is putting up roadblocks for the restaurant chain or charging outrageous fees for hookup — that is a misrepresentation of the current issue with the new fast food location.
Facts:
-The Town of Franklin has approved a water and sewer allocation for a developer that will be building the restaurant that Chick-Fil-A will occupy in Franklin.
-Water and Sewer rates and hookup fees are set and not negotiable, therefore, the town of Franklin or the leaders are not proposing rates too high for the developer.
-Water and sewer from the town of Franklin currently ENDS at Dowdle Mountain Pit Stop and the infrastructure was built to serve Walmart when it developed the area. After Walmart was developed and before the roundabout was installed, there was discussion about extending water and sewer infrastructure across the road to serve the area across the road from Dowdle Mountain Pit Stop in anticipation of future development, however at the time, the property was owned by Duke Energy and there were no development plans, therefore water and sewer was not extended beyond the road.
-Last week, the property where the future Chick-Fil-A is proposed to be located was officially sold and according to closing records — the parcel is now owned by Hendon-Tiller Franklin, LLC, a limited liability corporation that filed with North Carolina on December 9, 2020. Hendon-Tiller Franklin, LLC is a branch of the Hendon-Tiller Properties development firm located in Georgia. A portfolio of the development firms includes a long list of property development specifically for Chick-Fil-A restaurant locations.
While there are many rumors and speculation around the Chick-Fil-A restaurant, I encourage you to not listen to the “I heard” comments and rely on factual accounts and reports of the project. I am so confident in the future Chick-Fil-A location in Franklin that I issue this challenge — If at any point an official confirmation that Chick-Fil-A has pulled plans to operate a Franklin location I will treat anyone to lunch at Chick-Fil-A in Clayton, however, if and when Chick-Fil-A in Franklin opens, if you accept the challenge, you owe me lunch. What do you have to lose?
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