NORFOLK, Va. — A plan to bring a Raising Cane's to Norfolk hit a bump in the road.
The Norfolk Planning Commission voted to not recommend a permit for the fast food restaurant Thursday night.
Developers hope to rezone an empty lot on Monticello Avenue and bring Raising Canes along with two other restaurants. The names of those restaurants are unclear, but developers say one would be a breakfast spot and the other would be a burger joint.
The lot on Monticello Avenue and 16th Street has sat empty for years after crews demolished the old Hampton Roads Transit building in 2016.
“This property has been on the market for ten years. Nobody has taken the bait to build it,” Bill Moseley with Moseley Real Estate Advisors said at the meeting.
A Raising Cane’s representative spoke in favor of the project, saying it will bring jobs to the area.
“We will hire approximately 75 to 110 crewmembers; those are employees," the representative said.
The project would require a change in zoning to allow for a large-scale drive-through, which commissioners say doesn’t align with the city’s 2030 comprehensive plan.
“…Which is to try to reduce automobile and go more residential, pedestrian-friendly walkways," Commissioner Leila Vann explained.
Developers have a different vision for the area.
“We don’t believe that the property is suited for a multi-family development," Moseley said.
The commission ultimately voted not to recommend the project. Commissioner Scott Bateman was the only one to vote yes.
Norfolk City Council members will have the final say if the project moves forward.