Coffee Shop and Fast Food Approved for Highway 81 in Ola

Henry County approved a commercial rezoning request at SR 81 and Jake Lewis Drive. The land owner is planning a coffee shop and fast-food restaurant.

The property in question was historically the site of Jake’s General Store in the 1950s–70s. Now, the property will return to a commercial use some 50 years later.

Jake Lewis Drive Commercial

Tushar Patel of McDonough, GA requested a rezoning from RA to C-2 (general commercial). The property, located to the east of Jake Lewis Drive, has about five acres. The applicant plans to construct a coffee shop and fast-food restaurant. They have not shared which tenants will occupy these buildings.

The applicant, Tushar Patel, is the owner of Royal Seven. The company owns several convenience stores and local restaurants in Henry County. Some franchises they operate include Moe’s, Papa John’s, Schlotzsky’s and Tim Horton’s.

Zoning History & Conditions

The applicant submitted their rezoning request in September 2022. They held a pre-application meeting with county staff in March 2023. The request was presented before the zoning advisory board in June 2023. At the time, the ZAB recommended approval of the request. The county commissioners considered it on March 19, 2024.

The board of commissioners approved the rezoning request with six conditions. They include compliance with the highway corridor overlay district, review by planning staff of building elevations, and several prohibited uses. Prohibited uses include the following:

1. Tattoo parlor
2. Body piercing shops
3. Vape and/or e-cigarette shops
4. Laundromats
5. Nail Salons
6. Minor or major automotive service, repair, and/or maintenance
7. Gasoline service station, with or without a convenience store
8. Automobile Wash

The original application had an amendment to the comp plan for 0.62 acres. Based on the 2023 comp plan update, this amendment was no longer necessary at the time Henry County commissioners considered the request.

Featured image shows highway 81 in the vicinity of Upchurch Road and New Hope Road. Google satellite image / Moore Civil Consulting site plan.