ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - A new coffee chain is one step closer to opening in Albany after the Albany City Commission unanimously approved a rezoning request for a property on Dawson Road.

During Tuesday night’s meeting, commissioners voted to rezone 2705 Dawson Road from C-7 (Mixed Use Business) to C-2 (General Business), clearing the way for the construction of a Dutch Bros Coffee shop in the Publix shopping center parking lot.

According to city documents, the property was originally zoned C-4 when Albany adopted its zoning ordinance in 1970. The designation was changed to C-7 under the city’s 1995 zoning ordinance and has remained so ever since.

Planning officials said rezoning the property to C-2 better aligns with the proposed use. Under the current C-7 zoning, developments are required to include a mix of residential and commercial uses, a requirement officials determined is impractical for the location and the proposed coffee shop.

The rezoning request passed unanimously, allowing the project to move forward toward construction.

Dutch Bros, a fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain known for its specialty coffee, energy drinks and handcrafted beverages, has expanded rapidly across the Southeast in recent years.

A construction timeline for the Albany location has not yet been announced. If approved during the remaining development process, the coffee shop will be built in the parking lot of the Publix shopping center at 2705 Dawson Road.

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