After seeing its zoning request snubbed by the Sandy Springs Planning Commission, the would-be new anchor of the North River Shopping Center – believed to be the German discount grocer Lidl – has pulled out of the project.
The Sandy Springs City Council on Tuesday approved a request by the zoning applicant, SRPF A/North River LLC, to withdraw its proposal from city consideration. The reason given was “the proposed grocery store terminating its contract to buy the land,” according to staff report to the Council.
A 35,962-square-foot store was to have been constructed in the shopping center and sold to the grocer.
However, residents objected, citing such issues as a lack of transparency – Lidl was never formally identified as the grocer – parking and traffic issues and inconsistency between the project and city planning documents. On March 16, the Planning Commission supported city staff in recommending denial of the zoning request.
Lidl has more than 10,000 stores in 27 countries and has been aggressively expanding in the Southeastern U.S., with stores reportedly planned in Woodstock, Mableton and Cumming.
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