Chick-fil-A proposal stirs protest from neighbors in Anne Arundel County

Some Anne Arundel County residents are pleading to stop plans to build a Chick-fil-A near a busy highway on-ramp that would bump into a residential neighborhood.

They took their opposition to the county's board of appeals and the restaurant's attorneys on Tuesday, for what may be their final chance.

Anne Arundel County approved plans for a drive-thru-focused Chick-fil-A in a wooded area next to the CVS on Arnold Road and Route 2 in Arnold, Maryland, just before the ramp to U.S. 50.

Chick-fil-A said in a statement that the site was intentionally designed with traffic flow and safety in mind. The company said it is working with the county and residents to hear their concerns.  

Neighbors testify against Chick-fil-A 

Residents said the proposed location could create a traffic nightmare, and it would disrupt their quality of life.

Several neighbors testified at a hearing Tuesday night, saying the fast food restaurant should be developed somewhere else.

"It is irresponsible to put an establishment of this volume on the doorstep of our community without knowing what will be done to mitigate the impacts," one neighbor said.

Those who testified against the project were concerned about traffic back-ups, damage to the surrounding environment, and the project's impact on their quality of life.

"Chick-fil-A had their community meeting a few years ago, said that you listen to our concerns and they want to support the communities, but I'm not seeing that," said Catherine Burrows, of Arnold.

"A huge chicken sign in my backyard"

"At a time when the governments are trying to make roads safer for walking and bicycling, Anne Arundel County and Chick-fil-A think a drive-thru-only restaurant is a good idea," another neighbor added.

"Right now, I can go into my backyard. It's quiet about the B&A trail behind me at nighttime, and I can watch the fireflies. It's beautiful. I love it. I can't do that with a huge chicken sign in my backyard," another neighbor said in her testimony.

Employees defend Chick-fil-A

Chris Schenck said he owns more than one Chick-fil-A franchise location, including the one in Severna Park.

"We're part of the community. We want to be here. I take great pride in my store that we keep it clean," Schenck said.

Another longtime Chick-fil-A employee, who works in the leadership development and operations department, said there have been no traffic back-ups at other locations he has worked at.

Neighbors say the preliminary plan was approved by the county, but they believe state approval is required since it is along Ritchie Highway. They hope their concerns will be taken into consideration moving forward.

"We know that that site is going to be developed, and we were welcome to be part of the process, and we would hope that we would have been more part of the process with this proposal," said Elizabeth Rosborg, who filed the appeal of the project.

Another hearing is scheduled before the Board of Appeals at 5 p.m. on Thursday, December 4. The parties will submit written closing statements. Once received, the board has 60 days to issue a decision.

An appeal and a petition

Joe Noble and Elizabeth Rossborg are among the neighbors leading the charge against the proposed Chick-fil-A drive-thru.

Rossborg, who lives less than 175 feet from the site, filed the appeal with Anne Arundel County Planning and Zoning.

"We have nothing against Chick-fil-A," Rossborg told WJZ in October. "We just don't think the scale of the project is appropriate for the size of the site."

A petition has hundreds of signatures, and many of them have already testified.

However, Carkhuff doesn't think the neighbors' concerns are being taken seriously.

"People matter, quality of life matters, and this seems like a pretty easy fix, that you don't put a high traffic generator in a predominantly residential neighborhood," Carkhuff said.

The environmental concerns

Chick-fil-A has said in a statement that its plans include adding landscaping and an additional forest conservation easement area.

Carkhuff said she's still concerned about the impact on the environment and on the surrounding neighborhood.

"This is a giant site, and it's going to do a lot of damage," Carkhuff said.