Ontario Carl’s Jr. set to break ground
By Andy Gates - Argus Observer
Wednesday, April 4, 2007 12:22 PM PDT
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| Construction on a new Carl’s Jr., restaurant could begin this week in Ontario. The franchise owners, Clayton Jones and John Nelson, Boise, said a groundbreaking for the new business is slated for today. |
ONTARIO - Construction on a new Carl’s Jr. drive-thru restaurant in Ontario should begin this week, and the business could be open sometime in mid-August, according to the franchise owners.
Clayton Jones and John Nelson, of CJ Star, Boise, plan to break ground today on their ninth Carl’s Jr. franchise in the Treasure Valley and their first in Oregon, Jones said Monday.
Jones and Nelson flipped burgers for Carl’s Jr. in the late 1970s, and graduated to the ranks of franchise owners in 1999 when they opened their first restaurant in Boise, they said.
Jones said he and Nelson now own eight Carl’s Jr. restaurants in the Boise market.
The new Carl’s Jr. in Ontario is slated to be situated at 1617 E. Idaho Ave., according to records in the Ontario Planning and Zoning Office.
Carl’s Jr. features “juicy burgers and fries,” Jones said, and the nearest franchise to Ontario is currently in Caldwell.
Choosing Ontario was a logical, next step Jones said.
“It was the perfect spot for us,” Jones said.
The pair owned the Ontario property for around three years, Jones said, and then began the development process about a year ago.
“The City Council, planning and zoning and the mayor have been really easy to work with and accommodating,” Jones said. “It’s been a really good experience.”
Jones said he likes the site of his newest restaurant, and he is thinking about relocating from Boise.
“I wouldn’t mind setting up residence in Ontario,” Jones said.
The city assessed a “traffic impact fee” for the restaurant of $56,640, according to records filed in the Ontario Planning and Zoning Office.
Traffic impact fees are similar to the recently repealed System Development Charges, in that both taxes cover the costs of infrastructure updates associated with growth.
Impact fees, though, are assessed for infrastructure related to traffic, and not for sewer or water, which was the case for SDCs. Traffic impact fees have been assessed to some businesses along the two intersections of East Idaho and East Lane, and East Idaho and Goodfellow, to fund traffic improvement that would help reduce congestion and ease flow, at a cost estimated in 2004 at $2.4 million.
The Ontario Marketplace, Wal-Mart and Home Depot were assessed for traffic impact fees. Wal-Mart, though, has yet to pay any fees to the city, unlike Home Depot and the Ontario Marketplace.
Wal-Mart and the city are debating the business’ “fair share” of construction costs. Wal-Mart contends it owes $263,173, however the city asserts the super store chain should pay $873,000.
Lawyers from both sides are currently working towards a possible letter agreement, and the city will apparently not grant Wal-Mart a building permit to fix its roof until that happens.
mike may wrote on Oct 28, 2009 12:47 AM: