Olive Branch approves 2nd movie theater site

Olive Branch aldermen approved a plan for a second movie theater site Tuesday night after the developer returned with amended plans.

The Board of Aldermen also postponed hearing about plans for a hospice to be established in a residen- tial area at 8786 Malone near State Line Road.

Several residents showed up for the theater vote, although a public hearing on the matter had been held two weeks ago. That’s when aldermen voted to approve plans for the site but stipulated that the developer must return with amended details.

“We pretty much knew it was a review,” said Steve Heuser, an area resident who has been vocal in opposition to the theater. “We still don’t think a theater should be zoned against a residential area.”

Ambarish Keshani of Cinema Group Inc. has been trying to win approval for a theater site since last year. Aldermen last month shot down his No. 1 site across from the Target store after stiff opposition from area residents. Keshani is appealing that decision to the DeSoto Circuit Court.

The second site up for discussion Tuesday night lies along Goodman east of Malone Road. A previous Board of Aldermen allowed a movie theater to be listed as a conditional use for the property. The city Board of Adjustment granted a permit under those terms last fall. Without an appeal within a time prescribed by law, that decision was final, and aldermen would be in a legal bind if they reversed it.

The Board of Aldermen, however, had room to set

conditions on the project. The aldermen ordered conditions that included down-turned lighting, removing of trash bins from the border with Huntleigh subdivision, a 45-foot-deep no-disturb zone, an evergreen buffer and an 8-foothigh wall.

The only addition made Tuesday night was a restriction on the flow of traffic using a curb cut to a drive nearest Malone Road. It will only be for right-in, right- out traffic, subject to the approval of the state Department of Transportation.

Another drive farther from Malone Road will allow left-turning traffic. The idea is that eventually MDOT may decide to place a traffic light at that location, said Pat Hamilton, who represents the neighborhood on the Board of Aldermen.

Malco Theatres Inc. announced last fall that it would resume work to build a movie theater at Goodman Road and West Hamilton Circle.

Residents have expressed concern that the city could not support two theaters.