For the past few months now, construction workers have been creating another Olive Garden. This new location will be built on the corner of Highway 400, down Dawson Forest Road. It will be replacing the vacant Huck’s Apple Barn.

Back in October of 2018, the Dawson County Planning and Development Director, Jameson Kinley, reviewed the construction plans of the Olive Garden. On the follow-up meeting for Oct. 25, 2018, he stated, “As of now, we haven’t heard of anything else going there for sure, just prospects.” Though there are rumors about a Cheddar’s being placed right next to it.

The restaurant is the first of several potential businesses to be developed on the 9.4 acres next to the Dawson Marketplace shopping center. Olive Garden has requested 152 parking spaces opposed to the maximum of 86, stating in their variance application that “if parking is inadequate it will negatively impact the new restaurant’s success.”  

When the planning commission met later in November, they voted anonymously to approve the variance for additional parking for the Olive Garden. No representative from Olive Garden Holdings (corporate) was present at the meeting, but the planning commission decided to move forward with approving the application.

“The reason for more parking spaces is because they feel that they always max out at every location and they will need more spaces to park. In addition, the staff has recommended approval based on all of the information that was presented to them from Olive Garden,” explained Planning Commission Chair Jason Hamby.

Beyond the Olive Garden, there are two dozen spaces still available in the Kroger shopping center, and stores that have recently opened include Torrid, Shopaholic Boutique and Dawson Nails. Seven spaces are still available across Ga. 400 in the Publix shopping center as well.