Something will be the gateway to Lake Worth Beach, but it won’t be a Dollar General.

LAKE WORTH BEACH - Drivers heading into Lake Worth Beach won’t be greeted by the brown and yellow facade of a future Dollar General store.

City Commission decided to uphold the decision of the zoning board and deny Hanlex Development the right to build on 1615 10th Avenue N in a nearly three-hour appeal meeting Thursday night.

In a unanimous vote, the city cited safety and traffic as the main reasons to turn down the proposal.

"Something will be built here," Mayor Pam Triolo told residents. "I’m just wondering if this is the best use of the gateway to the city."

The decision drew mixed reactions from residents.

Carolyn Deli said she frequently shops at one of the convenience store’s downtown locations, about seven blocks away from her home in Tropical Ridge.

But, the grandmother said she thinks the new location would be make already "backed-up" traffic worse for those commuting to Highland Elementary, Lake Worth Middle and Lake Worth High.

She was a teacher at Highland Elementary and her children attended all three schools. Deli said she knows the route well and said a lot of kids walk to those schools.

"Dollar General? I don’t think so," she said. "It’s dangerous already, but that would make it even more dangerous."

Deli agreed with Commissioner Scott Maxwell’s claim that the store would attract lots of children looking to buy candy and cheap treats.

"You’re going to be a draw to small children," Maxwell said.

New housing developments Banyan Court and Lake Cove were not considered in the study and that was a concern for commissioners.

The area is already a difficult spot for drivers, which could create more safety concerns.

Drivers already have problems with the sun in their eyes, making their way around the turn, Commissioner Omari Hardy said. Hardy and others repeatedly questioned the safety of adding the westbound turn-lane on the hilly street.

The legal team for the project, represented by Dwayne Dickerson, of Dunay, Miskel, and Backman, LLP in Boca Raton, stressed that the developer had "collaborated" with the city extensively.

"I think this operator has proved they are not going to do the bare minimum," he said.

Dickerson said Hanlex had added additional landscaping to the plan, produced a traffic study for the project and agreed to pay for a left-turn lane to be built on 10th Avenue.

Commissioner Andy Amoroso said he was grateful for the developer’s efforts to make the project work, adding; "You have come a long way."

Triolo said she had been flooded with calls from residents questioning the safety and curb appeal of the site.

After the vote, the audience hugged and Lake Worth Beach resident Jim Kalamasz quipped, "We dodged a bullet."

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blefever@pbpost.com