ORANGE : City Puts Off Mead Bid for Restaurant at Ex-Church

P.J. Mead Books & Coffee wants to open a restaurant and bookstore in one of Old Towne’s oldest churches, but the City Council last week was too concerned about limited parking and hostile neighbors to give its immediate approval.

This past summer, the council had resolved long-running complaints from neighbors about noise from the coffee shop by forcing Gary Mead Jr. and his family to build a sound wall around their Cambridge Street cafe.

Now, the owners want to expand the popular but cramped coffeehouse and open a full-scale restaurant and gift shop in what was once the Antioch Baptist Church.

The 5,000-square-foot church building, at Almond Avenue and Orange Street, was built in 1891 and as a church does not conform to current zoning, Community Development Director Jack McGee said.

The proposed restaurant would not conform to the limited business district zone either, but McGee’s office recommended giving the Meads a nonconforming use permit anyway.

It “would have no greater impact on the subject site than the previous use,” his report said.

Some neighbors and council members disagreed, pointing to limited parking in the area and the previous dispute between the original cafe and its neighbors.

“I have a great problem with this,” said resident Alice Clark.

“For 25 years, I’ve been saying to watch what you’re doing with parking in Old Towne. You are creating a mess,” she said.

Mead said he and his family have learned “a tremendous amount” about being more sensitive to neighbors.

The family has bought a parking lot next to the proposed site that would provide enough parking along with the public lot across the street.

Mayor Joanne Coontz said she is concerned that, once the project was approved, the city would not have any recourse should the business become a problem for neighbors.

The council continued the hearing to Jan. 10.