Dunkin’ Donuts eyes former Burger King site

Business request on agenda of Thursday night’s Ramona Community Planning Group meeting

By Karen Brainard

Instead of hamburgers, the former Burger King site at Main and 14th streets may be serving doughnuts and ice cream.

“This would be the first drive-through Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins in the state,” developer Steve Powell said at the June 26 Ramona Design Review Board meeting.

Powell, a Ramona resident and president of Woodcrest Homes, and Ramona architect Carole Wylie presented the plans for Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins to occupy the vacant location next to Re/Max Direct. Powell said Dunkin’ Donuts, the parent company of Baskin-Robbins, has its own architect, but he and Wylie are providing their local expertise. According to Powell, the new businesses would not require additional square footage but would give the building a facelift with architectural enhancements and signage.

How large the company logos and store lettering can be and how much signage is allowed for the two proposed businesses and Re/Max led to a discussion that lasted approximately an hour.

Design Review Board member Chris Anderson said the board approved changes to the plan that included downsizing the logos to 15-inches high and keeping lettering to 12 inches high, allowing signs with tenant names at the entrances on Main and on 14th streets, and requesting that the monument sign be removed.

The motion passed 5-2 with Anderson and Scotty Ensign opposing. Anderson said Powell and Wylie will see if Dunkin’ Donuts is OK with the changes.

The Ramona Community Planning Group will consider a required minor deviation to converting the site to a Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins at its meeting Thursday night, July 10, in the Ramona Library Community Room, 1275 Main St. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

In other items at the design review board meeting:

•After an hour of reviewing the site plan and proposed landscaping for Ramona Family Naturals’ relocation to the former post office at 325 Sixth St., the board gave its approval but with changes. Those changes included requesting earth tone slats in the proposed chain link security fence behind the building for screening purposes and modifications to the signage. The site plan had been revised after store owners Robert and Victoria Bradley brought it to the board in May. Member Greg Roberson abstained from the vote last Thursday.

•Real estate agent Sharon Quisenberry appeared with two clients who are interested in buying the former

Ramona Sentinel

building at 611 Main Street and opening a restaurant. The board said it will put the item on the agenda of its next meeting, July 31.