The proposed Olive Garden site, planned at 5150 E. Main St. outside Ashley Furniture, must also be approved by the city building inspector, fire marshal and city council before construction can begin, Farmington Community Development Department Director Michael Sullivan said.
"Rarely do we get the plans of something to this magnitude that they don't follow through on," Sullivan said Thursday.
The company declined to comment on the status of the project, and Farmington is not listed among sites scheduled to be open by the restaurant chain through March 2010. However, in addition to the permit application, Olive Garden is recruiting and has posted on its Web site job ads seeking a manager at a prospective Farmington site.
As proposed in plans submitted to the city, Olive Garden intends to open a three-dining-room restaurant capable of seating nearly 250 diners at a time, a size comparable to other large chain restaurants in the area.
The restaurant permit paperwork details a complete remodel of more than 7,700 square feet of commercial space available in the building adjacent to the Ashley Furniture store.
"It appears to be a project that could be constructed in a roughly six-monthperiod," Sullivan
The city building permit application first was filed Nov. 5 by the restaurant contractor, CRHO Restaurant Architects, based in Tustin, Calif.
Meanwhile, the ownership company of Olive Garden is linked to other restaurant chains, including Red Lobster, which already is located in Farmington.
If approved, a building permit would have to be released directly to a contractor. According to the Web site of Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden¹s parent company, the Farmington site had not sought construction bids as of Oct. 8, the last time the Web information was updated.
"We don¹t know that they¹ve gone out to bid on this. We can¹t say for sure," Sullivan said. "I believe they have a signed lease agreement."
The property owner, Austin, Texas-based Retail Endeavors Group, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Unlike franchise restaurants that often have a local owner, the Olive Garden is funded by corporate investors with Orlando, Fla.-based Darden, a publicly traded company.
Farmington Chamber of Commerce President Dorothy Nobis said the confirmation of a building permit sets aside more than 20 years of rumors that the restaurant chain might open its doors in Farmington.
"I think that there¹s probably not going to be many people in San Juan County who aren¹t going to be absolutely thrilled that this is a done deal," Nobis said. "I think for years and years people have hoped for it. My guess is Olive Garden is going to have one of the biggest grand openings that they¹ve had anywhere."
But there is little concern that the much-anticipated development will steer much business away from the established restaurants on East Main Street, Nobis said.
"There¹s that draw. People in San Juan County and Farmington love their restaurants and love to eat out," she said. "It¹s going to give everybody another option."
Farmington Mayor Bill Standley said the planned development marks a success for the community, which has grown to meet the expectations Olive Garden officials first began looking for more than 10 years earlier.
"It¹s been long awaited and anticipated and finally it¹s become a reality," Standley said. "I just hope that they haven¹t undersized it, because it¹s going to be lines and possibly waits before you can get in and get a table."
James Monteleone: jmonteleone@daily-times.com
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