VERO BEACH — The Sonic Drive-in to be located at U.S. 1 and 18th street in Vero Beach has passed its last administrative hurdle and is expected to be open for business sometime next January.
Planning Manager Hank Flores said Thursday that the plans submitted by the restaurant passed the City of Vero Beach Planning and Zoning Committee by a 6-0 vote last week. The former Wachovia Bank that was on the site has already been torn down. “It pretty much sailed through the committee,” Flores said. “The next step is for them to pull the building permits.”
The plans call for the tearing down of the 4,168-square-foot bank building and replacing it with a 1,766-square-foot restaurant to be surrounded by 1,250 square feet for outdoor seating and 55 parking spaces.
The Sonic Drive-In is the first for Indian River County. Restaurant officials have discussed entering Sebastian, as well. The Sebastian City Council annexed about 3 acres of property into the city in July.
As of July, the property, between Shady Rest Mobile Home Park and St. Sebastian Catholic Church on US 1, was under negotiations between the property owner and the Sonic Drive-In franchise owner for purchase.
The status of the negotiations is not known.
