ALPENA — Alpena could be getting a new pizza joint.

The Alpena Zoning Board of Appeals voted to grant a parking variance to the owners of a new Domino’s Pizza restaurant planned for the former 7-11 building on Ripley Boulevard.

The board voted to approve the parking ordinance, but declined another that would have allowed for a drive-thu to be added to the business.

Alpena Planning and Development Director Adam Poll said that, because the owners want to have dine-in seating, there needed to be 15 parking stalls.

“They are four spaces shy, so they require a variance because of the indoor dining,” Poll said.

Poll said the board voted against the drive-thru window because the layout of the building and parking lot wouldn’t allow for enough “stacking” of vehicles when lines become long.

“They don’t have enough space for five cars to stack up, which is required by our zoning ordinance,” he said.

Alpena had a Domino’s Pizza on Chisholm Street downtown during the 1980s and 1990s, but it was forced to close. Poll said the owner of the new proposed restaurant hopes to have the pizza shop open by the end of the year, if not sooner.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.