A proposed Davenport drive-in movie theater has a new location and neighbors that are apprehensive about the business that could open by late summer.

The site plan for the Reel to Reel Drive-in was approved Tuesday by the Scott County Planning and Zoning Commission with several conditions attached. Several nearby residents expressed concerns about the drive-in being a disruption to wildlife and raised concerns about noise, what movies would be shown and how late movies would be shown.

“We asked residents to come and speak about this project,” said Kyle Turnbull, of American Residential Communities which owns Lakeside Manor Manufactured Residential Community. “In general, I think this is a bad idea because of the noise and the light.”

Lakeside Manor, with recreational vehicle and housing areas, is located north of the proposed location for the drive-in.

Dean Potter, who lives in Lakeside Manor, expressed concern over traffic.

“I would hate to see a drive-in theater go in there,” he said. “I think it will be a big mistake to go in there.”

The drive-in was originally planned for a site near the intersection of County Road Y-48 and Locust Street in Davenport, but weather prevented construction and an unresolved real estate purchase killed that location.

Randy Lorenz,  his son, Arron, and other investors, found a new location in Buffalo Township east of Y-48 and south of 140th Street, north of the original location. The site is properly zoned for commercial and light industrial use.

“We ran into a snag we couldn’t solve, so we went looking for another property and had a better property present itself,” Lorenz said. “I get about three questions a day about it. I want to give people an answer but we couldn’t tell anyone.”

Lorenz and his partners must present construction plans for the septic tank, concession building and screens for approval before construction can begin. He said the goal is for a late summer opening.

“I’ll call you when we can put a fork in it,” he said.

The conditions required by the commission were:

- Screens be built to specifications set by a structural engineer.

- Water well and septic tank be approved by the Scott County Health Department.

- An access agreement and dust control for an access road until a permanent access road is built.

- A hard surface access road must be built within one year of the drive-in’s completion.

- Drive-in management is responsible for traffic control exiting the theater.

- Review of the site plan after one year for possible revision.

- Tree screens to the north to block sound and light away from a Lakeside Manor Manufactured Housing Community.

 Lorenz said he wants to be a good neighbor and is willing to work with neighbors. After the meeting, he talked at length with a representative of American Residential Communities.