The triangular parcel, which county records show is owned by the J.N. Powell, Jr. Family Limited Partnership, is assessed at $337,500, totals 1.8 acres and is already zoned for commercial use; it sits on the west side of Champion Drive, just across the street from the gas pumps at the nearby Ingles grocery store.

Jesse Gardner of Asheville-based Civil Design Concepts presented the planning board with details of the proposed development Oct. 25; while the tenant is still confidential, Gardner’s firm often works for clients similar to Family Dollar, Dollar General and Dollar Tree.

Gardner told the planning board that the project was still in the due diligence stage, during which zoning and other permitting issues are addressed. If all goes well, ground may be broken at the site as early as March, and after an eight-month build, the tenant could end up taking occupancy about a year from now.

Whoever that ends up being, they’ll join the bustling commercial district that lies just north of Canton’s downtown; the recent recruitment of Western Carolina Freightliner from Asheville to a nearby site is the most recent economic development victory for the town, which has seen strong growth in both its downtown and Champion Drive corridors of late.