Huffman Baptist Church in Birmingham plans to sell a surplus parking lot that will become a Jack’s restaurant on Parkway East.

An earlier proposal by the church to sell the lot to a company that planned to put a car wash there was denied rezoning by the Birmingham City Council in January after opposition from the Huffman Neighborhood Association.

On Tuesday, the City Council approved rezoning for the new Huffman location for the Jack’s Family Restaurants chain, which was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Homewood.

“Jack’s intends to build our newest prototype restaurant,” said Jim Avery, vice president of development for Jack’s Family Restaurants. It will include a covered porch with rocking chairs, like the restaurant in downtown Homewood, he said.

Theodore Debro, president of the Huffman Neighborhood Association, thanked the council for rejecting the car wash and said it resulted in a better outcome with a restaurant that residents will welcome to their area.

“We think this is going to be a great addition to our neighborhood, really a gateway to our neighborhood where we can have coffee, fellowship and really get to know our neighbors even better,” Debro said.

“We had something good come out of something bad,” said City Council member Valerie Abbott. “Everybody won, except the car wash.”

The Jack’s restaurant is planned for 9701 Parkway East. It will have 42 parking spaces and seating for 68 diners inside, along with a fireplace.

In January, church representatives said the congregation decided to sell the land to help fund ministries.