Planning and Zoning Members Recommend Against Drive Thru Rule Change

Developers of a proposed Chick-fil-A restaurant in were dealt a setback Monday night, as the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 against language which

The vote came after more than a dozen members of the public spoke in opposition of the text amendment to city code. The developer, Bill Biermann, requested the change, which would lower the acreage threshold for drive thru restaurants from 3 to 1. It also would mandate that a drive thru could not be located less than a half mile from existing drive thru restaurant.

In his testimony Monday, Biermann acknowledged that the change may not be an "ideal standard", but he said existing rules make it "virtually impossible to develop a fast food restaurant within city limits."

A staff report which did not endorse the change said there were other sites in the city which could be developed into drive thru restaurants under existing regulations, and suggested that the possibility existed that Creve Coeur could see 15 drive thru restaurants if the change were approved.

Residents and in some cases, attorneys respresenting them or an existing business owner, rose to talk about their opposition to the change because they said it didn't conform to the city's existing Comprehensive Plan, while others cited traffic issues.

The recommendation for denial of the text amendment now goes to City Council. Biermann could withdraw the request, or ask for a continuance for more time to propose another alternative. He declined comment after Monday's vote. FOX2 is reporting he'll make a decision about what to do next later this week.

Paul Langdon, Creve Coeur's Director of Community Development, said alternatives, including limiting the change to certain zoned areas as opposed to a citywide ordinance covering several zoning classifications, haven't been "fleshed out," but that a new proposal would need more than minor changes to what was rejected Monday.

"A subtle change is not sufficient. They’re going to have to rethink it to a large degree," Langdon said.