The Planning Commission approved a site plan and landscape plan for a new Taco Bell at Bel Air Town Center, including a drive‑through and a 10‑seat outdoor dining area, but tabled the special development modification for the shopping center’s overall architecture and elevations and required revised renderings for later review.

Kevin, a planning staff member, summarized the application as a request for “site plan and landscape plan approval for a 2,700‑square‑foot restaurant, that would have 31 patron seats inside,” with a proposed drive‑through and outdoor dining. Staff noted the design increases the restaurant’s drive‑through queue from five to 10 vehicles and adds two parking spaces on the restaurant parcel, bringing the center’s total to 397 parking spaces. Kevin also reported that staff and the town’s architectural consultant found the proposed exterior materials and color scheme inconsistent with the shopping center and the town’s prevailing character. “Staff feels the elevations proposed are entirely inappropriate for the shopping center,” Kevin said.

Kate Pierce of Frederick Board Associates confirmed the site plan increases parking and stacking, and said the applicant intends to handle deliveries through a service door near the main entrance, outside customer hours. Joe DePascale, the Taco Bell development manager, said the project uses a new prototype called “KitchenX” and asked the commission to approve the site plan so the developer can schedule store reconstruction. “I need the plan approved so I can then get down the road on my process,” DePascale said. He also said HVAC units will be screened behind parapets and that the project team will work with the chain on facade revisions.

On motions, the commission first voted to table the special development modification for the shopping center—citing performance standards for architecture, site design, lighting and signage in section 165‑53(h)(2)(d)—so the applicant could revise elevations in response to the architectural consultant’s comments. The commission then approved the special development for the drive‑through service, finding that vehicular circulation is coordinated with adjacent properties, adequate queuing is provided, and noise from speaker systems would comply with Maryland noise standards. The vote to approve the drive‑through carried unanimously among present commissioners.

The commission also approved the outdoor dining special development subject to conditions including closing amplified music and live entertainment by 9 p.m., adherence to the town code requirements for outdoor dining, limiting exterior seating to 75% of the interior capacity, and prohibiting any outdoor self‑service alcohol. The site plan and landscape plan were approved conditionally: signatures on a final site plan prior to permits, incorporation of pending Department of Public Works and county health and soil conservation comments, adding the enlarged patio to the site plan, correcting building area tabulations, adding crosswalk pavement markings at the drive‑through exit, replacing two shade trees previously removed in the parking lot, and submitting revised architectural elevations for subsequent review.

Commissioners and staff discussed operational details (no‑right‑turn signing to discourage drivers from making U‑turns at the drive‑through exit), pedestrian crosswalk markings, the refuse enclosure color matching new architecture, and additional screening and landscaping. Commissioners said they preferred brick and complementary materials over the black/gray metal panels proposed in the initial elevations. The applicant agreed to continue design discussions with the chain and return with revised elevations for the commission to review before final architectural approval.

No appeal or enforcement action was announced at the meeting; the approvals were conditioned on the applicant submitting the revised materials and satisfying agency comments prior to building permits.