Planning Commission approves Taco Bell site plan, drive‑through and outdoor dining but tables architectural elevations

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…