Chick‑fil‑A hearing continued after applicant submits revised traffic, landscape plans

Chick‑fil‑A representatives presented revised site, traffic and landscaping plans for a proposed drive‑through restaurant at 1357 Boston Post Road and asked the Milford Planning and Zoning Board to keep the public hearing open until the next scheduled meeting so absent members can review the new materials. John Nuff, attorney for Chick‑fil‑A, told the board the applicant was giving the city staff consent to continue the hearing to the September meeting.

The revised submission includes a new landscape plan; letters from the property landlord and Barnes & Noble; and updated traffic and civil engineering reports, the applicants said. "We all know that this is a special exception, so it requires 7 votes, out of 10," John Nuff said, adding that the team had provided updated plans and supporting letters in response to questions raised at the earlier hearing.

The revisions aim to reduce vehicle conflicts and clarify circulation inside the shopping center, presenters said. Chaz Evans, professional civil engineer for the applicant, described a revised access layout that changes the proposed Chick‑fil‑A curb cut to right‑out only and maintains a full‑access entry from the main drive. Evans said the change eliminates a conflict point where drivers exiting the restaurant previously could block motorists attempting left turns toward Walmart and other plaza destinations. Evans said the plan adds a mountable curb island and revised double‑yellow and dashed lane striping to define dedicated left and through lanes at the plaza’s internal intersection.

Ethan Chikoski, the applicant’s traffic engineer, described complementary pedestrian improvements in the updated plans, including a new sidewalk connection from the existing bus stop on Boston Post Road to the store entrance, a raised pedestrian crosswalk with flashing beacons, and additional signage to route drive‑through traffic to less‑conflicting movements farther into the plaza. Chikoski said the raised crosswalk will act as a speed‑reducing feature on the internal drive aisle.

Board members asked detailed questions about how the proposed striping and signage would direct drivers through the wide internal pavement area and whether motorists would reliably follow the new markings. "Perhaps another arrow in that area would be a good idea," said Commissioner Hirsch; applicants agreed to add reinforcing striping or arrows.

Applicants and staff also clarified that the plaza is functionally a single parking area shared among tenants: employees and patrons may park anywhere on the site rather than in tenant‑reserved lots, and the existing arrangement means a pad site or new tenant in what is commonly called the “Walmart area” would require the consent of the occupant/landlord for any changes. Presenters provided a letter from Barnes & Noble that the board received with the application.

No public members spoke during the hearing. With the applicant’s consent and staff confirmation that the board had the revised materials, the board left the public hearing open and scheduled the matter to be continued at the next meeting so absent members may review the updated plans and ask questions. The applicant said it expects to appear on September 2 to conclude the hearing if the missing members are present.

Next steps: the board will review the revised drawings and supporting letters, and members not present at the August meeting will have the opportunity to ask questions before the board takes a final vote on the special exception application.