La Porte City board approves drive-through restaurant at 416 J Street

The La Porte City Board of Zoning Appeals on June 10 approved a special exception to allow a drive‑through restaurant at 416 J Street, a property zoned B2 General Commercial District.

City staff told the board the proposal meets the additional‑use criteria for drive‑throughs, including required stacking spaces, parking and frontage landscaping; staff recommended approval. Matthew Kirkwood, the petitioner, said he has worked with staff on the site plan and, once civil work is finished, is ready to begin construction.

David, a staff member who presented the item to the board, said the petition is filed as Special Exception Use 25‑02 and that the property sits at the corner of Fifth and J streets, with commercial zoning on the east side of the alley and single‑family residential (R‑1C) on the west. He told the panel that an alley vacation under a separate process would add space for the required landscaping. “Staff does recommend approval of special exception use 25‑02 to allow [the] drive‑through restaurant here,” David said.

The staff presentation described access and circulation for the site: the board heard that the proposed layout would use J Street (State Road 2) for the primary entrance, and an exit‑only onto Fifth Street would be appropriate. The landscaping plan noted a five‑foot frontage planting strip along Fifth and J streets with approximately one tree per 40 feet, and a roughly 10‑foot separation between the proposed drive‑through and adjacent residential properties to the west.

Kirkwood, the applicant, summarized the request: “We just seek that 416 J Street be improved for a drive through for the restaurant,” and said, “As soon as the civil work is done, we are ready to dig the ground.” He added that he had met with David and others and believed the plan was acceptable to stakeholders.

No members of the public spoke during the public‑comment period. A board member said the site had been vacant for years and called the restaurant proposal “absolutely wonderful.” Another board member made a motion to approve the petition; a second was offered. The board approved the special exception by voice vote.

Staff and the applicant discussed a pending alley‑vacation process that, if completed, would provide additional area to meet landscaping and separation requirements. The board did not place additional conditions on the approval during the meeting.

Next steps described in the hearing: the applicant may proceed with civil work and building permits after satisfying any outstanding administrative requirements and any alley‑vacation process still in progress.