Council approves Chipotle at Knollwood; conditional use permits and comprehensive plan amendment cleared

The St. Louis Park City Council on Oct. 6 approved a development to add a Chipotle restaurant with a mobile‑order pickup lane on a vacant parcel adjacent to Knollwood Mall at 8528 Highway 7, combined with related changes to the neighboring 8530 Highway 7 property. The council approved a comprehensive plan amendment changing a portion of 8528’s future land use from right‑of‑way to commercial, granted conditional use permits to allow in‑vehicle service/parking and shared parking arrangements, and rescinded an older special permit for the northern parcel.

City planning staff presented the project, describing the two‑parcel proposal: the southern, vacant parcel would house Chipotle with a pickup lane (no staffed order board) and shared parking would be established with the existing commercial lot to the north, which includes a Firestone and a multi‑tenant building. Planner Caitlin Champu said the property would not have direct access to Aquila Avenue or to Highway 7, per Minnesota Department of Transportation restrictions. “The proposed Chipotle development will not have access, direct access to Aquila Avenue South or Highway 7,” Champu said.

Staff said the two parcels together require 84 parking spaces under zoning, including a 10% reduction for proximity to transit; the combined site as proposed meets that requirement with 84 total spaces (68 on the existing northern lot and 16 on the Chipotle lot). The applicant proposed eight‑car stacking in the Chipotle pickup lane, exceeding the city’s six‑car stacking standard for drive lanes.

At the Planning Commission meeting, commissioners discussed site circulation and potential conflicts among the existing Jimmy John’s drive‑through, the Chipotle pickup lane and general traffic flow. The applicant committed to enhanced striping, pedestrian markings and an expanded drive aisle adjacent to the Jimmy John’s lane to allow two‑way traffic and improve circulation. The Planning Commission recommended approval by a 6–1 vote.

Several council members raised environmental concerns about vehicle idling at pickup lanes and asked staff to gather data about emissions and idling time; the applicant and staff said Chipotle’s pickup lanes typically reduce dwell time compared with conventional drive‑throughs because orders are placed and paid through a mobile app and customers arrive only when the app indicates the order is ready. Owner Jay Lindsay said the building would include a monument sign and property‑line wayfinding so drivers can find the pickup lane; “the monument sign is ... highly visible as you'd be driving around the building,” Lindsay said.

After discussion and minor clarifications about signage and bike parking, the council approved the motions to amend the comprehensive plan, grant the conditional use permits and rescind the older special permit. Staff will forward the comprehensive plan amendment to the Metropolitan Council for review and authorization as required.

Planning staff noted the applicant will plant 15 trees and 92 shrubs, add four bicycle parking spaces and provide conduit for future electric vehicle charging at 50% of affected spaces. The council asked staff to return with any additional sustainability data and sign standards when appropriate.

Votes on the project were taken Oct. 6; the council approved the package by voice vote with no recorded opposition.