McDonald’s proposes smaller Taneytown restaurant, seeks parking and signage variances

McDonald’s representatives presented a concept plan on the proposed redevelopment of 520 East Baltimore Street and asked the Planning Commission to forward comments for an October 22 Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on parking and signage variances.

The plan calls for demolishing the existing roughly 6,000‑square‑foot restaurant and replacing it with a 4,181‑square‑foot building, with a side‑by‑side double order‑point drive‑through and 21 on‑site parking spaces. Brandon Rao of Boller Engineering said the site is about 35,000 square feet and is currently in the city’s General Business zoning district. “The new building will be 4,181 square feet,” Rao said during the presentation.

Commissioners and members of the public raised questions about whether 21 spaces — down from 34 today and below the city code requirement of about 42 spaces — will accommodate customers…