Garden City planning panel approves Dunkin' site plan, recommends special-use OK to council

The Garden City Planning Commission on June 12 unanimously approved a site plan and recommended city council approve a special land use so a two-tenant commercial building with a Dunkin' drive-through can be built at 28484 Ford Road.

The project sits on a 19,165-square-foot vacant lot and proposes a 3,385-square-foot building with two tenant spaces, one of which would be a Dunkin' restaurant with a drive-through lane. The commission voted 4-0 to recommend approval of the special land use contingent on final site-plan approval, and later voted 4-0 to approve the site plan with several conditions.

City planning staff summarized how the proposal fits current rules and the master plan. “The applicant is proposing to construct a 3,385 square foot, 2 tenant commercial building,” city planning staff member Mister Ortega said during his presentation, noting the site’s prior drive-through use and that the master plan designates the area as mixed use.

Why it matters: the property is adjacent to multifamily and single‑family residences to the north, and commissioners and staff required specific measures to reduce impacts on nearby homes. The commission’s approvals are conditional; the special land use still must be handled by city council before final authorization of the drive-through use.

Key facts and approved conditions

- Site and building: 19,165-square-foot lot; proposed building 3,385 square feet with two tenant spaces. The applicant proposes 17 parking spaces total.

- Parking allocation: staff noted a 400-square-foot dining-room/standing-area calculation creates an eight-space requirement for the Dunkin’ plus four employees; that would allocate about 12…