Commission recommends CUP for all-alcohol sales at proposed Cheddar's on Bridal Street

The Temple Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 4 recommended that City Council approve a conditional use permit to allow all-alcohol sales at a proposed Cheddar Scratch Kitchen on Bridal Street.

Principal Planner Jason Deckman presented the request for item FY-25-27-ZC, describing a 1.9468-acre site at 1702 Bridal Street with a proposed 6,000-square-foot restaurant. Deckman told commissioners staff found the site outside the exclusion radii for churches, schools and hospitals under Chapter 4 and that the application complies with the Unified Development Code and the I-35 overlay standards for landscaping and building appearance.

Deckman noted the applicants — identified in staff materials as Steve Whiskever and Christy Schachter — plan two Bridal Street entrances (no driveway onto the I-35 frontage road), 135 parking spaces for 216 seats (code required 72), ADA parking, bicycle parking and pickup/drop-off stalls. “They’re providing a lot more, but they’re providing landscaping within the parking area,” Deckman said.

Traffic and safety Deckman presented traffic data prepared for staff, including a broader polygon that captured I-35 and a focused polygon for the Bridal Street/30 First Street area. He reported about 124 crashes in the larger polygon (including one fatality, one DUI-related crash, three serious injuries and 22 minor injuries), and about 23 crashes after isolating the Bridal Street area. Staff classified the proposed Cheddar’s as a high-turnover sit-down restaurant with an estimated ~600 weekday trips and concluded the traffic impact would be manageable for the local roadway network.

Public comment and vote One member of the public, Allen Lila of Temple, spoke in favor of the restaurant during the public hearing. Commissioner Rhodes moved and Commissioner Longino seconded a motion to recommend approval of FY-25-27-ZC per staff recommendation. Commissioners Walker, Juraczek, Rhodes, Longino, Vice Chair Smith and Chair Krausek voted “aye”; the motion carried unanimously.

Conditions and next steps Staff recommended approval subject to completion of a site-development plan, compliance with Chapter 4 and UDC Section 5 (alcohol sales), compliance with the I-35 overlay requirements for landscaping and building appearance, and repair of any public infrastructure damaged during construction. Deckman noted that significant changes to the site plan would return to the commission; the planning director may approve minor adjustments administratively.

What this means The commission’s recommendation advances the CUP to City Council for final action. If council approves the CUP and subsequent permits are issued, the applicant still must complete subdivision and building permits and any required TxDOT approvals for driveway access if applicable.