DRP approves McDonald’s rebuild at 205 Back River Neck Road with staff conditions

The Baltimore County Design Review Panel on June 11 advised approval for a proposed raise-and-rebuild of the freestanding McDonald’s at 205 Back River Neck Road (Middleborough Plaza), subject to the Department of Planning’s staff conditions.

Brandon Rao, project manager with Boller Engineering, said the project would replace the existing roughly 4,600-square-foot restaurant with a new 3,694-square-foot McDonald’s, maintain existing access points, provide a side-by-side drive-through that merges to a single pick-up lane, and include a stormwater control and 52 parking spaces. Rao noted the applicant will seek a variance to allow 52 spaces in lieu of 60 required by code.

Landscape designer Ethan Richard summarized plantings intended to meet Baltimore County requirements: red maples and ornamental trees along frontages, white oaks in parking islands for shade, and a mix of native shrubs and flowering perennials. Richard said the landscape plan was designed to meet the County’s street-frontage, parking-adjacent and dumpster-screening rules and that staff’s request to label trees proposed for removal and to identify specimen trees will be incorporated into revised plans.

Architect Rashmi Charana described a building clad primarily in Hardie board and metal panels with a parapet height around 20 feet 9½ inches to contain rooftop mechanical units. The design includes a vestibule with high glazing and an interior kiosk area; a dumpster enclosure in the north corner will be masonry to match the building. The applicant agreed to the staff recommendation to reduce rear light-pole heights adjacent to residential zones from 20 feet to 18 feet.

Planning staff’s report recommended approval subject to conditions: label proposed removals and specimen trees on the landscape plan; provide an outdoor seating area (staff requested one, the applicant said McDonald’s does not plan outdoor seating at this site due to limited local demand); provide a pedestrian connection from Back River Neck Road to the building entry (applicant cited a five-foot elevation difference that makes a direct connection unfeasible) and provide bike racks. Staff also noted the applicant will request a special hearing for commercial parking on a portion of property zoned DR 10.5.

Panel members praised the landscape approach and native-plant emphasis and suggested attention to overhead utilities when selecting street trees. Panel member Miss Sauce moved to approve the project conditioned on staff comments; Mister Sharma seconded. The motion carried with the panel’s support. The applicant will proceed to pursue necessary variances and county permits.