Planning commission approves replat and site plan for drive‑through restaurant at 3700 Cheeksbarger Road

The Bedford Planning and Zoning Commission approved a replat of Lot 5, Block 1 of the Walmart Addition and recommended a site plan for a 2,571‑square‑foot drive‑through restaurant at 3700 Cheeksbarger Road during its May 22 meeting.

Staff said the overall property is 1.51 acres and the portion under consideration for the restaurant is about 0.694 acres. The replat divides the existing parcel so the western portion can be developed; the proposed building would sit on the southeast corner of that new lot. Staff reported the restaurant is permitted in the Heavy Commercial and Master Highway Corridor overlay zoning districts and that the site plan meets the requirements of Section 5.4 of the zoning ordinance, including parking and landscaping.

Why it matters: the site fronts a heavily traveled corridor and will use a signalized drive approach tied to adjacent development. Commissioners raised concerns about how the restaurant’s traffic will interact with a larger grocery store (H‑E‑B) and the corridor’s new signals, and about the placement and screening of landscaping, trees and the dumpster.

Key details - Use and size: a 2,571 sq. ft. drive‑through restaurant (presented as Popeyes). Staff said the ordinance requires 18 parking spaces; the developer presented 21 including accessible spaces. - Replat: the replat divides Lot 5, Block 1 (Walmart Addition) so the western parcel can be developed; the commission approved Plat 24‑4. - Overlay requirements: the Master Highway Corridor overlay requires site plan approval by city council after a recommendation from planning and zoning; drive‑through lanes must be behind the restaurant building, which the plan shows. - Landscaping: staff said the landscape plan meets Section 5.4 and the overlay’s buffer requirements, including a 30‑foot buffer facing Cheeksbarger Road and a five‑foot sidewalk easement to formalize a worn pedestrian path. - Access and traffic: the replat grants mutual access from the Walmart entrance and proposes a signalized driveway onto Cheeksbarger Road. City engineer Joe Schweitzer said the H‑E‑B engineers performed a corridor traffic impact analysis and that the proposed restaurant isn’t expected to be the primary driver of congestion; he added the city’s signals use camera detection and can be coordinated. Schweitzer introduced himself as "Joe Schweitzer. I am the director of public works and currently acting city engineer." He and staff said the timing of the new signal is controlled by the larger H‑E‑B development and could occur on a different schedule than this site’s construction.

Commissioner questions and developer responses Commissioners pressed the applicant on plant selections, tree spacing and drought‑tolerance (for example, recommending Texas lantana over more frost‑sensitive varieties), and on the root volumes available for proposed Monterey oaks. The applicant’s civil engineer explained topography and compact site dimensions constrained tree placement and dumpster location; he said the dumpster was placed to minimize disruption to drive‑through flow while providing employee access. Commissioners suggested shifting parking to give more soil volume to two trees near the entry.

Traffic and timing Commissioners repeatedly raised the timing and coordination of a new traffic signal tied to the H‑E‑B development across the road. Staff and the applicant said the restaurant could be constructed before the H‑E‑B signal is in place; the driveway could initially function as an unsignalized wide driveway until signalization occurs. Staff stressed that the signal lies within a multi‑jurisdictional corridor project and that Euless and Colleyville are participating in certain elements of the corridor work.

Votes and motions - Replat (Plat 24‑4): motion to approve the replat passed unanimously. (Commission record: motion and second made on the record; tally recorded as unanimous.) - Site plan (Site‑24‑2 / Popeyes at 3700 Cheeksbarger Road): motion to approve the site plan passed unanimously after discussion and staff findings that the plan met zoning and overlay standards.

Next steps The commission’s site plan recommendation will go to the City Council for final approval under the Master Highway Corridor overlay process; the replat is approved by the commission as recorded and will be processed per city procedures. Council review and any required construction permits or inspections will follow.

Quotes (from meeting) "The site plan meets all the requirements of section 5.4 of the zoning ordinance and staff recommends approval," staff said during the presentation.

Ending Commissioners approved both the replat and the site plan with the record showing unanimous votes; staff and the applicant will coordinate timing and any outstanding engineering or landscaping follow‑up before the project advances to permitting and council review.