Council approves special exception to allow larger restaurant space at Tanger Outlets expansion

The Summit County Council approved a special exception allowing restaurants up to 3,500 square feet in the 2014 expansion portion of the Tanger Outlets development in Kimball Junction.

County planner Amir explained the unique procedural issue: the town-center and resort-center zones do not use a standard use table, so many older developments rely on development agreements rather than the modern low-impact permit process. The 2014 development agreement for the expansion limited food‑court or restaurant spaces to 2,000 square feet. The applicant (owner/operator Singerman Real Estate and the outlets’ management) sought a special exception to increase that cap to 3,500 square feet for a single unit in the 2014 addition.

Justin Keyes, representing Singerman Real Estate, told the council the proposed restaurant is consistent with the town-center’s intended mix of uses and would increase “dwell time” at the outlet center, supporting retail and other tenants. Asset manager Adam Greenbaum said the owner has invested in rebranding and leasing and has recruited several food tenants that “are performing very well.” Council members and staff reviewed traffic and engineering concerns; county engineering had no objections to the increase from 2,000 to 3,500 square feet.

A public hearing drew no speakers. Council member Roger moved to approve the special exception in accordance with the staff-provided findings of fact; councilors adopted the motion by voice vote. The exception applies only to the roughly 23,500-square-foot expansion area added by the 2014 agreement; earlier portions of the outlet complex are not subject to the same numerical cap because they were not part of that specific expansion agreement.

The county will record the exception and the applicant may proceed with leasing and tenant fit-out subject to applicable permits and building approvals.