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BZA denies Popeye’s request to add second drive‑through lane near Purple Line transit stop
Summary
The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals Division 3 denied a variance that would have allowed Popeye’s to add a second order station and front‑yard stacking at 2402 E. 30th St., citing the Transit Oriented Development overlay and objections from IndyGo and staff.
The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals Division 3 on Feb. 18 denied a petition by Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen to add a second drive‑through order station and to legalize stacking spaces within the front yard along North Keystone Avenue at 2402 East 30th Street (case 2024‑DV‑1‑037, amended).
The denial came after transit officials and staff said the site lies in the city’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) overlay for the new Purple Line bus rapid transit route and that adding a second order point would further orient the site toward automobiles rather than pedestrians and transit users. “We support the TOD overlay,” Ryan Hunt, manager of service planning for IndyGo, said. “Encouraging even more automotive use on the site is not going to meet the purposes of the TOD overlay.”
City staff told the board the site, which predated the TOD designation, is now subject to updated standards intended to prioritize walkability and reduce vehicle‑oriented expansions. Staff recommended denial, saying the additional lane and the front‑yard stacking would “expand a non‑compliant auto‑centric use” and would undermine the overlay’s goals.
Petition representatives argued the second order point would be located mostly at the rear of the building and said it would help traffic flow on the lot and reduce queuing onto adjacent streets. Sean Ireland, an engineer representing the petitioner, said the remodel was intended to “expedite cars through” and cited other Popeye’s locations with similar layouts.
The vote was unanimous: Percy Bland — no; Brian Hannon — no; Joanna Taft — no; Rayanna Bender — no. The variance was not granted.
Board minutes show staff and transit agency testimony and the petitioner’s response were considered before the vote. The file remains available to the petitioner for future action if they choose to redesign the proposal to meet TOD standards.
