Chick‑fil‑A seeks scenic‑corridor buffer deviation for extra stacking lane; DRB recommends screened trellis or fence
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Summary
Chick‑fil‑A asked Walton County’s Development Review Board for feedback on reducing a 10‑foot scenic‑corridor buffer to add a drive‑through stacking lane; the board recommended opaque screening solutions (trellis or decorative fence with plantings) and noted the sidewalk and ROW must not be disturbed.
Chick‑fil‑A representatives with InterPlan presented a pre‑application request asking for feedback on modifying the county’s 10‑foot scenic‑corridor landscape buffer to add an additional drive‑through stacking lane at an existing restaurant outparcel adjacent to a larger shopping center.
Krishna Desai explained the safety and stacking needs that motivate the change and said the team does not intend to touch the public sidewalk in the right‑of‑way; instead they requested flexibility immediately behind the sidewalk within the scenic‑corridor buffer so they can add a bypass/stacking lane to reduce queuing back onto adjacent roadways. Danielle Hoffman (InterPlan) said the submittal team will prepare the formal application, and staff confirmed the next formal step would be a pre‑application meeting and a less‑than‑minor development order filing.
Board members and staff provided several suggestions for screening and mitigation rather than simply removing the buffer: use an attractive trellis or picket/horse‑fence detail that can be planted with vines to create an opaque visual screen, preserve the sidewalk and right‑of‑way, and explore adding or enhancing landscaping in other parts of the parcel (near the dumpster or internal concrete areas) to increase overall site greening. Staff cautioned that structural trellises and similar elements must meet setback requirements or be accompanied by a variance if placed in the scenic‑corridor buffer.
The board did not take action tonight; it offered guidance and encouraged the applicant to return with clear photographs, elevations and a proposed fence/trellis design when filing the formal application.