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Council hears drive‑thru zoning study; Planning Commission recommends limits on new restaurant drive‑thrus
Summary
Staff presented a zoning study recommending prohibition of new restaurant and coffee shop drive‑thrus, indoor or walk‑up service requirements, and restrictions on allowable districts; council had questions and laid the ordinance over for a second reading and public hearing on Nov. 13.
At a Nov. 6 first reading the Saint Paul City Council received a staff briefing on a drive‑thru zoning study from planning staff member Bill Dermody, who said the city currently has about 80 drive‑thrus and described three headline planning commission recommendations: prohibit new drive‑thrus for restaurants and coffee shops, require indoor or walk‑up service during the same hours as the drive‑thru, and restrict which zoning districts can add drive‑thrus.
"We have about 80 drive thrus in Saint Paul today," Dermody said while showing maps and examples. He explained the proposal is primarily about new facilities and expansions; existing drive‑thrus would generally be allowed to continue to operate. Dermody highlighted design standards and stacking‑space rules aimed at reducing off‑site queuing and unsafe pedestrian conditions.
Council members pressed staff on environmental impacts, the relationship of this study to a larger T‑district/commercial corridor study, and how proposed rules might interact with large development opportunities. Dermody said the planning commission recommendation is "reasonable" and grounded in the city's comprehensive plan goals for pedestrian‑ and transit‑oriented development, while acknowledging staff had earlier proposed a less strict approach to allow drive‑thrus to enable some larger developments.
The council took no final action at first reading; the ordinance was laid over to Nov. 13 for a public hearing and second reading so the public can testify and the council can weigh comments against the planning commission's recommendation.
