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Planning Commission recommends McDonald’s second ordering lane for BZA review after 4–1 vote
Summary
The Planning Commission voted to recommend a conditional use permit to the Board of Zoning Appeals to allow a second ordering lane at the McDonald’s at 544 Maple Avenue West; the motion passed 4–1 after commissioners and the applicant discussed the lack of submitted queueing data and operational limits (the second lane would be turned off at 10 p.m.).
The Vienna Planning Commission voted May 13 to recommend that the Board of Zoning Appeals consider a conditional use permit (CUP) allowing a second ordering lane at the McDonald’s at 544 Maple Avenue West.
Staff deputy director Kelly O’Brien told commissioners the application would not change the building or the pickup/payment windows; instead, the proposal adds a second ordering lane at the rear of the site, removes some rear parking to make space for the lane, and preserves loading and dumpster access. O’Brien said the applicant proposes turning off the second ordering lane at 10:00 p.m. to limit late-night impacts.
Commissioner Douglas Noble pressed the applicant for quantitative queueing data, saying the narrative asserts dual lanes improve queuing but provides no supporting numbers. Evan Pritchard, the applicant’s land-use attorney, said McDonald’s has operational data from many locations and that the company finds second ordering kiosks typically speed service and reduce queues; he acknowledged that the data was not submitted because town submission standards do not currently require it and offered to provide the information if requested.
After discussion, Commissioner (speaker 7) moved to recommend approval; the motion carried on a roll-call vote recorded by the clerk as Plowgian Aye, Noble Nay, Miller Aye, Fowler Aye, Glassman Aye. The commission directed staff to forward the recommendation to the Board of Zoning Appeals; staff stated the BZA hearing is scheduled for June 20.
Why this matters: the change would alter on-site circulation and remove some parking to add an ordering lane; neighbors and commissioners emphasized the importance of operational data and clear limits on hours and stacking to avoid residential impacts.
What’s next: the BZA will consider the CUP on June 20. If the BZA approves, the applicant will still need building permits for any site work.
Quotes
"The building itself isn't changing, so the pickup and payment window stays the same. It's just adding a 2nd lane in the back for ordering," Kelly O'Brien, deputy director, said at the hearing.
Evan Pritchard, representing the applicant, said: "McDonald's has done this at hundreds, if not thousands, locations across the country...I can tell you that...this speeds up and reduces queues," and acknowledged he did not have the data on hand to submit that night.
Ending
The commission’s recommendation forwards the CUP to the Board of Zoning Appeals on June 20; staff and the applicant said they would provide additional queueing information if requested by the town.
