Plan commission approves Dunkin' drive‑through at East Moreland with sidewalk and retaining‑wall relief, urges parking agreement

The Waukesha Plan Commission voted unanimously to approve a minor site plan and architectural review enabling a Dunkin' drive‑through and stacking lane at 2110 East Moreland Boulevard, subject to staff conditions and recommendations intended to preserve circulation and pedestrian access.

Staff recommended approval if the applicant addresses engineering, fire and water‑utility comments, secures a Department of Transportation letter allowing a retaining wall near the right‑of‑way, and installs sidewalk along the property's north edge “per our sidewalk plan” for the city. Staff also asked the applicant to add a more prominent cross‑hatch pattern in the queuing lane to deter vehicles from blocking circulation.

Architect Steve Colber, representing the applicant, said the design team studied multiple configurations and retained the layout that preserves an 11‑car queue for the drive‑through. "An 11 car queue is bigger than we put in most places...for Dunkin' it's really good," he said, and added that Dunkin' operations at comparable sites are largely drive‑through driven—"70 to 80%" at peak times.

Commissioners debated options to add parking by changing angles, pushing a retaining wall slightly farther south to create future flexibility, and whether the commission can direct the private property owner to make the existing third lane an exit‑only. Staff said the private driveway has historically been two‑way and that the property owner would need to agree to circulation changes.

Commissioners agreed to recommend moving the retaining wall slightly south to accommodate potential future reconfiguration, to encourage one‑way circulation through the lot, and to ask the applicant to pursue a cross‑easement or parking agreement with adjacent property owners for employee parking. The motion that passed included approval of the relief for the retaining wall, the sidewalk requirement, and the recommendations regarding retaining wall location and cross‑easement discussions.

Broker Karen Johnson, representing the property owner Clinky Cleaners, told commissioners the cleaners will downsize on‑site operations and that employee counts are expected to fall; she did not provide exact historic staffing numbers but said the proposal is a trade‑off the ownership supports.

The commission recorded the item as a unanimous recommendation. Staff will track outstanding engineering comments and the DOT approving letter for the retaining wall as conditions of final approval.

Next procedural steps: the applicant must resolve the engineering/fire/water comments, secure the required DOT correspondence regarding the retaining wall, obtain any permits, and communicate any cross‑easement agreements to planning staff.