Politics & Government
Apple Valley Planning Commission Takes a Look at Chick-fil-A Sketch Plan
The company wants to start construction of the restaurant—at the southeast corner of Cedar Avenue and 153rd Street—next spring.
The Apple Valley Planning Commission on Wednesday night took its first look at a sketch plan for the Chick-fil-A restaurant proposed at the southeast corner of Cedar Avenue and 153rd Street.
The informal plan for the site did not meet several city zoning requirements, including minimum distance from a residential area and a 50-foot setback from Cedar Avenue.
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But, planning commissioners and a Chick-fil-A representative expressed willingness to work toward making the restaurant become a reality.
Chick-fil-A wants to built a 4,585 square-foot restaurant in an outlot planned as part of the Cub Foods renovation. The restaurant would seat 106 customers and would have an outdoor seating area and a drive-thru.
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Georgia-based Chick-fil-A—best known for its breaded chicken sandwiches and waffle fries—has roughly 1,700 restaurants in the United States. Two currently are in the Twin Cities: at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in the student union at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Chick-fil-A representative Jason Hill said the Apple Valley location would be one of three new standalone restaurants the chain wants to build in the metro.
“We typically break into a market with two or three stores,” he told planning commissioners.
If the City of Apple Valley approves the project, construction could begin next spring, Hill said.
Before submitting official development plans, Chick-fil-A submitted a sketch plan to the city to get feedback on the proposal.
City Planner Tom Lovelace said the sketch plan contains several zoning issues.
One issue involves the proposed restaurant’s proximity to a residential area.
Lovelace said the Chick-fil-A would be about 150 feet from a townhome development near the southwest corner of Cedar Avenue and 153rd Street. City zoning requires a 1,000-foot buffer.
There have been variances granted in similar instance, Lovelace said.
Another issue involves the restaurant’s drive-thru.
Chick-fil-A wants to have a two-lane drive-thru with two menu boards. City zoning permits multiple drive-thru lanes, but prohibits more than one menu board.
For instance, the drive-thru at McDonald’s on County Road 42 has two lanes and one menu board.
Lovelace and at least two planning commissioners said they would be willing to revisit the menu board issue.
Chick-fil-A is expected to submit official development plans soon.
Click here to read more about Chick-fil-A’s proposed restaurant in Apple Valley.
