Public Hearing: YES ☒ NO ☐ Department: Planning & Sustainability
SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): Commission District 01 Super District 07
Application of Integrity Engineering & Development Services c/o Wynn Hodge for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a drive-through for a restaurant in the C-1 (Local Commercial) zoning district, at 3396 Chamblee-Tucker Road.
Body
PETITION NO: N4-2025-1623 SLUP-26-1247822
PROPOSED USE: Drive through for a restaurant.
LOCATION: 3396 Chamblee-Tucker Road, Chamblee, Georgia 30341
PARCEL NO.: 18 294 04 009
INFO. CONTACT: John Reid, Sr. Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155
PURPOSE:
Application of Integrity Engineering & Development Services c/o Wynn Hodge for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) to allow a drive-through for a restaurant in the C-1 (Local Commercial) zoning district.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (Dec. 2025) Approval.
PLANNING COMMISSION: (Jan. 6, 2026) Pending.
PLANNING STAFF: Approval with Conditions.
STAFF ANALYSIS: The subject site contains an existing 4,945 square foot drive-through restaurant (McDonalds) with two drive-through lanes. Since the applicant desires to demolish the building and build a new McDonalds (with two drive through lanes), a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP) is required. The rebuilt restaurant will feature a total floor area of 4,298 square feet and a building height of 18 feet, 9½ inches; a 647 square foot decrease from the original building size. The applicant indicates the following summary of the project: The proposed redevelopment will incorporate McDonald’s latest architectural and operational standards and will improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, with adequate stacking spaces and removal of the entrance near the traffic signal will decrease intersection pressure. The redevelopment will include a reconfigured layout to support dual-lane drive-thru stacking, optimize vehicular circulation, and enhance pedestrian accessibility. The final phase of the project will include installation of new signage, landscaping enhancements, and completion of all required inspections to ensure full compliance with applicable codes and standards”. The only change to access will be that the existing Chamblee Tucker drive closest to the traffic signal on the west portion of the site will be eliminated to make traffic flow safer. MARTA has indicated a preference that the western-most drive be closed which is what the applicant is proposing. The DeKalb County Transportation Department has indicated that all access points need to have intersection and stopping sight distance as described by the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The site is located in a Regional Center (RC) character area designated by the DeKalb 2050 Unified Plan which calls for promoting a concentration of regional serving activities that allows for a variety of uses, reduces dependency on automobile travel, and promotes walkability and increased transit usage (DeKalb 2050 Unified Plan, Regional Center Description, page 37 of 2050 Comprehensive Plan). While RC Character Areas typically discourage auto-oriented uses, this property is located at the edge of the RC Character Area with frontage/access along a major arterial road (Old Chamblee Tucker Road) and Interstate 85 (I-85) and appears to have been operated as a McDonalds drive-through for at least the past 12 years. With the demolition and redevelopment of the site, McDonalds will be able to upgrade their appearance to meet both County and McDonald’s standards. The proposed redevelopment appears to be appropriate given the proposed smaller and more attractive building (see elevation), conformance with the drive-through supplemental regulations, and a proposed reconfigured layout to support dual-lane drive-thru stacking, optimize vehicular circulation, and enhance pedestrian accessibility. Based on the submitted information and discussion with the applicant, it appears there is compliance with the drive-through restaurant supplemental regulations. Therefore, upon review of Section 7.4.6 (SLUP criteria) and Section 4.2.23 (Drive-Through Facilities Supplemental Regulations) of the Zoning Ordinance, it is the recommendation of the Planning and Sustainability Department that the SLUP request for a drive-through restaurant be “Approved, with the attached recommended conditions”.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE: (January 6, 2026) Pending.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL VOTE/RECOMMENDATION: (December 2025) Approval 3-0-0.