Woodstock Rejects Panda Express Drive-Thru Request

A request from a national restaurant chain to build a drive-thru restaurant in the Ridgewalk area was rejected by the Woodstock City Council on Monday.

The council voted to unanimously reject one variance request from Panda Restaurant Group, LLC, which asked the council to allow a drive-through restaurant on 1.2 acres of land labeled Outparcel 5 of the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta development. 

However, the council did approve the company's remaining variance requests: 

• to modify the 18-foot build-to line to vary between 50 feet and 60 feet from the back edge of the Ridgewalk Parkway sidewalk; 
• to reduce the required to 60 percent frontage to 28 percent along Ridgewalk Parkway, 
• to waive the requirement of one "functional" entrance on each frontage 
• to grant a variance from the city's architectural standards that would allow for the modified "Bright and Fresh" Panda Express prototype.

Council members heard from several residents who live in adjacent neighborhoods, who asked council members to reject the company's request. 

Meridian at Ridgewalk resident John Rowland, asked the city to "do the right thing" and stick with the Envision Ridgewalk Village plan community stakeholders have formulated for the area. 

Jay Dawson, the homeowners association president of Montclair at Ridgewalk neighborhood echoed Rowland's sentiments. 

Another Meridian resident, Ronnie Smith, asked the council to stick with its stipulation that no more than two drive-thru restaurants would be allowed on the outparcels of the Outlet Shoppes at Ridgewalk.

"We don't need a (Highway) 92 on Ridgewalk," Smith said, referring to the scores of fast food chains on the city's main thoroughfare. 

Some of the same residents also spoke out against McDonald's variance requests, which were also rejected by the city council last week. 

The council also unanimously voted to not extend the senior living zoning for roughly 9 acres at the corner of Neese Road and Highway 92 and approved city officials sending an application to the state for the city to establish a workers compensation self-insurance fund.

Council members also approved the second reading of changes to its solication ordinance.

The amendments to its solicitation ordinance allows for a process for non-profit organizations to solicit on public rights-of-way.

The changes also establishes a permit process for those who wish to partake in the solicitations, prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from performing charitable solicitations, restricts solicitation to occur between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and for those to visibly display the organization they are soliciting for.

The council met in executive session to discuss real estate, personnel and litigation, but took no action upon returning.

Council member Chris Casdia was not present.