The Taco Bell in Fair Lakes will be getting a new makeover.
During a public hearing on Wednesday (Oct. 11), the Fairfax County Planning Commission approved an application request to replace the 2,300-square-foot fast food restaurant with a larger, more modern building.
The new design will still be located at 12811 Federal Systems Park Drive, but it will feature a 2,700-square-foot building with two drive-thru lanes and an outdoor dining area.
Matt Roberts, an attorney with Hirschler Fleischer, represented the applicant during the hearing. He said there are three goals driving the application, the first being the desire to construct a new modern Taco Bell restaurant on the premises.
“The second is to add a drive-thru lane to accommodate increase in customer usage, which has been a longer-term trend but as you might imagine, really accelerated during the pandemic, and then lastly to update the sign-in for the site,” he said.
According to Roberts, 79% of peak-hour transactions take place at the drive-thru.
“So, expanding that on-site really relieves any of that pressure that’s starting to build up,” Roberts told the commission.
The application, submitted by Fairfax Commerce LLC in February, also calls for a surface parking area with the required 33 spaces and a pedestrian path from Federal Systems Park Drive to the restaurant’s front entrance.
Damaris Martinez, a planner with the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development, presented the applicant’s requests during the hearing.
“The applicant also proposes to extend a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along the property frontage of Fair Lakes Parkway from the intersection,” Martinez said.
The modern makeover will include grayscale fiber cement siding and metal panels and it will also provide a level two electric vehicle charging station.
“It’s going to be incorporating modern design standards for Taco Bell that you’ve probably seen throughout the county and basically are rolling out nationwide,” Roberts said, adding that the overall impact on traffic will be “negligible both in the current situation and as proposed.”
There were no public comments from the community, and the commissioners showed overwhelming support for the approval of the application.
Photo via Google Maps
Recent Stories
Good Tuesday evening, Fairfax County. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier…
Nearly a mile of Hunter Mill Road in Reston has been closed in response to an outside gas leak in a residential neighborhood. The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department…
The Food Star site in Bailey’s Crossroads is officially open for redevelopment. At a meeting on Nov. 21, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan amendment to…
A new bank is coming to Reston’s Campus Commons development. Capital Bank appears to be opening a location at 1900 Campus Commons Drive in Suite 130, according to Fairfax County…
Art House 7 warmly welcomes you to our upcoming Fall 2 session of classes starting on October 30th. We’re thrilled to offer a diverse range of mediums and flexible class lengths, catering to a wide age range, starting from as young as 2, and, of course, providing a multitude of engaging options for adults!
Our classes cover an exciting spectrum of creative mediums, including fiber arts such as knitting, modern embroidery, crochet, and sewing. We also offer classes in ceramics on the wheel, drawing, watercolor, gouache, oil, acrylic, still-life painting, and captivating Japanese Suminagashi and printmaking. One of the highlights of this session is the highly anticipated 5-week “Painting the Portrait and Figure” workshop, led by the renowned local artist, Danni Dawson.
For our younger artists, we have specially designed classes like “Art Exploration through Impressionism” for students in kindergarten through 5th grade, an engaging “Art Together” parent-child class designed for 2–4-year-olds, and a “Teen Taught Art Club” tailored for kindergarteners through 4th graders.
The Nutcracker presented by the Ravel Dance Company
The Ravel Dance Company will present the beloved holiday tradition The Nutcracker. It is Christmas Eve and the Stahlbaum family’s daughter Clara has received a Nutcracker from the mysterious toymaker and godfather Herr Drosselmeyer. Follow her journey through the Pine
Winter Wonderland Fundraiser
Proceeds benefit Fellowship Square, improving the lives of 800+ older adults with very limited income and resources by providing affordable housing and supportive services.
Experience a festive holiday fundraiser complete with savory wines & craft beers, scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, exciting
