Councilman Asks for Changes to Drive-Thru Zoning Codes

With millions of dollars in new development pouring into the city, Ward I City Council member David Anderson wants to make sure drive-thru windows are being good neighbors.

Anderson has talked with the planning department about changing the zoning code to minimize the drive-through's impact. 

“From traffic, to noise, to pollution, to safety, to proximity to neighborhoods – all these things need to be considered,” he said. 

Dru Siley, Lakewood’s assistant director of planning and development, said he and his office are conducting initial surveys and studying the city's 30 or so drive-throughs at fast-food restaurants, pharmacies, banks and the Lakewood Public Library. 

Over the next few weeks, he and his team will compile research and present their findings at a Planning Commission meeting at  Aug. 4.

Later in August, Siley will suggest to the board what zoning codes can be changed to best integrate these businesses into Lakewood's neighborhood. 

“What I could’ve done is put together an ordinance with a number of conditional-use requirements that would offer a number of things that an organization who wanted to put in a drive-in, drive-up or drive-thru in Lakewood would have to meet,” Anderson said. 

“I am not a zoning expert, nor am I a commercial development expert, so I decided to respectfully ask the planning and development board to give some feedback to council.”