The months-long chicken drive-though saga was put to “roost” on Dec. 15 when the Dunwoody City Council voted to not to approve a Special Land Use Permit for an 18-car double-drive through at a proposed Zaxby’s restaurant at the Ashford Lane complex.
The council voted 4-3, with Rob Price, Joe Seconder, Stacey Harris, and Mayor Lynn Deutsch voting to deny the application. Tom Lambert, Catherine Lautenbacher, and John Heneghan voted to approve the application.
The restaurant itself is an approved use, but the construction of a drive-through lanes had to be approved with a SLUP.
The modified plan for the site at 125 Perimeter Center West, which formerly housed a bank, reflected a smaller building footprint – from its original 4,359 square feet to 3,486 square feet, according to a staff memo submitted with the application.
Council Member Joe Seconder read a statement regarding resident concerns about the application, citing potential traffic congestion and his opinion that establishing a drive-through at the location would be against walkability initiatives.
According to a queuing analysis conducted by A&R Engineering for Zaxby’s, the service rates (order placement, and payment/order pickup at the drive-through windows, and the vehicle-entering rate), were obtained from a Zaxby’s restaurant located at 2535 Briarcliff Rd NE, in Brookhaven. Observations were conducted during peak hours from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 29.
It showed that the average service rates during the morning rush was about 44 seconds and the afternoon was 72 seconds.
City staff recommended approval of the application with several stipulations, including the construction of a raised sidewalk, an outdoor heated patio, a sign that prevents car idling in the queue, and a right-turn-only exit from the area.
The memo also noted that multiple residents had submitted letters of opposition to the SLUP approval.
Council Member John Heneghan questioned one of the stipulations in the revised application, saying that the no-idling sign stipulation “just seems silly.”
In other action, the council:
• heard a recap from Dunwoody Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki regarding the outcome of initiatives discussed in the council’s 2025 retreat;
• approved a memorandum of understanding between Park Place at Dunwoody and the city’s police department for shared cameras;
• listened to a recap from Discover Dunwoody President and CEO Ray Ezelle regarding hotel demand, which shows an increase of about three percent year to date and approved its 2026 budget;
• Authorized $181,748 to purchase and install audio/visual upgrades for the Dunwoody council chambers.
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