Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals approved an exception Thursday, Dec. 21, for a new Taco Bell. Pictured, from left, are Randy Cox, Joe Leatherman, Larry Coplen, Matt Sandy and Ben Plikerd. (Photo by Phoebe Muthart)

SYRACUSE —  A new Taco Bell prototype was approved at the regular meeting of the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals Thursday evening, Dec. 21. One exception and two variances were heard.

Bell-American Group LLC’s petition for an exception was approved. The company wants to allow a restaurant with a drive-thru, a new Taco Bell, in a commercial district. A restaurant is a permitted use in a commercial district, but a drive-thru requires an exception.

The property is located on the east side of Huntington Street and 150 feet south of Bowser Road. It is the site of the former Pete’s Fish restaurant and is currently a vacant lot.

Michael Thompson, director of engineering for Hamilton Designs, Fishers, presented the proposal. He said his company is working with Indiana Department of Transportation to make sure the property has appropriate traffic flow.
He said the company wants is to be as safe as can be while having sufficient traffic flow. Certain lighting is required, per a county ordinance. Also, separate exit and entrance lanes will be in existence.

Gerard Gausselin of Macy’s Pointe Condominiums said he is concerned about several issues. One is foot traffic and the other is vehicular traffic due to the drive-thru. He also is concerned with trash accumulation.

“We’d like a fence, a solid one, to be 6 feet high, at the east end of the property,” Gausselin said. A 6-foot fence is sufficient, noted Thompson.

“We will do quite a bit of landscaping,” Thompson stressed.

The new restaurant would replace the current Taco Bell currently located north of the new location. The new 2,053-square-foot Taco Bell will feature 40 seats and 10 outdoor patio seats.

The petition was granted with the condition fencing is installed along the east property line and is a solid fence, either a shadow box or a vinyl fence.

Kentucky Fried Chicken, currently located in the same building as Taco Bell, will close next year, possibly in May, confirmed KFC Manager Jacque Hirshey.

Bradley Clark’s petition for a variance was approved 4-0. Clark wants to allow a residential addition, a deck, to remain as is 32 feet, 4 inches from the water’s edge. A complaint prompted a hearing for a variance.

The property is located at 507 E. Lakeview Road in Oakwood. Clark’s wife, Fran, spoke on behalf of her late husband. She said the deck was already in place when the couple bought the property.

Two letters were read in support of the deck, while one remonstrator was against the deck. The board, however, voted to leave the deck in place as is.

Lakeland Eagles Aerie No. 3760 request for a petition was approved by a vote of 4-0. The Eagles requested a variance to allow an off-premise sign in a commercial district closer than 300 feet to a residential district and closer than 250 feet to an intersection.

The property is located at 405 N. Huntington St.

The off-premise sign is located at the Sunoco gas station. The sign is considered an off-premise sign since The Eagles is located on another site on Kern Road. The Eagles President Gary Francis said it is replacing the current sign with an electronic sign. The sign will be professionally installed and insured.

The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Jan. 18, at Syracuse Town Hall.