Chick Fil-A Eyes Hyattsville Mall Parking Lot

Last night, Hyattsville City Council members got their first gilmpse at a proposal to construct a new Chick-Fil-A restaurant along East West Highway on the parking lot at the Mall at Prince George's.

Chick-Fil-A wants to build the fast-food restaurant with a drive through, which goes against the table of approved uses within the Prince George's Plaza Transit District Overlay Zone which encompasses the area. City and county planners want to redevelop Hyattsville's East-West Highway corridor into a more pedestrian friendly environment.

The restaurant would be located at the far southwestern corner of the mall parking lot, roughly across the road from where East-West Highway intersects with Editors Park Drive. The drive through and the restaurant parking area would only be accessible for cars from the mall parking lot. The store would face East-West Highway, and the drive through would be located behind the store.

Some members of the Hyattsville City Council seemed reluctant to modify the approved uses on the site to allow a drive-through fast food restaurant.

"I don't think a drive through is appropriate for that site," said Councilor Tim Hunt (Ward 3), during the presentation.

Daniel Lynch, attorney with the law firm McNamee and Hosea representing Chick-Fil-A, said the area consumers were expecting a "quick serve component" like a drive through window, and that the fast-food chain would likely not be interested in developing the site if they could not build a drive through. 

"Everywhere you go on Route 1, there are drive throughs," bemoaned Councilor Ruth Ann Frazier. "Is this where we are headed on East-West Highway?"

Chick-Fil-A has filed for an amendment to the mall's detailed site plan for approval by the Prince George's County Planning Board. The application is still under review by county planning staff.

The city council will likely consider supporting the application at its next meeting.