City of Detroit Lakes Denies Mcdonalds Request to Eliminate Parking Spaces for Second Drive-Through Lane

DETROIT LAKES (KDLM) – The city of Detroit Lakes will not allow McDonalds to eliminate parking spaces, effectively denying the business from installing a second drive-through lane.

The restaurant had asked for a variance to decrease their parking spaces to 45 to install a new drive-through lane to help reduce traffic backup which tends to back up onto Frazee Street.

McDonald’s had been granted a variance in 1985 when the restaurant was constructed which allowed the business to lower their parking from the 73 spaces required to 54.

“In reality what they’ve done is they’ve outgrown that lot…the only way I could see this being allowed is if they said they weren’t going to open their lobby again,” said Ron Zeman.

McDonalds had offered to reduce seating from 120 to 96 in the restaurant, however the motion failed on a 5-4 vote during Tuesdays council meeting.