Fairfield Chik-fil-A 'Recipe For Disaster,' Some Say

FAIRFIELD, CT — During a roughly three-hour public hearing about whether a proposed Chik-fil-A restaurant belonged on the Post Road, one town official suggested the chicken chain might be “a victim of its own success.”

The owner of the approximately 2-acre property at 750 Post Road and 42 Eliot St. is seeking a special permit and coastal site plan approval for the construction of a 5,000-square-foot fast food eatery. But concerns at Tuesday’s zoning commission hearing focused more on the drive-thru lanes and potential traffic the business could create than on the actual building.

“The size of the site itself is far larger than any other Chik-fil-A in the state,” said attorney John Knuff, who is representing property owner 750 Post Road Associates LLC and who noted the project meets or exceeds all town standards.

The restaurant would include a two-lane drive-thru capable of delivering eight meals simultaneously and holding 36 cars. Another eight vehicles would be able to overflow into the parking lot without effecting drive lanes.

“We’re very confident that the 36-car queue will be able to accommodate the busiest times at this store,” Knuff said.

The parking lot would have 76 spaces — 23 more than the expected demand, according to engineer Matt Bruton. Cars would enter the drive-thru near Eliot Place and turn to parallel Eliot Street, eventually facing an exit onto the Post Road. Customers would be able to access the restaurant fully from Eliot Place, while a right-turn-only entrance and exit would be located on the Post Road.

About 2,000 cars pass the proposed restaurant site during peak traffic hours, according to traffic engineer Rob Baltramaitis, who estimated Chik-fil-A would add 161 new trips in the morning peak hour and 129 trips in the afternoon peak hour.

“We know Route 1 is busy,” he said, referring to the Post Road.

Construction of a Chik-fil-A would slightly worsen traffic at Eliot Street and Benson Road, according to Baltramaitis, who argued traffic at Benson and Post roads would slightly improve were the restaurant built, particularly if the timing of the signal at the intersection was adjusted. Other nearby intersections would be unaffected, he said.

Some of the approximately 50 people who attended the online hearing were unconvinced.

“My constituents are very worried about the traffic, and honestly, this traffic report reinforced my concerns as well,” said Representative Town Meeting Moderator Karen Wackerman, of District 7, the district where the restaurant would be located.

Wackerman speculated that cars crossing the Post Road would be “a recipe for disaster.”

“This is just going to be so much traffic, I think it would be terrible for the neighborhood,” she said.

Chik-fil-A wants to open a Fairfield location in part to take pressure off its Norwalk restaurant, which has become a source of traffic trouble, according to Clint Mattson, a principal development lead for Chik-fil-A. Zoning commission member Thomas Noonan took issue with the applicant’s decision to rely on traffic estimates from the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

“You’re coming to me with ITE, which is what they used in Norwalk,” he said. “How do I feel comfortable accepting ITE trip generation?”

Town officials also received numerous emails from the public about the project, according to Planning Director Jim Wendt. Some were in favor, but many expressed traffic concerns, fueled by the issues in Norwalk.

In addition to discussing his traffic worries, neighboring property owner Daniel Mann asked the applicant to consider adding more trash cans to the site, avoid unaesthetic signage, and commit not to construct any secondary restaurants at the location, a request Knuff agreed to comply with should the project move forward.

Attorney Joel Green, who is representing several businesses in the area that are concerned about the eatery’s effect on traffic, spoke Tuesday, but will make his full presentation when the hearing continues Sept. 14.

The site where the Chik-fil-A is proposed was formerly occupied by Joe’s American Bar & Grill and Colonial Unisex Hair Cutters. The property was sold in late 2020 for just under $4 million. If Chik-fil-A is allowed to open at the site, it would create up to 150 new jobs.