Chick-Fil-A Is Coming To Fairfield: First Selectwoman
FAIRFIELD, CT — Chick-fil-A, the popular national chain of chicken restaurants, is slated to open a new location in Fairfield, after its application before the Town Plan and Zoning Commission was denied in 2021.
First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick announced the news on Monday, confirming that the restaurant will move into the former Joe’s American Bar & Grill site at 750 Post Road. The property, which has sat vacant for more than three years, had been declared a blight in 2022.
The 2021 application was denied largely due to traffic concerns from a proposed drive-thru, but the drive-thru has been scrapped, and the restaurant will now use the current building.
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“The applicant recently reached out to let us know they were redesigning their plan to bring Chick-Fil-A to this site within the current footprint without a drive-through, essentially using the building and site as it was formally used by Joe’s,” Kupchick said in a statement. “I’m sure traffic concerns will still exist, however, the property is privately owned.”
Fairfield Planning Director Jim Wendt told Patch that because the Chick-fil-A is not seeking changes to the building, it does not have to come back to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission for a new approval. The building’s owners had obtained town permits to repair siding, windows and doors, Wendt said, and also got permission for a general clean up, and for an interior fit up to utilize the existing building and site.
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“The earlier special permit application, which was denied, was for demolition and new construction and development of the site,” Wendt said in an email. “The current permits are to use the site, as is, as a restaurant. There is no change to the use, building footprint or interior area, or exterior that would necessitate an additional review by the TPZ Commission.”
Over the last several months, the town has fielded questions about what the plan was for the former Joe’s site, which is not owned by the town, according to Kupchick.
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“Any plans that are submitted that don’t meet current town zoning regulations are brought before the Town Plan & Zoning Commission, which is an independently elected board,” Kupchick said. “The Town’s permitting departments will always follow town, state and federal regulations as I do as the First Selectwoman of our town. I often meet with the owners of private properties in our town to share my input on how I would like to see our Town developed whether it be an application for an 8-30g development or a new business. Ultimately, the Town has processes in place for all applications that are strictly followed even in the face of state laws that sometimes tie the hands of our Plan & Zoning Commission as we have witnessed with the 8-30g law.”
Patch reached out to Chick-fil-A for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply. Work has begun at the site, but when the restaurant will open has not been disclosed.
Mark Barnhart, Fairfield’s Director of Community & Economic Development, told Patch that he is pleased to see that the site will finally be utilized.
“It will be good to see the site and building cleaned up,” Barnhart said. “We haven’t met with the prospective tenant, but we wish Chick-Fil-A — and really any business that choose to invest in Fairfield — well.”
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