Georgetown City Council was expected to discuss a special-use permit for a Hat Creek Burger Co. drive-thru restaurant at 405 S. Austin Ave., but the item was pulled by the developer before the April 24 meeting, Georgetown Mayor George Garver said.

The restaurant needed to acquire a special-use permit to put a drive-thru at that location, and the application was presented to the city's Planning & Zoning Commission on April 3. The commission voted 7–0 to recommend council not approve the permit.

Hat Creek owner Drew Gressett said he pulled the item because of legal questions concerning whether the council needs a simple majority or a super majority vote to overturn the commission's ruling. Gressett said he does not know when he will bring it back to council.

Ercel Brashear, Planning & Zoning Commission chairman, said the board voted to not recommend the permit because commissioners felt the drive-thru concept did not fit in with the city's plan for the area.

Gressett's proposed plans include an approximately 3,000-square-foot restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating, a drive-thru and a children's play area.

He said the drive-thru is an integral part of the company's business model and is part of the restaurant's two locations on Bee Caves Road and Burnet Road in Austin.

Concerned citizens showed up to the April 24 City Council meeting to speak against the proposed drive-thru wearing buttons with the word "drive-thru" crossed out in red.

"We think it violates the master plan and is completely inconsistent with Old Town," said Dan Solin, who owns a townhome at 406 Main St. next to the proposed Hat Creek location. "It's not just a significant impact, but a devastating impact on our townhomes."

The restaurant could bring 250 cars per day to the property, about one-third of which would use the drive-thru, Gressett said.

"We want to have a Hat Creek in Georgetown, and we're excited about the possibility of getting that done," Gressett said. "The Georgetown Square is a fantastic place. Our concept is geared toward families, and we think that that property does a lot of providing a place for families to come down and enjoy downtown Georgetown."