Anyone hankering for a Cajun meal may soon find a new place in Keller.
Keller City Council on Sept. 5 approved a zoning change, specific use permit and a site plan for variances for a new Te’Jun the Texas Cajun restaurant.
The background
In March, council approved a bid from Te’Jun, which is a proposed 6,697 square-foot two-story restaurant with a drive through, for the purchase of city-owned property at 541 Keller Parkway, according to the council agenda. The former Keller fire station at this location was demolished in 2019, and a request for proposals was issued for the sale of the property the following year.
The location of the new restaurant would be 300 feet west of the intersection of Keller Parkway and Bourland Road. Te’Jun has locations in Red Oak and Robinson.
The restaurant features an array of seafood dishes, including shrimp, fish, crab and fried alligator, according to its website.
Explained
Because this is a Cajun restaurant, the building’s motif will reveal a distinct Bayou flavor.
“The restaurant’s concert is intended to be reminiscent of a large Louisiana-style home that includes a porch and balcony overlooking the water directly north of the property where that drainage is right now,” said Sarah Hensley, director of community development for the city.
A closer look
During a discussion about the specific use permit, Council Member Sean Hicks asked whether there would be enough parking for the size of the building for the number of people who would eat there.
Hensley said there is not enough parking for the building as the site is designed now, and that is one of the variances requested on the site plan. Parking availability is a concern for staff, she said.
“I know the applicant has had quite a few discussions with some of their surrounding neighborhoods to try to meet or get closer to their parking requirements,” she said.
The applicant is working on creating documented shared agreements with neighbors, but those plans have not been finalized yet, Hensley said. The city’s code requires 45 spaces plus two accessible spaces for the size of the restaurant proposed, and the applicant desires 37 spaces plus two accessible spaces.
Hicks said he welcomes the restaurant to town, but is worried about the parking situation because of the large-size restaurant being fit into the proposed spot, what he considers “a small piece of property.”
What else?
Council Member Tag Green also had a concern about parking and said the restaurant’s management needs to come to a written agreement with a neighboring business about parking or else “we’ve got a problem.”
Lydia Baldwin, director of marketing and co-owner of Te’Jun, said there are multiple options the restaurant could look for to address parking concerns.
Council approved the permit and the two other items in a 7-0 vote.
Te’Jun officials are still working through some floodplain issues, Hensley said, and officials have not yet closed on the sale of the property or submitted building plans.
Baldwin said in an email that the company hopes to begin construction by January and open in fall 2024.
