Hill Country Village City Council on March 23 granted a special-use permit to Mexican restaurant chain Taco Palenque, which plans to buy a former Wendy’s restaurant building and turn it into a new Taco Palenque location.

Specifically, a company called TPA Real Estate applied for the permit regarding a structure located at 15333 San Pedro Ave., which is zoned for commercial use.

Rob Killen from the local law firm Killen, Griffin and Farrimond, representing the restaurant company owners in the permit case, said the Hill Country Village location gives Taco Palenque an ideal, visible site in between the chain’s other north side locales.

“It’s a perfect location,” Killen told the council, adding the permit is needed to ensure proper restaurant use at the structure in question.

According to Killen, Taco Palenque will renovate the building and keep it within the existing footprint.

Killen also said the restaurant chain plans to invest $1.5 million to renovate and open the San Pedro Avenue storefront. He estimated the location will generate $4 million in annual sales there.

Company representatives said the new Taco Palenque will have a drive-thru, and remodeling of the structure is expected to take about eight months. The company did not provide a preliminary opening date for the new restaurant.