Developer seeks zoning variance to build Chipotle at former Rod's Meats site

Developers plan to ask the Bemidji Planning and Zoning Commission this month for a variance to build a Chipotle Mexican Grill at 1718 Paul Bunyan Drive NW, the former Rod’s Meats site. John Johannson, managing director of retail services for Twin Cities-based Transwestern Real Estate, said Chipotle toured Bemidji and “decided they wanted a store there,” citing the college population as a key market factor.

The parcel at issue is identified by PIN 800301700 and the legal description SECT-05 TWP-146 RANGE-033 PINE RIDGE ADDITION TO BEMIDJI LOT-009 BLOCK-003. Zoning for the site is B-2 General Commercial with a Trunk Highway 197 Overlay on the Paul Bunyan Drive frontage and an Airport Zone B Overlay because the lot sits roughly 584 feet from the runway center line. More than half the parcel is wooded and a city sewer line easement divides the site, complicating layout options.

The proposed Chipotle design calls for 68 parking spaces and a pickup window dedicated to online orders. Johannson emphasized operational differences from a traditional drive-thru, saying, “It's actually not a drive-thru... It's essentially just a pickup. There's no menu board, there's no ordering window. You order in advance on an app, and you say what time you want it available. There's no money exchanged, no order board. You pull in line and your food's there.” Johannson also said, “We have retail properties across the Upper Midwest. Chipotle is a common tenant. They do such a nice job, and we've done a lot of similar-sized communities.” If the commission grants the variance, Johannson expects groundbreaking this spring with the restaurant open by the end of the year or in early 2027; the developer projects utility and underground work in 2026 and paving, intersections, sidewalks and relocated curb cuts in 2027.

The site has a recent regulatory history tied to a different concept. In 2024 Andrew Peralta purchased the property and initially intended a Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, but he determined the lot could not accommodate a drive-thru ordering lane and said he would search for another site for DQ. A City of Bemidji planning document dated March 11, 2024 shows a draft resolution for AMP Bemidji LLC seeking variances for a drive-through restaurant on the same parcel. That draft cited Airport Zone B lot-size rules - including a three acre threshold the parcel does not meet - and listed conditions such as obtaining a building permit and ensuring exterior lighting conforms to Section 28-408 of the development code. City code also makes clear in Section 28-82 that drive-through or drive-in restaurants in B-2 zoning require a conditional use permit.

For Bemidji residents, the immediate impacts to watch are traffic and curb cut changes along Paul Bunyan Drive, tree clearing on a largely wooded lot, and airport overlay safety considerations tied to lot size and proximity to the runway. The project would also add a national fast-casual tenant targeting on-the-go and student customers, shifting retail mix and midday foot traffic patterns near 24th Street NW.

The Planning and Zoning Commission vote this month will determine whether the developer moves forward with formal site plans and permit applications. If you want to follow the timetable, look for the commission agenda and staff packet for the hearing to see the specific variances requested and any conditions the city applies.