SCARBOROUGH — Plans to raze and rebuild the McDonald’s restaurant at 221 U.S. Route 1 are on hold until early next year after Planning Board members tabled a project review Monday night.

With questions about building elevation and some other site elements, further consideration of the plans submitted by John Kucich of Bohler Engineering in Southboro, Mass., will not be taken up again for at least a month.

One question is whether the new restaurant is high enough and if the planned flat roof line fits into the local design standards. Alternate Board member Kerry Corthell, given a voting role with the absence of Planning Board Chairman Allen Paul and member Jeffrey Thomas, spoke in favor of a peaked roof.

“I just still do not see why we can’t have a more normal New England roofline,” she said.

Board alternate David Bouffard also took a voting role Monday and praised plans presented by Kucich.

“With a fast-food restaurant, there is only so much you can do,” he said.

Adam Guillemette of McDonald’s Corp. said the style is in line with company standards.

“It is about brand consistency for us,” he said. “The line in the sand has always been the peaked roof.”

Cory Fellows, who served as chairman in place of Paul, said he understood the efforts to make the restaurant fit into the area, but urged the company to reconsider the roofing before re-approaching the board.

“We have our design standards, which are our coprotate limitations, if you will,” he said.

Tim Moulton, who works with Hogan Management, said he would consult McDonald’s corporate officers about the design concerns.

“Let me just say there are certain things I don’t think I can get accomplished,” he said. “I will say the peaked (roof) part, I don’t think so. But I do think we can do something.”

The restaurant, about 30 years old, is now owned by Hogan Management of Braintree, Mass., which operates McDonald’s franchises throughout New England.

The company took over the restaurant last spring, but the proposal to replace the 4,100-square-foot building was brought before the board about 18 months ago. Chace noted about 80 percent of plan details were approved by the board during the last review.

The new restaurant would be about 3,900 square feet with two drive-through windows. Access to the parking lot from Plaza Drive, which intersects Route 1, would be expanded.

According to plans, parking would be reduced by 10 spaces to 38, with the lost spaces replaced by a new lane in front of the restaurant allowing vehicles to be diverted to the expanded Plaza Drive entrance and exit.

Kucich said the second drive-through order area and window, coupled with interior kitchen redesign, is expected to alleviate traffic backups on to Route 1 as customers wait to order.

In other business, the board approved plans to add 30 homes to a subdivision off Tenney Lane near Pleasant Hill Road and Highland Avenue.

Settlers Green Estates II will be constructed on about 116 acres in a rural farm district. The board gave preliminary approval to the project in June.

David Harry can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 110 or dharry@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidHarry8.

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