A third Dunkin’ Donuts, with drive-thru access only, could be coming to Crystal Lake.

Business owner Sumish Parikh is looking to covert a long-shuttered auto repair shop at 154 S. Virginia St. into his third Crystal Lake Dunkin’ location. Parikh owns the other Crystal Lake locations off Route 14 and Manor Road and at Routes 176 and 31.

“I really do think that Virginia corridor is, in my opinion, the next evolution of what we want to see the city grow and develop into,” he said. “My part in this is, honestly, to go back and beautify something I think that is a part that needs to be beautified.”

After a lengthy discussion last week, the Crystal Lake Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval for the special use permit in a 4-1 vote. The City Council is expected to make the final call on the matter Dec. 2.

The approximately 16,700-square-foot building with six parking spaces would not have inside seating for customers, only a drive-thru and a walk-up window. The walk-up window would be for mobile order pickups only. Access points are planned for Route 14 and Lake Shore Drive.

Nearby resident Erin Philpot raised concerns about the tight location mixed with high traffic volumes, especially with the newly opened Lake Roots cafe about one block south of the proposed Dunkin’.

“Lake Roots just opened. Our streets have been very chaotic and frankly unsafe,” she said. “We in our neighborhood are working to find our new normal as a previously quiet residential street.”

Commissioners recommended that the plan include traffic mitigation techniques for the Lake Shore Drive access point during peak traffic hours.

Commissioner Jeff Greenman also questioned if the six parking spaces would be enough for customers looking to use the walk-up window. Parikh said his drive-thru-only location in Fox River Grove has a vestibule for customers to pick up drinks inside the store, but is rarely used.

“Nobody gets out of their car to go inside,” he said. “Mobile ordering is the new thing for Dunkin’ customers. Currently, we’re at 46% of my total customers using mobile apps.”

A traffic review prepared by engineering consultants Gewalt Hamilton Associates shows the plan allows for up to nine cars to line up in the drive-thru lane with an additional three cars in the mobile order line. An additional drive-thru order box was included to further avoid the potential for cars backing up outside the property, city engineer Abigail Wilgreen said.