Roanoke Rapids, NC zoning: where a drive-thru restaurant is allowed
Is a drive-thru allowed in Roanoke Rapids, NC?
A drive-thru restaurant is allowed by right (no conditional use permit, special exception or rezoning) in these zoning districts: B-1, B-4, I-1, I-2.
It needs a conditional or special use approval in: B-2.
It is not allowed in 9 districts: B-3, B-5, R-3, R-5, R-6, R-8, R-12, R-20, R-40.
1 district is not confirmed yet.
Drive-thru restaurant rule by zoning district
| District | Drive-thru restaurant | What the code says | Section | Source | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-1 | By right | 8.100 Restaurants: P (permissible with a zoning permit issued by the administrator). Parking 1/100 sf + 1 per 4 outside seats + reservoir of 5 spaces per drive-in window (151-292); drive-in lanes paved (151-296) | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100; 151-146(a) | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| B-2 | Conditional | 8.100 Restaurants: C* (P to C 1-17-17) - conditional special use permit from City Council. Parking 1/100 sf + 1 per 4 outside seats + reservoir of 5 spaces per drive-in window (151-292); drive-in lanes paved (151-296) | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100; 151-146(a) | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| B-3 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in B-3 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| B-4 | By right | 8.100 Restaurants: P (permissible with a zoning permit issued by the administrator). Parking 1/100 sf + 1 per 4 outside seats + reservoir of 5 spaces per drive-in window (151-292); drive-in lanes paved (151-296) | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100; 151-146(a) | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| B-5 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in B-5 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| CD | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 | |
| I-1 | By right | 8.100 Restaurants: P (permissible with a zoning permit issued by the administrator). Parking 1/100 sf + 1 per 4 outside seats + reservoir of 5 spaces per drive-in window (151-292); drive-in lanes paved (151-296) | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100; 151-146(a) | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| I-2 | By right | 8.100 Restaurants: P (permissible with a zoning permit issued by the administrator). Parking 1/100 sf + 1 per 4 outside seats + reservoir of 5 spaces per drive-in window (151-292); drive-in lanes paved (151-296) | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100; 151-146(a) | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-3 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-3 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-5 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-5 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-6 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-6 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-8 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-8 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-12 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-12 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-20 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-20 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
| R-40 | Not allowed | 8.100 Restaurants: blank in R-40 column (not permitted). | Sec. 151-149 use 8.100 | roanokerapidsnc.gov | 2026-11-15 |
"By right" means permitted with site plan and building permit review only. Overlay districts, planned developments (PD/PUD) and conditions attached to a past rezoning can change the answer for a single parcel.
Official zoning map layer
To find the district for a parcel, query the jurisdiction's own GIS zoning layer: https://services8.arcgis.com/0zS9csrI5fS6Bcym/arcgis/rest/services/Roanoke_Rapids_Zoning2_(2)/FeatureServer/0 (district field: ZONE)
City planning AGOL parcel layer (edited 2022; older than July 2024 zoning map PDF). Code: Land Use Ordinance rev Sept 2025, Table 151-149 use 8.100 Restaurants (drive-in window is within the restaurant definition).
Sources
How to confirm before you buy
- Look up the parcel on the official zoning map to get its district and any overlay.
- Open the code section linked in the table and read the use table and the drive-thru standards.
- Call the planning office and ask whether a drive-thru restaurant needs anything beyond site plan review at that address.
Why this library exists
I'm Luke Smith. I find land for drive-thru brands like 7 Brew, Ellianos Coffee and Starbucks, sign the tenant, build the shop and sell it as a net lease property. Every deal starts with the same question: is the use allowed here without a rezoning? Getting that answer takes too long, so we read the codes (with AI research help), and I publish what we find with a link back to every source so you can check it yourself.
If you have a site that fits a drive-thru, or you want to learn how these deals are put together, join the free Reverse Deal Finder community on Skool, see cap rates and land prices by brand, or call 1-760-392-1525. Brokers welcome: I pay commissions.