Plans for a revamped Fry Street cleared a major hurdle Wednesday as Denton planning commissioners voted 5-1 to endorse a pharmacy drive-through lane, despite objections that it would endanger pedestrians in the heavily walked area bordering the University of North Texas.

The drive-through, which the City Council still must approve, would serve CVS Pharmacy, the anchor tenant of the proposed 55,000-square-foot Fry Street Village. The development would replace buildings razed this summer at Hickory and Fry streets, including The Tomato, with new retail shops and restaurants.

The City Council is expected to vote on the drive-through as early as Dec. 11. If the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended denial, the council would have needed a supermajority to approve it.

Project manager Tim Sandifer of Houston-based United Equities praised the commissioners’ decision. He previously said CVS would not locate at the corner of Fry and Hickory streets without a drive-through, and that the entire Fry Street Village project would fall apart without CVS.

“I’m excited about the outcome,” San­difer said. “I’m happy to move forward.”

Commissioners heard more than an hour of comments from supporters and opponents of the drive-through, who filled most of the seats in the City Hall council chambers, forcing some to stand against the back wall.

Commissioner Patrice Lyke cast the lone vote in opposition, saying a drive-through wasn’t compatible with the city’s stated goal of having a pedestrian-friendly Fry Street area.

But Commissioner Jay Thomas said many of the concerns opponents raised, such as jaywalking and illegal parking, could be addressed by increased police enforcement and had little to do with the development at hand.

“It’s not a perfect deal, but I see a viable development for urban renewal,” Thomas said.

Elise Ridenour, who lives near the development, said the commissioners’ vote stunned her. She accused the developer of understating the amount of anticipated drive-through traffic to skirt tougher requirements in the city’s transportation criteria manual.

“There were substantive issues that should have been addressed tonight and were not,” Ridenour said, adding that commissioners at least should have required a formal traffic study.

Most who spoke against the drive-through said they supported the redevelopment of Fry Street. But they argued that pharmacies regularly build in urban settings without drive-through lanes.

“A drive-through is antithetical to pedestrian traffic,” said Wendy Watson, a resident of the nearby Oak-Hickory Historic District. “I think it is an accident waiting to happen.”

Former Mayor Euline Brock spoke forcefully against the drive-through, saying the reason developers need the city’s permission to build drive-through lanes is because officials were worried that idling cars would further harm regional air quality, leading to federal restrictions.

“With one stroke, you will create additional traffic safety problems,” Brock said. “You will increase pollution.”

Several people spoke in favor of the drive-through and overall redevelopment project, including Deborah Leliaert, UNT’s vice president for university relations.

“Today, the redevelopment of Fry Street is vital to the wellbeing of our campus community,” Leliaert said. “It can play a key role in the recruitment and retention of our students and our employees.”

United Equities bought most of the block bordered by Fry, Oak, Welch and Hickory streets last year and announced plans to redevelop it. The news spurred protests from residents who wanted to save existing businesses and buildings, some dating to the 1920s.

The developer demolished five of the buildings but pledged to replace them with structures that integrate 1920s-style architecture.

Besides CVS, other potential tenants include Chipotle restaurant, Cafe Brazil and More Fun Comics & Games, Sandifer has said.

LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com .