Taco John’s of Iowa Inc. is reconsidering a West Des Moines site for the construction of a restaurant.

The developer recoiled in April from its original plans to redevelop 350 Grand Ave., the site of a former gas station, following a City Council decision to grant only a 20-year easement of a right of way at the intersection of Fourth Street and Grand Avenue rather than making it permanent.

The city anticipates that traffic patterns in the area will eventually warrant the widening of Fourth Street and the addition of a right-hand-turn lane. Taco John’s is weighing its cost to purchase and develop the site against the revenues that would be generated by a smaller-than-planned restaurant and the construction of a parking lot that might have to be scaled back later.

In the latest round of compromises, the City Council on Monday unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would allow the developer to retain 0.08 acres of the right of way indefinitely, prompting Taco John’s to resurrect its plans.

“That would be a permanent addition” to the 0.597-acre development site, said Linda Schemmel, an associate planner. “It is certainly not as much” as the developer was hoping for, she said.

“We want to expand,” said Bill Byrne, CEO of Taco John’s of Iowa, adding that the proposed restaurant would replace an existing Taco John’s at 300 Grand Ave., a few doors to the east.

“It hasn’t been easy dealing with a municipality that doesn’t know exactly what it wants, but we are trying to accommodate each other’s interests,” Byrne said. “I think the outcome will be something Taco John’s and the city of West Des Moines can be proud of.”

Final approval of the ordinance, which would classify the 0.08 acres as excess right of way, could be granted as early as Sept. 8. A development agreement between Taco John’s and the city would cement the terms of the easement, Schemmel said.

A site plan has yet to be submitted.