Planning commission approves 7‑Eleven request to add distilled spirits at Telegraph and Painter

The Santa Fe Springs Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve an amendment to Alcohol Sales Conditional Use Permit Case No. 56 that would let the 7‑Eleven at 13203 Telegraph Road replace its existing Type 20 beer-and-wine license with a Type 21 license to sell distilled spirits.

Assistant Planner Alejandro de Laura told commissioners the site is about 0.38 acres, zoned Community Commercial, and has operated under the original conditional use permit since 2012. "This specific request is going to be replacing their existing Type 20 license," de Laura said, adding that the proposed distilled‑spirits display would be "approximately 5 by 5" and located in a locked cabinet behind the point-of-sale counter accessible only to store employees.

The change would not alter store hours: the business operates 24 hours a day, and the approved conditions maintain alcohol sales limited from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. the following day. De Laura said the applicant must still obtain approval from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and that ABC confirmed no finding of public convenience or necessity is required for this application. He also said staff concluded the project is exempt from CEQA under Section 15301 (existing facilities).

Commissioners asked about alcohol‑related incidents and proximity to nearby schools. De Laura said calls for service at or near the site had not been determined to be alcohol related and noted that schools and other sensitive receptors were notified of the proposal; no comments were received. He said the amendment includes a condition requiring the applicant to submit an updated security plan to the police services department addressing issues such as excessive loitering and repeat visitors, and that ABC rules and license conditions (including prohibitions on serving visibly intoxicated persons) apply and are automatically part of the license.

No members of the public spoke. Commissioner Flores moved to approve the amendment and adopt the resolution specified in the staff report; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with Flores, Cervantes, Ayala, Vice Chair Jimenez and Chair Sarno all voting "aye."

The commission's approval is subject to the conditions in the adopted resolution; de Laura noted the operator has demonstrated compliance with existing conditions during prior reviews in 2016 and 2022. A 14‑day appeal period was announced following the vote.

The Santa Fe Springs Planning Commission record shows that the applicant for the amendment is Bruce Evans, representing the 7‑Eleven at the site.