Planning Commission deadlocks on Starbucks drive‑thru zoning change; no recommendation sent to City Council

The Hayward City Planning Commission on May 22 considered a zoning text amendment to allow drive‑through restaurants and coffee shops in the Air Terminal Commercial (ATC) zoning district, together with a conditional use permit and site plan review for a proposed two‑story mixed‑use building at 22101 Hesperian Boulevard that would include a Starbucks drive‑through on the ground floor and small office suites on the second floor. After discussion the commission was evenly split, producing no recommendation to City Council.

Proposal details and review: Senior Planner Steve Kowalski presented the application. The proposed mixed‑use building would place a roughly 2,345‑square‑foot Starbucks on the ground floor and a 1,912‑square‑foot second floor divided into four small office suites. The building would add 16 parking spaces directly outside the building and rely on reciprocal access to parking in the adjacent Home2Suites by Hilton…