Bellflower council continues McDonald’s drive‑through appeal to May 12 for more traffic, access analysis

The Bellflower City Council on April 28 continued to May 12 a public hearing on an appeal by Design UA Inc. of the Planning Commission’s denial of a proposed McDonald’s restaurant with a drive‑through at 16211 Bellflower Boulevard.

Associate Planner Catherine Brunton told the council the project would demolish an existing commercial building and replace it with a 3,786‑square‑foot restaurant with a two‑lane drive‑through that merges into a single lane for service windows, about 24 parking spaces and roughly 35% landscaping. “The appellant is appealing the Planning Commission’s action to deny a conditional use permit to allow a drive through business and a development review for a new 3,786 square foot restaurant building for a proposed McDonald’s,” Brunton said during the staff presentation.

The Planning Commission denied the proposal, and the commission’s findings—repeated to the council—focused on several concerns: the site is identified in Bellflower’s housing element as a housing opportunity area and the commission said redevelopment should prioritize housing; lack of a reciprocal access agreement with…