Planning commission recommends approval of Bedford Court project with car wash and Dutch Bros. drive‑through

The Temecula Planning Commission voted 4-0 April 16 to recommend City Council approval of the Bedford Court development project, a plan that would rezone an existing Highway Tourist-zoned parcel to a plan development overlay (PDO 16), split the property into two parcels, and allow a 3,500-square-foot car wash and a roughly 950-square-foot Dutch Bros. coffee drive-through.

Eric, a planning staff member, described the multi-application project and the PDO’s role in setting site-specific development standards, including reducing required separation between the car wash and adjacent residences from 200 feet to 75 feet and lowering maximum building height on the site from 75 feet to 30 feet under the PDO.

Under the proposal, Parcel 1 (adjacent to I-15) would house the car wash; Parcel 2 would house the Dutch Bros. coffee drive-through and the existing gas station-adjacent uses. Site plans show the car wash’s exit and blower/drying areas positioned as far from residential edges as practicable. The car wash’s queue would accommodate approximately 19 vehicles; car wash hours are proposed as 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Dutch Bros. indicated company-standard hours of 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Staff summarized project architecture and landscaping changes, noting a shift from an earlier cinder-block aesthetic to a softer “grain” style with stone, wood, and metal elements. The applicant provided a noise study submitted with the mitigated negative declaration (MND) showing predicted receptor noise levels; staff and the acoustical consultant concluded mitigation measures reduce potential impacts to less-than-significant levels. Eric told the commission that the MND identified no significant unmitigable impacts and recommended adoption of the MND and approval of the project, subject to recommended conditions.

Commissioners focused questions on proximity to residences, noise from blowers and drive‑through activity, vacuum equipment placement, hours of operation, lighting, and parking. Commissioner Mark (applicant and project representatives used first names in the record) and acoustical consultant Tyler of MD Acoustics explained that blower horsepower would be within company standards, that blowers would use industry mufflers, and that the vacuum producer would be in a roofed enclosure to allow airflow. Don Shively, representing the car-wash operator, said vacuum stations would include cloth (microfiber) towel dispensers and receptacles and that vacuum and towel maintenance occurs frequently, which influenced locating the vacuum equipment near the vacuum stalls for operational convenience.

Commissioner concerns included the 75-foot separation (reduced from 200 by the PDO), potential noise late in the evening from a car wash operating to 9 p.m., and the decision to place the vacuum suction unit in an outdoor enclosure rather than inside a mechanical room. Staff and applicant representatives said the noise study modeled worst-case full operations and still met applicable thresholds, photometric plans would be required before building permits to limit light spill to the adjacent residences, and reciprocal access and parking agreements will be required between the two new parcels and neighboring businesses. The applicant indicated the EV parking stalls would be “capable” (race-ready conduit) but not fitted with active chargers at build-out.

The applicants held two neighborhood outreach meetings; staff said no members of the public attended and no written comments were received. After closing the public hearing, Commissioner Gary Watts moved to recommend approval as presented by staff; a second was given and the motion passed 4-0.

Because the PDO requires City Council action, the item will be scheduled for City Council review. Staff recommended, and the commission voted to recommend, adoption of the MND and the project conditions of approval.