Planning commission forwards draft drive-thru code amendments to City Council, proposes CUP for new or intensified drive-thrus

The Sparks Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for proposed amendments to Title 20 of the Sparks Municipal Code that would require a conditional use permit (CUP) for new drive-through facilities and any intensification of an existing drive-through that increases trips by 10 percent or more.

Janie Ray (staff) explained the amendment responds to a City Council direction from March 25, 2024, and is intended to give staff and the Planning Commission the ability to review impacts (traffic, noise, lighting, air quality) that can change when a building containing a drive-through is repurposed for a higher-intensity use (for example, a bank drive-through becoming a coffee or fast-food operation).

Under the proposed changes, drive-throughs would not move to new districts; rather, the use table entries in Title 20 would change from permitted (P) to conditional (C) in the same zoning districts. The amendment defines "intensification" as a 10% or greater increase in trips; projects meeting that threshold would require a CUP, public notification to property owners within 500 feet, newspaper notice and a public hearing before the Planning Commission. Staff said administrative review would remain available for new construction when appropriate but that the amendment closes the gap allowing high-intensity conversions to proceed without review.

Commissioner Kramer moved to forward the recommended code amendment (PA-code2-4) to City Council for first reading on May 26 and second reading/public hearing on June 9; Commissioner Rodriguez Elkins seconded. The motion passed unanimously.