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Carlsbad keeps citywide ban on new drive‑through restaurants but opens door to case‑by‑case code changes
Summary
After extensive public testimony split between economic and environmental arguments, the council voted 3–2 to retain the citywide prohibition on new drive‑through restaurants while allowing privately‑initiated zoning amendments to be considered by the council on a site‑specific basis.
The City Council voted to maintain its citywide prohibition on new drive‑through restaurants but approved a process under which private applicants may request zoning code amendments for council consideration on a case‑by‑case basis.
Why it matters: Drive‑through restaurants were banned in Carlsbad in 1998 following community concerns about traffic, aesthetics and environmental impacts. Pressure to revisit that ban has risen in recent years from landlords and some business groups that contend the prohibition limits local economic opportunities and forces residents to drive outside the city for certain quick‑service…
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