La Habra planning commission approves 7‑Eleven permit to add distilled spirits

The La Habra Planning Commission on Nov. 10 unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing a 7‑Eleven at 381 East Whittier Boulevard to add distilled spirits to its existing beer-and-wine sales.

Contract planner Daryl Taylor told commissioners the store occupies the largest of four suites in a multi-tenant center at the northwest corner of East Whittier and North Cyprus and that the retailer proposes a small 4-by-3-foot cabinet (about 12 square feet) behind the sales counter to display distilled spirits. Taylor said staff recommended approval of the CUP subject to the usual conditions.

Bruce Evans, who represented 7‑Eleven, said the franchisee, Tony Randhawa, and family operate the store and that the company contacted the police before filing the application; he said law enforcement raised no concerns in their review. "We're not proposing a liquor store," Evans said. "It's a small shelf — mainstream distilled spirits, not an expanded liquor selection." He added that the stores use multiple surveillance cameras, retain footage for about 30 days, and require staff training on responsible alcohol retailing.

A longtime resident, Richard Flores, spoke in favor, saying he had patronized that 7‑Eleven for four decades and found the operation professional and compliant with ID checks. "Tony runs a very clean operation," Flores said.

Commissioners asked about security and staffing requirements, noting condition 7.14 requires an on-site manager while the store is open. Evans said the franchise would designate a trained manager or a designated in-charge employee for each shift and would coordinate surveillance-system review with police to confirm compliance.

The motion to approve the CUP was made by Commissioner Cardenas and seconded by Commissioner Logan Cannon; the vote was unanimous. Staff said the decision becomes final in 10 working days unless appealed to the City Council.

The planning commission also approved the consent calendar (minutes from Oct. 27, 2025) and heard staff announcements, including that Daryl Taylor was leaving his contract-planner role. The commission adjourned to the Dec. 8, 2025 meeting date.

Notes on figures cited in the record: staff described the suite as about 2,448 square feet and the spirits cabinet as roughly 12 square feet; that cabinet represents about 0.5% of the suite's floor area. A percentage noted in the spoken record ("0.007%") appears to be a transcription or arithmetic error.