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Hawthorne City Planning Commission approves drive‑thru restaurant at West Rose Crants Avenue
Summary
The Hawthorne City Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit and design review on March 4, 2026, for a proposed 1,880‑square‑foot drive‑thru restaurant on a vacant 21,041‑square‑foot parcel on West Rose Crants Avenue after staff described site plans and commissioners questioned queueing and lighting; no public comments were received.
The Hawthorne City Planning Commission on March 4, 2026 unanimously approved a conditional use permit and design review for a proposed 1,880‑square‑foot restaurant with a two‑lane drive‑thru on a vacant 21,041‑square‑foot parcel on West Rose Crants Avenue.
Planning assistant Cassandra Ferrer presented the staff report and site plans, describing the location between Yukon Avenue and Sice Avenue, a two‑lane drive‑thru with the order board more than 50 feet from adjacent multifamily housing, and 23 on‑site parking stalls. "Good evening, commissioners. My name is Cassandra Fer. I will be presenting a proposed restaurant with a drive‑thru located at ... West Rose Grants Avenue," Ferrer said as she opened the presentation and walked the commission through elevations, landscaping plans and parking counts.
Staff noted a minor height discrepancy between the staff report and the building plans — the report lists 23 feet 4 inches while the plans show 23 feet 11 inches — and said both measurements fall below the 24‑foot threshold cited in the report. Staff recommended adoption of a notice of exemption and approval of PC resolution 2026‑02 (DR2026‑00001) and PC resolution 2026‑01 approving CU 2025‑00006; commissioners voted to approve both items.
During a brief question-and-answer period, Commissioner Nelman asked whether the drive‑thru queue could spill onto Rose Crants Avenue during peak times and whether the conditional use permit includes measures to prevent spillover. Ferrer responded that the primary lane capacity is approximately 10 average‑length vehicles, that the site has additional circulation around the building and an alternate driveway shared with the adjacent McDonald's property, and that staff regarded roadway spillover as unlikely. Commissioners also asked about speakers/noise and lighting; Ferrer cited a municipal code section that requires lighting to be directed onto the property and not onto adjacent parcels.
No members of the public spoke on the item and no documents were submitted to the administrative record. The motion to approve the conditional use permit (CU 2025‑00006) passed with Commissioner Nelman, Commissioner Swami and Chairperson Cohen voting yes. The subsequent motion to approve the design review (DR 2026‑00004) also passed on a unanimous recorded vote.
The commission confirmed both approvals and welcomed the applicant. The meeting adjourned at 6:11 p.m.
