Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Drive Throughs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee considers lifting 1999 ban on new Hesperian Boulevard drive-throughs in San Lorenzo
Summary
County planning staff asked the Transportation & Planning Committee to consider repealing a 1999 policy that prohibits new drive-through restaurants on Hesperian Boulevard in San Lorenzo; restaurant operators urged the change and supervisors signaled support but noted any new drive-through would still require a conditional use permit and public hearing.
County planning staff presented a preliminary review on Nov. 4 seeking committee direction on whether to repeal a 1999 policy that bars new drive-through restaurants along Hesperian Boulevard in San Lorenzo. Aubrey Rose of the County Planning Department said the review is statutorily exempt from environmental review as a feasibility/planning study and, if the policy is repealed, future applicants would need a conditional use permit (CUP) and public hearings.
Henry Greif, representing Diversified Restaurant Group, told the committee operators support lifting the restriction. "Eliminating the prohibition would allow operators like us to pursue exciting new opportunities here in the Alameda County," he said, adding there are currently six drive-through sites operating along the corridor. Greif suggested the ban has limited local business options and said operators would meet CUP requirements.
Public commenter Kelly Abreu countered that the staff slide characterizing a Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) hearing as having "no objection" was misleading, arguing the MAC reviewed a specific exemption rather than a blanket policy reversal and raising concerns about traffic, walkability and the environmental impacts of more drive-throughs.
Supervisor Meili said she does not object to reviewing and changing the policy for San Lorenzo now (noting Ashland and Cherryland would not be considered at the moment) but emphasized that a repeal would not create an entitlement: any new drive-through still must secure a CUP and satisfy findings and conditions. County staff clarified that the current action under consideration is a policy change (guidance) to allow consideration of CUPs, and that subsequent hearings at the planning commission and board would be required before any amendment takes effect.
Next steps: staff recommended that the committee provide direction; if the committee supports the revision, staff would forward the matter to the planning commission and then to the board for possible policy change and implementation through the CUP process. The committee expressed general support for allowing consideration of CUPs in the San Lorenzo corridor.
