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Culver City extends interim ban on new drive-thrus
A McDonald's drive-thru worker hands an order to a customer in San Francisco.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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Topline
The City Council in Culver City voted 4-0 to extend a moratorium on approving building permits for new drive-thrus. The vote, which took place Monday night, will keep the ban in place into next year. Councilmember Dan O’Brien recused himself from the vote due to his role with the city’s Chamber of Commerce.
The background: In June, the City Council voted to establish the moratorium as city staff drafted a proposal for a permanent citywide ban. At the time, the moratorium was authorized for 45 days.
The issue first made its way to city hall earlier this year after a group of neighbors raised concerns that a proposed new In-N-Out in Culver City could hurt air quality and create safety issues for pedestrians.
Status of the proposed ban: Culver City staff wrote in a report to City Council this week that they’ve begun drafting a potential permanent ban on new drive-thrus citywide.
The proposal will first go to the city’s planning commission, a five-person body that makes recommendations to the City Council on development and zoning matters in the city, then head to the City Council for a final vote. Those dates have not yet been set.
One councilmember left door open for a different approach: At Monday’s meeting, Councilmember Albert Vera, who was among the four votes supporting the moratorium extension, said he would be open to seeing recommendations from the planning commission that don’t ban drive-thrus citywide outright.
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