City Says Chick-fil-A’s Plans for North Lake Avenue Drive Through Comply With Zoning Codes Ahead of Wednesday’s Hearing Officer Review

The plans for putting up a second Chick-Fil-A location in Pasadena will be heard again Wednesday at a special meeting of the City’s Hearing Officer. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.

Months after recommending rejection of an application for a conditional use permit (CUP) that would allow an existing building on North Lake Avenue to be demolished to make way for a new Chick-fil-A location, the Department of Planning and Community Development is now recommending approval after determining that all findings required for approval of the CUP to allow the existing business to be demolished and rebuilt, and a Conditional Use Permit to allow extended hours of operation, can be made.

“The proposal would comply with the applicable zoning district, provisions in the zoning code, and would be in conformance with goals and policies of the General Plan,” the Planning Department said in its latest report to the Hearing Officer.

The original rejection of the application back in December 2020 was based on findings that the queuing space for no less than 25 vehicles within the drive-thru would be adequate. Staff’s position was that the proposed parking and circulation plan at the proposed drive-thru would not provide adequate area for safe queuing and maneuvering of vehicles.

Staff also considered concerns raised by residents in the area who said there are already several chicken restaurants in the district, and that adding another drive-thru service would increase local traffic and an increased volume of trash that could be strewn on the neighborhood’s streets and private property.

After the applicant made revisions to the vehicle parking and circulation plan, and submitted a queuing analysis conducted by the applicant’s consultant, the Planning Department conducted another round of assessments, and finally came up with a recommendation to approve the CUP application.

Approval of the application will mean the applicant can proceed with demolishing the former Carl’s Jr. outlet and rebuild it as a Chick-Fil-A location, with the existing extended hours of operation, from 5:30 a.m. to midnight, to remain.

If allowed to open, the shop would be the second Chick-fil-A in Pasadena. The other one is at 1700 E. Colorado Blvd., on the southeast corner of Bonnie Ave. and Colorado Blvd., near Pasadena City College.