TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: DAVID CRABTREE, INTERIM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: OCTOBER 20, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AMENDMENT FILE #96-C09AMD, REVIEW OF A REQUEST TO PERMIT AN EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT FACILITY LOCATED AT 860 SOUTH INDIAN HILL BOULEVARD - APPLICANT - MCDONALD’S
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SUMMARY
The applicant, McDonald’s, is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) amendment to permit an expansion of the existing drive-through restaurant facility located at 860 South Indian Hill Boulevard in the Commercial Freeway (CF) zoning district. Specifically, the proposal requests to expand the existing drive-through facility from one drive-through order lane to two drive-through order lanes to improve efficiency and customer experience. The business was originally approved in 1996 and includes a Chevron gas station and convenience market. Both the drive-through restaurant and convenience market were approved via Conditional Use Permit #96-C09, which remains in effect today.
The subject restaurant is an existing, lawfully established drive-through facility that, due to a recent zone change by the City, is located within 300 feet of a residentially zoned parcel. The City Council recently approved Code Amendment #26-CA01, to establish an exception to the 300-foot separation requirement for lawfully established drive-through facilities that subsequently became nonconforming due to a zoning change or the construction of residential development within 300 feet of the facility. This amendment becomes effective on October 22, 2026.
With the revision, the expansion can be approved but remains subject to discretionary review and approval through the Conditional Use Permit process. The applicant is therefore requesting an amendment to the existing CUP to allow the drive-through facility to be expanded from one drive-through order lane to two drive-through order lanes.
Approval of the proposed CUP amendment would allow the applicant to improve on-site vehicle circulation and increase drive-through efficiency while maintaining circulation, and compatibility with surrounding uses. Staff has reviewed the proposed modification (Attachment B) and finds that, subject to the recommended conditions of approval, the CUP amendment would be consistent with the applicable provisions of the Claremont Municipal Code and General Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the Planning Commission:
A. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AMENDMENT #96-C09AMD, TO PERMIT AN EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT FACILITY LOCATED AT 860 SOUTH INDIAN HILL BOULEVARD- APPLICANT - MCDONALD’S; and
B. Find this item is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Continue the item for additional information.
B. Approve the project with additional or revised Conditions of Approval.
C. Express an intent to deny CUP #96-C09AMD in its entirety, specifically identifying the findings of Section 16.303.040 of the CMC that cannot be met, and continue the item to November 3, 2026, for adoption of a denial resolution.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Costs associated with the review of this application have been borne by the applicant.
ANALYSIS
Background
The subject property is approximately 56,840 square feet, located near the I-10 Freeway along the entry corridor to the City from the City of Pomona to the south. The parcel is zoned as Commercial Freeway (CF). The CF Commercial Freeway District is intended to provide for a concentration of major commercial uses such as hotels, service stations, restaurants, auto sales, and big box retail that are dependent on their exposure to large volume freeway traffic, and uses that are related to and serve the needs of the motoring public. The General Plan land use designation is Commercial. Surrounding land uses include Commercial Freeway properties to the north, west, and south, and a Medium Density Residential (RM 4,000) zoned property to the east.
The subject property contains a Chevron gas station and McDonald’s restaurant with an existing drive-through facility that was lawfully established and operates pursuant to Conditional Use Permit #96-C09 (Attachment C), which was approved on December 18, 1996. Other site improvements, including landscaping, were addressed through a separate Architectural Commission review. As a result of that review, a Landscaping Maintenance Agreement (Attachment D) was executed identifying McDonald’s as responsible for the long-term maintenance and upkeep of the site.
The existing drive-through facility currently provides one drive-through order lane. The applicant is requesting to modify the existing facility to provide a second drive-through order lane to improve vehicle circulation and increase drive-through efficiency. The current alignment requires all cars to place orders at a single station, which often gets backed up due to indecisive customers or large and complex orders. The new alignment allows orders to be placed at two locations with the order being completed first moving into the single pick-up lane.
As a result of recent zoning changes to a nearby parcel from Commercial Freeway to Medium Density Residential, the existing drive-through restaurant facility became subject to the City's regulations governing legal nonconforming uses and the 300-foot separation requirement from residential uses or zoned properties applicable to restaurant drive-through facilities.
On September 22, 2026, the City Council approved Code Amendment #26-CA01, amending Section 16.093.040 to allow qualifying lawfully established restaurant drive-through facilities that subsequently became nonconforming due to a zone change or residential development within 300 feet to be considered for modification or expansion through the Conditional Use Permit process. The ordinance is scheduled to become effective on October 22, 2026. Accordingly, any approval of the subject CUP Amendment by the Planning Commission on October 20, 2026, would be stayed pending the ordinance's effective date.
Project Description
The proposed CUP Amendment would allow the existing drive-through facility to expand its operational efficiency to operate with two drive-through order lanes instead of one. To accommodate this change, the proposed site configuration involves reconfiguring parking in the southeastern portion of the property and providing replacement parking along the eastern portion of the site, within the property's eastern boundary. The proposed parking reconfiguration would extend into an area currently occupied by approximately half of a tennis court on the adjacent property, which is presently unused but has been entitled for a potential future residential development project.
In conjunction with those changes, the Planning Division is reviewing Design Review application File #25-A09 for associated site and building improvements. The application includes an approximately 324-square-foot addition along the drive-through lane to accommodate additional equipment supporting the second order lane, as well as updated landscaping, hardscape, and signage. These improvements are also subject to separate review and approval under the aforementioned design review application.
Parking
The subject property is located on a busy major arterial road, and on-street parking is not available. The required parking minimums for this project are based on both the standards for gas stations (10 spaces minimum) and the standards for drive-through restaurant facilities (27 spaces) for a total of 37 required parking spaces. The proposed current plan offers 49 parking spaces, including the eight provided at the gas pumps, meeting this requirement.
Basis for Recommendation
Approval of a Conditional Use Permit requires the Planning Commission to make the findings set forth in CMC Section 16.303.040. Staff has reviewed the project and determined that all required findings can be made (Attachment A).
The intent of the CUP process, as stated in CMC Section 16.303.000(C), is to allow uses that are conditionally permitted within a zoning district but require individualized review to ensure compatibility with surrounding uses. Staff finds that the proposed drive-through restaurant facility expansion is appropriate and compatible with the Commercial Freeway zoning district for the following reasons:
A. The site is adequate in size and shape to accommodate the proposed modification to the existing drive-through facility, subject to approval of the associated site improvements and compliance with applicable development standards and conditions of approval. The proposal would modify the existing drive-through from one order lane to two order lanes and reconfigure parking in the southeastern portion of the property to accommodate the revised circulation pattern. Replacement parking is proposed along the eastern portion of the site. The associated parking reconfiguration, building addition, landscaping, hardscape, and signage are being reviewed separately under Design Review application File #25-A09. Subject to approval of the applicable plans and verification that the required parking, circulation, landscaping, setbacks, and other applicable standards are satisfied, this finding can be made.
B. The subject property is located along South Indian Hill Boulevard, a major arterial roadway that serves the surrounding commercial area. The original approval of CUP #96-C09 found that the site related appropriately to the surrounding street system and that Indian Hill Boulevard was designed to accommodate the type and quantity of traffic generated by the approved uses. The proposed CUP Amendment would modify the configuration of the existing drive-through facility rather than establish a new restaurant use. The revised drive-through and parking configuration has been designed to accommodate vehicle stacking and circulation on-site and avoid conflicts with site access and surrounding circulation.
C. The subject property is located within the Commercial Freeway (CF) District and contains an existing, lawfully established restaurant with a drive-through facility. The proposed CUP Amendment would allow the existing drive-through to be modified from one order lane to two order lanes. The proposal is consistent with the intent of Code Amendment #26-CA01, which allows qualifying existing drive-through facilities that subsequently became nonconforming due to a zone change or residential development within 300 feet to be considered for modification or expansion through the CUP process. The existing CUP conditions addressing noise, site maintenance, and compatibility with surrounding uses would remain applicable.
D. The proposed CUP Amendment would allow an existing commercial restaurant to modify its drive-through configuration to improve operational efficiency and customer service. The proposal supports the continued use and reinvestment of an existing commercial property while maintaining discretionary review of site design, circulation, and compatibility with surrounding uses. The proposed modification does not establish a new drive-through use and would remain subject to the City's applicable zoning regulations and conditions of approval. Therefore, the proposed CUP Amendment is not contrary to the General Plan.
Based on these factors, Staff finds that the proposed use will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, and will not adversely affect surrounding properties or the character of the Commercial Freeway zoning district.
CEQA REVIEW
The project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(e)(1) (Existing Facilities), which exempts the permitting or minor alteration of existing public or private structures or facilities involving negligible expansion of an existing or former use provided the addition is less than 2,500 square feet. The proposed project consists of an amendment to an existing Conditional Use Permit to allow the expansion of the existing McDonald’s drive-through facility from one drive-through order lane to two drive-through order lanes and addition of 324 square feet of floor area to the restaurant. The proposed modification involves an existing drive-through restaurant facility and would not result in a significant expansion of the existing use or result in significant physical changes to the environment. Therefore, the project qualifies for the Class 1 categorical exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301. Therefore, no further environmental review is required under CEQA.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item has been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a paper copy, please contact Nhi Atienza at natienza@claremontca.gov.
As a courtesy, notice of this meeting was mailed to properties adjacent to the subject property owners and the site was posted on October 8, 2026. In addition, a legal ad regarding this meeting was published in the Claremont Courier on October 9, 2026. A copy of this report has been sent to the applicant and other interested parties.
Submitted by: Reviewed by:
David Crabtree Christopher Veirs
Interim Community Development Director City Planner
Prepared by:
Jordan Goose
Associate Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Proposed Plan Set
C - CUP #96-C09, Resolution #96-20
D - Landscape Maintenance Agreement