Chapter 14-41

(a) No drive-through facility shall be allowed in the following commercial districts, without a special use permit issued by the Planning Commission:

• (1) CT, Thoroughfare Commercial;

Sections:

14-41.100 Purpose of chapter. 14-41.101 Use permit required. 14-41.102 Design standards. 14-41.104 Nonconforming uses.

• (2) CNS, Neighborhood Shopping Center;

• (3) CN, Neighborhood Commercial;

• (4) CV, Visitor Commercial.

(§ 1, Ord. 1095-00 C-M, eff. October 12, 2000, as amended by § 2 (Exh. B), Ord. 1472-25 (CM), eff. April 24, 2025)

The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the design and location of drive-through facilities in the City. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Code, drive-through facilities shall be permitted only on property located in commercial zones that also meet the following conditions:

• (a) Location.

(1) In the CN zoning district, no drive-through lane, speakers, menu boards and/or take out windows shall be located within one hundred fifty (150') feet from any property boundary line of a parcel zoned for residential purposes.

(2) No more than one (1) drive-through facility shall be located within two hundred (200') feet of the nearest point of a signalized intersection except as set forth in subsection (a)(3) of this section.

(3) No drive-through facility shall be located within three hundred (300') feet of any of the following “gateway” intersections:

• (i) Main Street at Front Street;

• (ii) Main Street at Freedom Boulevard;

• (iii) Main Street at Green Valley Road;

• (iv) Riverside Drive at Rodriguez Street;

• (v) Riverside Drive at Blackburn Street; (vi) Freedom Boulevard at Airport Boulevard;

(vii) East Lake Avenue at Martinelli Street. (§ 1, Ord. 1095-00 C-M, eff. October 12, 2000, as amended by § 2 (Exh. B), Ord. 1472-25 (CM), eff. April 24, 2025)

Drive-through facilities shall be designed and situated in such a manner so that:

(a) Trash facilities are located to accommodate patrons using the drive-through facilities in areas away from residential uses;

(b) Lighting, noise, fumes, rodents, pests and odors can either be eliminated, mitigated or reduced so as not to adversely affect neighboring properties or uses;

(c) The impact on neighboring properties or uses due to activities associated with the proposed facility and its hours of operation does not unreasonably interfere with adjoining residential uses;

(d) Traffic generated by the drive-through facility can be reasonably accommodated by the property and neighborhood streets, without creating a materially adverse traffic impact, or a material or safety hazard to vehicles or pedestrians;

(e) On-site pedestrian walkways shall not intersect the drive-through vehicle lanes, except if visibility is clear, and the pedestrian walkway is emphasized by enriched paving and striping;

(f) Drive-through lanes include a minimum fourteen (14') foot width on curves and a minimum eleven (11') foot width on straight sections;

(g) Drive-through lanes provide sufficient vehicle stacking area behind the menu board to accommodate a minimum of four (4) cars;

(h) No drive-through lanes shall exit directly onto a public right-of-way;

(i) Landscaping shall screen drive-through and drive-in lanes from the public right-of-way and shall

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(Watsonville Supp. No. 46, 5-25)

14-41.104

minimize the visual impact of the menu board and directional signs;

(j) Drive-through lanes shall be constructed with (PCC) concrete;

(k) Drive-through lanes shall be set back from the face of the curb of any street frontage a minimum of twenty (20') feet;

(l) Only one (1) menu board may be permitted and shall be a maximum of thirty (30) square feet in the area of the sign face, with a maximum height of seven (7') feet and shall face away from the street. (§ 1, Ord. 1095-00 C-M, eff. October 12, 2000, as amended by § 2 (Exh. B), Ord. 1472-25 (CM), eff. April 24, 2025)

No drive-through facility, which otherwise complies with this Code, shall hereafter be considered nonconforming except as provided herein. If an existing drive-through facility requests a zoning change or modification to its use permit, it shall comply with this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 1095-00 C-M, eff. October 12, 2000, as amended by § 2 (Exh. B), Ord. 1472-25 (CM), eff. April 24, 2025)

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(Watsonville Supp. No. 46, 5-25)