Protest planned for 24 hour drive-thru on residential street

Protest planned for this Saturday

Neighborhood crowd comes out against proposed 24 hour Del Taco Drive-thru

Over 60 people attended a neighborhood meeting on April 26 called by 4th District Councilman Daryl Supernaw about the proposed 24 hour Drive-thru at the Shell Station property at the corner of Abbeyfield and Bellflower Blvd.

Representatives from the architectural firm hired to make the plans and representatives from Del Taco attended the meeting to answer questions.

The development plans presented ( the first time the neighborhood saw the plans) completely eliminate the current two driveways into the Shell gas station from Bellflower.

With the elimination of the two driveways onto the property from Bellflower, the map presented shows that the residential street of Abbeyfield will be the major entrance and exit by a surface street to the facility and access to the planned 24 hour drive thru.

The Del Taco representatives stated that 60% of their sales come from the drive-thru.

The other major entrance and exit- the South Alley  is  one of two only two Bellflower entrances and exits serving the parking lot behind the Los Altos South Shopping Center and the Los Altos Professional Building.  

The only entrance for cars traveling north on Bellflower would be making a left onto Abbeyfield from Bellflower and entering the property from Abbeyfield- a residential street.

The traffic signal at Abbeyfield is the major exit onto Bellflower Blvd. for the neighborhood.   

  

The Del Taco Abbeyfield driveway would be across from the Taco Beach driveway and a single family home.

The drive-thru speaker will be on the corner of Abbeyfield and Bellflower facing away from the building and toward the single family bedrooms of the adjacent homes on Daggett Street and the nearest home on Abbeyfield.

A Conditional Use Permit for the 24 hour drive-thru must be approved by the City Planning Commission.   A Public Hearing on that CUP is scheduled for Thursday May 5, 2016 at City Hall.

Residents attending the neighborhood meeting peppered the Del Taco representatives with questions regarding  traffic, parking and noise issues related to the drive-thru. 

Contaminated soil was also discussed with the developers stating they had a letter from the EPA approving the removal of the tanks and the construction. 

When asked by one resident what the company was willing to compromise on with the neighbors- the representative stated that having menu items at prices below a dollar means that they have to sell a lot of items. 

Neighborhood leaders have called for a peaceful picketing of the proposed site for this Saturday April 30th at 12 noon. Residents are urged to meet at the corner of Abbeyfield and Bellflower and to bring friends and neighbors. 

Planned Entrance to Del Taco from Abbeyfield looking across to Taco Beach driveway and Abbeyfield family homes-with current inpacted parking during non-peak hours clearly shown

Abbeyfield Single Family Home looking at yellow Shell Station

View from bedroom of home on Daggett St-Abbeyfiled home on left