Driving through Carlsbad

The Planning Commission discussed the possibility of a repeal on the city’s decades-old drive-thru ban; concerns center on traffic, emissions, while others say opportunities are being lost

The Carlsbad Planning Commission discussed an item about repealing a ban on drive-thru restaurants and coffee shops on Wednesday. Steve Puterski photo

CARLSBAD — A long time ago and a Carlsbad of years ago, Legoland was once thought as the second coming of Disneyland.

The Planning Commission discussed lifting the prohibition on drive-thru restaurants during its Wednesday meeting and what a new city code may look like. At least four commissioners said they favor repealing the ban, while one was on the fence and another, Commissioner Alicia Lafferty, supports the ban. However, she said if there were a repeal, any drive-thru applications must come before the Planning Commission or include the City Council for approval.

Some of the pros, commissioners said, include increases in businesses, tax revenue and convenience, while those opposing fear emissions, traffic and lines, to name a few. Meanwhile, some of the city’s business leaders have been lobbying the city over the past year to repeal the ban.

“The common concerns are vehicular impacts,” Carlsbad Associate Planner Kyle Van Leeuwen said. “The comments we’ve received so far are mostly in favor of having some drive-thrus citing families, people with children … as well as disability or elderly.”

Staff will return to the City Council in early 2025 for a presentation regarding the commission’s discussion and potential future actions including keeping the ban or repealing with stipulations.

Currently, five drive-thrus are in Carlsbad Village, four near Palomar Airport Road and Interstate 5 and two in the Poinsettia Village shopping center on Avenida Encinas and Poinsettia Lane.

Van Leeuwen said Encinitas, Oceanside, San Marcos and Vista do not have bans on drive-thrus. He said approvals in those cities come through various conditional or major use permits and are regulated to certain zones, such as commercial, to operate.

Mike Strong, the city’s assistant Community Development Director, said the city has yet to perform any studies on the impacts or benefits of a repeal as the meeting was to gather information and direction from the commission and then report to the City Council.