Hermosa Beach Residents hope to drive out drive-through Starbucks on Pacific Coast Hwy
by Dan Blackburn
An application by a development company to construct what would be Hermosa Beach’s fourth Starbucks at Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway has aroused prospective neighbors, and set the stage for robust debate at a Feb. 15 meeting of the Planning Commission.
Proponents seek approval for construction of a new building on the site previously occupied by Felder’s Body Shop. Replacing it would be a 1,600 sq. ft. structure, a 550-foot outdoor patio, and a drive-through between Second and Third streets.
Frank Kavanaugh, co-founder of the development company, Ford Ashford, when asked for comment, responded, “We will address these questions, and any additional comments during the planning commission hearing.”
A 41-page staff report on the project has been prepared.
Liz Harsch, who lives up the street from the proposed Starbucks, said she is concerned it will create dangerous traffic conditions – a contention of numerous residents who have contacted city officials.
Carlos Luis, the city’s interim senior planner, wrote in an email to Harsch that project consultant General Technologies and Solutions determined “the project does not increase the delays at the signalized intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Second Street. Moreover, the project’s driveway operates with an acceptable level of service. Therefore, there would be no significant traffic impacts at the study area intersections with the addition of project traffic.”
Third Street resident Josh Krasnegor said in an interview this week, “There is not one resident in or around this neighborhood who is for this project. Instead of valuing the safety and quality of the lives of the families who live in this community, the city prefers extra revenues to pay for the outrageous salaries of the city manager and staff.”
Krasnegor cited numerous concerns with the proposal, including increased traffic, parking, pollution, air quality, noise, and trash.
Cynthia Furnberg said one major concern of area residents “is that this location seems to be unique in that most drive-throughs have a parking or a commercial property buffer between the ordering window and residential property lines. This plan does not.”
She added, “The traffic study does not study impacts to Second Street as a feeder, and that street is not wide enough to have a flow of cars turning left onto it from Pacific Coast Highway.”
Jeff and Karen Prugh, owners of Hi-Fi Espresso, said when they opened their first shop at 227 Pacific Coast Highway, one of the factors they considered was that “there was no Starbucks within sight.” The proposed Starbucks would be across the street from their shop.
“To be perfectly clear,” noted the Prughs in a bulletin to customers, “our personal hesitation toward this proposed development is not anti-Starbucks in any way, but rather a sincere wish for the city of Hermosa Beach to, above all, support its small businesses in every way possible.” ER