Amy's Drive-Thru On City Council Agenda

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Amy's Drive-Thru, a vegetarian fast-food restaurant, could get its basic final approval Tuesday night if the Walnut Creek City Council overturns an earlier rejection of the project by the city's Planning Commission.

At issue is the restaurant's drive-up window, and the traffic some fear it would create near the intersection of North Main Street and Second Avenue, on the city's north end.

The City Council on Tuesday will be hearing an appeal by Amy's, based in Petaluma, of the Planning Commission's 4-3 vote on Jan. 23 to deny the Amy's conditional use permit for drive-up service at the planned 3,773 square-foot restaurant.

Public comments in response to the Amy's Drive-Thru project have been divided between those in support of the concept of a local vegan/vegetarian fast-food restaurant option and those opposed, mostly because of the drive-up service lane. Critics have cited vehicle backup issues at the Chick-Fil-A drive-through site a few blocks north of the proposed Amy's site, and the effects on the North Main/Geary Road/Treat Boulevard intersection.

Supporters of Amy's say that project has more ingress and egress than does the Chick-Fil-A restaurant.

Amy's Drive-Thru is associated with Amy's Kitchen, which produces a popular line of frozen vegetarian dinners available in grocery stores. The restaurant menu includes veggie burgers, shakes, French fries, pizzas, macaroni and cheese and salads. The company's websites lists existing locations in Rohnert Park, and at San Francisco International Airport.

Tuesday night's City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 1666 N. Main St. in Walnut Creek.

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