When it comes to building a McDonald’s drive-through across the street from an elementary school, Oakley residents made it clear to City Council on Tuesday that they were not lovin’ it.
The proposed 4,365-square-foot restaurant would be located in Laurel Plaza at the northwest corner of Laurel Road and O’Hara Avenue. And, even though the city had years earlier adopted rules allowing a restaurant at the site, which also includes a bank, gas station and convenience store, many of the residents did not want to see a drive-thru restaurant locate there.
Another resident predicted that Laurel Road will get busier with more new homes being built in the area. Donna Chaddock said she hasn’t heard one person in a year of attending meetings who was for the proposed fast-food drive-thru. “I believe we just went through a whole general plan update and I feel like we should be adhering to some of that stuff,” she said.
Mayor Pope meanwhile was conflicted over the decision, noting an owner of a property should be able to “do what they want on their property as long as it doesn’t interfere with their neighbors enjoying their property.”