HomeMy WebLinkAboutPINECONE PUD THE TOWER SHOPPES SONIC DRIVE IN PRELIMINARY - 60 91N - CORRESPONDENCE - REZONING RELATED DOCUMENT4& ! NI
Licensed Franchisee of onic Inc.
MEMO TO: City of Fort Collins, Community Planning and Environmental Services
FROM: David Beard (Sonic Drive -In)
DATE: September 15, 2004
RE: Requested Zoning Change as Part of Semi -Annual Zoning Review;
Section 4.19 (B)(2)(c) 2. — Removal of Limitation on Drive -In Fast Food
Restaurants
This is written to request the City to delete the restriction on drive-in fast food restaurants
contained in the above Land Use Code section.
The Sonic Restaurant on West Elizabeth Street opened in October, 1989 as the only
drive-in in Fort Collins that I am aware of. We have a varied menu and the food and drinks are
prepared to order when the orders are placed, not cooked or made ahead of time. This is no
different than any other sit-down restaurant. The only difference is we try to do it quicker, the
food is placed into bags on a tray, and delivered to customers in their vehicles.
Much to my surprise, from the very beginning, July of each year is our busiest month for
sales, not August when 15,000 college students come back to school within a half -mile radius of
our store. This indicates that we are a family oriented restaurant, and as the students return the
families move to other areas to get their food and drinks. If our drive-in were allowed in NC -
zoned areas, it would lessen the need to drive to College Avenue.
In talking to various members of the planning department, it hasn't seemed to me that
anyone knows of any real opposition to the drive-in concept, except that there may be some
vague concern about pollution from the cars. However, at least 95 percent of the cars turn off
their engines when they park at Sonic, and so this is a negligible difference with people who
drive to a full sit-down restaurant, I feel. Like drive-in movie theatres, which have experienced a
resurgence in popularity recently, people enjoy staying in their cars to eat, sometimes.
We have been good corporate citizens, as we have created tax revenues to help pay City
expenses. We have cooperated with City street projects, including the recent Elizabeth Street
improvements. We have contributed money and goods to help charities as well as assisting in
the CSU athletic scholarship programs. We believe we provide a needed and valuable service
that people appreciate and desire in Fort Collins.
35061 Cornerstone Way • Windsor. CO 80550-2017
Phone: 970-611fr7280
Licensed Franchisee (tonic Inc.
The NC -zoned areas are appropriate ones for drive-in restaurants, and any differences we
see between them and areas where drive-in restaurants are allowed seem insignificant, to say the
least. Any concerns about sightliness or unsightliness of the drive-in canopies and facilities,
while certainly subjective on the one hand, can be mitigated on the other hand through
appropriate site design, I am sure. The City has full review over that design process, as well.
For the above reasons, as well as others, I respectfully ask your consideration in deleting
the wording "drive-in or" from the above -cited section of the Land Use Code regarding NC -
Zoning. This would allow Sonic Drive-in to be more conveniently available to more families,
and to expand and create more taxable income for the City.
Thank you.
35061 Cornerstone Way • Windsor. CO 80550-2617
Phone: 970-6013�7280