San Jose approves new Chick-fil-A on westside of town, but with conditions
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Plans for a new Chick-fil-A in San Jose are moving forward but with conditions.
It came after considerable concern from the community that the opening would result in the closure of several small businesses.
On Wednesday the city approved the fast-food chain's permit to build a prominent corner -- West San Carlos and Race Streets. It's near the Alameda.
The city's planning director heard from members of the public during a meeting.
"It's disingenuous for Chick-fil-A to claim to bring jobs when they're eliminating existing ones," one resident said.
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A Chick-fil-A representative was also at the meeting.
"Our proposed restaurant will generate hundreds of thousands of sales tax dollars annually to support the municipal growth of the city of San Jose, as our average unit volume of restaurants are $9 million," said Christine Cho, principal development lead of the West Region.
The project would be a Chick-fil-A without a drive-thru like their locations in Emeryville and Walnut Creek.
Hearing Officer Sylvia Do referred to the site as a "tough one," acknowledging that in 2019 there was a planning application filed for a seven-story mixed-use building, which was withdrawn four months later.
"While higher, mixed-use development, of course, surely that would be ideal and make the most sense for this area. Really the question before me today, at this hearing, is whether this commercial project at this location meets the general plan -- West San Carlos Urban Village plan and zoning requirements -- and not whether there's a different proposal that could be proposed here at this site that could maximize development on this property in various other ways, or whether this proposal should be located elsewhere," Do said.
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Do approved the permit but did not approve demolishing the existing building.
We spoke with Alex Shoor, co-founder of Catalyze Silicon Valley, who listened in on the virtual hearing.
"Genuine surprise," Shoor said.
Shoor has been advocating for this blighted parking lot to be turned into mixed housing, not a single-story fast food chain.
"Just last night, the San Jose city council turned down a multi-story housing project on Winchester and Hedding that our members were supporting, so I think the city needs to be focused on outcomes and not so much process," Shoor said.
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ABC7 spoke with the owner of Sharper Cuts who has been there since 1992. She said the good thing is her landlord told her she would be given a six months' notice whatever ends up happening.
A representative of the property owner of both the commercial building and the parking lot said she was an elderly woman. The property has been in her family since 1935.
According to the representative, the commercial building is unfeasible to remodel. The owner's goal is to have a single tenant investment on the property.
"Who knows, an appeal may get filed by someone, and that might bring things to the city planning and city council," Shoor said.
Chick-fil-A has until June 23 to appeal the city's revised permit approval. According to the proposal, construction could begin in March and end in October of next year.
