Clearlake council denies appeal; upholds permit for Mud Slingers drive‑through at Burns Valley site

The Clearlake City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 16 to deny an appeal of an administrative use permit for a proposed Mud Slingers drive‑through and walk‑up coffee shop at 14760 Olympic Drive, upholding the community development director’s earlier approval.

Diane Drake, who identified herself as owner of Sisters Coffee House, urged the council to deny the permit. She said placing another coffee operation within 0.3 miles of existing shops would divide customers and hurt existing businesses, and argued the site’s drive‑through design did not satisfy the mixed‑use (MUX) goals for creating active street life and compatibility with surrounding uses. “Putting a third coffee shop on Olympic Drive is excessive,” Drake said, describing long‑term harm to smaller independent firms.

Applicants and supporters pushed back. Lisa Reynolds and Shanna Parker, who said they represent Mud Slingers and emphasized they are privately owned (not a franchise), said they expect to use local distributors for about 70% of inventory and that competition drives customer choice and innovation. April Sides, who identified herself as working with Mud Slingers’ corporate/consulting office, cited market research and argued the town can support additional coffee shops.

Council discussion balanced the two positions. Some members said clustered commercial uses can create retail synergies and that the project met zoning and engineering standards; others said they understood the concerns about market saturation and traffic. City planning staff and the city engineer described site features and future road alignments the city expects to provide to avoid queuing onto Olympic Drive.

Councilman Kramer moved to approve Resolution CC2021‑46, denying the appeal and upholding Administrative Use Permit AUP2021‑7 (categorical exemption CE2020‑16). The motion was seconded and passed on a roll‑call vote: Overton Aye, Kramer Aye, Claffey Aye, Vice Mayor Purdock Aye, Mayor Saluton Aye.

The council’s action upholds the director’s authorization for the drive‑through/walk‑up coffee shop at the Burns Valley Mall site; staff said the permit and site plan meet the city’s applicable standards. The motion and vote were procedural and did not require further council direction. The council closed the public hearing and moved on to other agenda items.