Perris Planning Commission approves Dutch Bros drive‑through at Paris Boulevard and Avocado Avenue

The City of Perris Planning Commission on Feb. 4 unanimously approved a conditional use permit for a 1,025‑square‑foot Dutch Bros drive‑through at the southeast corner of Paris Boulevard and Avocado Avenue.

The commission voted 5–0 to adopt Resolution 26‑02, finding the project categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act as an infill project (CEQA §15332), and to approve Conditional Use Permit 25‑05047 for construction of the coffee stand with dual drive‑through lanes and pedestrian pickup. Commissioner Lopez moved the approval; Vice Chair Shively seconded.

Staff described the site as a 0.5‑acre parcel within a larger 5.32‑acre shopping center and said the center’s parking standard requires 243 spaces; the full center would provide 245 spaces, a net surplus of two. Staff also said proposed landscaping would meet coverage requirements, rooftop mechanical equipment would be screened, and the building would comply with lot coverage, FAR and height limits.

John Caglia, the applicant’s representative, told the commission the company has a nearby store and uses an operations and traffic mitigation plan to manage queueing. “We don’t want anyone waiting in line longer than 5 minutes,” Caglia said, and noted sites commonly see an initial opening‑day peak that normalizes within weeks.

Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on driveway geometry, queue lengths and pedestrian safety near a nearby high school. Rafael Garcia, the city contact planner, said the proposal uses existing driveways and cited a queuing analysis showing observed regional maximums below the 21 stacking spaces proposed at the site. The commission also required a photometric plan; staff noted (Condition 28) that parking and pedestrian areas must provide at least 1 foot‑candle of light.

At the meeting staff and the applicant agreed to several adjustments to the draft conditions which were incorporated into the approval. Those corrections, noted on the record, included changing a date in Condition 6 from 2025 to 2026, removing Condition 11 (stated to be inadvertent), replacing references to a specific code year in Condition 13 with a requirement to meet the current code, deleting Condition 17b (which would have required street‑front up‑lighting at the applicant’s expense), and changing Condition 34 so the noted requirement is due prior to the grading permit (rather than prior to certificate of occupancy). Commissioners also directed the applicant to work with staff to enhance the east and west elevations with materials consistent with the adjacent blue tower element.

The commission’s approval includes the conditions as amended; staff will review final construction documents and the required photometric plan during permit processing. The applicant may proceed with design submittals and building‑permit applications consistent with the approval.

Votes at a glance: Approval of Res. 26‑02 and CUP 25‑05047 — Motion by Commissioner Lopez; second by Vice Chair Shively; roll call 5–0 (Jimenez: yes; Lopez: yes; Menendez: yes; Shively: yes; Hammond: yes).

Next steps: Staff will process building permit submittals and review the photometric and final landscape plans required by the conditions of approval.