The Ceres City Council last week voted 5-0 to approve a project of four standalone commercial buildings, one of which will be for Chipotle, on 2.9 acres along Whitmore Avenue on the west side of Ceres between Morgan Road and Malik Avenue.
The proposed Ceres E. Whitmore Shopping Center Project consists of a mix of commercial uses, including two fast-food restaurants, a multi-tenant retail building and a quick oil-change center. If developed the project will be constructed between the Dutch Bros coffee kiosk to the west and Mister Car Wash to the east.
The development totals 13,221 square feet and is intended to provide additional retail, restaurant and service options along the Whitmore Avenue corridor while maintaining compatibility with surrounding commercial and residential uses.
The project consists of:
- A 6,786-square-foot multi-tenant retail building with 34 parking stalls.
- A 2,794-square-foot, 56-seat fast-food restaurant with a drive-through and 29 parking stalls.
- A 1,282-square-foot quick oil-change service facility with eight parking stalls.
- A 2,361-square-foot, 56-seat Chipotle restaurant with a drive-through and 32 parking stalls
To build the project, the developer has to seek a General Plan Amendment (GPA) and rezoning of the property from Office (O) uses and zoned Planned Community-Administrative Professional (PC-AP) to Community Commercial (C-2).
“The existing office designation is primarily intended for medical, professional, administrative, and general office uses, whereas community commercial allows for a broader range of retail, restaurant, service, motor vehicle, lodging, entertainment, and similar community serving uses,” said the city’s contract planner Kelsey George.
While the lots can be individually owned, they will operate as one integrated commercial center with internal circulation between lots. The project will have two access points along the south side of Whitmore Avenue.
While the city believes there is adequate space for the cuing of vehicles in drive-thru lanes, the site will be monitored to ensure traffic does not back up into Whitmore Avenue.
“So if at any time, if the queuing or stacking in any of these drive-thrus becomes an issue, the project will be required to prepare a queuing management plan,” said George.
A six-foot-high masonry wall and bushes and shrubs will be required to separate the uses from residential lots backing up to the businesses.
If it becomes a reality, the four buildings would fill out the last remaining vacant space along Whitmore Avenue. To the east are a McDonald’s, Flyer’s Gas Station and Mister Car Wash. To the west of the site are a Dutch Bros, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and a Dollar General.
City Engineer Michael Beltran was asked about planned improvements to Whitmore Avenue and explained that there will be four lanes with two going each direction. However, he said the widening will not take place and there will be a bottleneck at the Tidewater tracks since the railroad demanded the city pay for $5 million to $7.5 million in crossing improvements.
Beltran also noted that medians will be installed to prevent dangerous left-hand turns coming out of the project, forcing motorists to use the Morgan or Malik traffic signals.
Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra, whose district the development falls in, expressed concerns about noises affecting nearby residences. She noted that Dutch Bros has remote ordering instead of speakers because that business backs up to residential yards.
George noted that the city’s noise standards must be adhered to. The Chipotle will have a mobile order lane only so there is no ordering speakers outside.
“When these come back for building review, we can absolutely make sure that all speakers are complying with those performance standards and shielded completely from the residents,” said George.
Mayor Javier Lopez called it a great project for District 2.
The matter must come back to the council for a second reading and adoption and would take effect 30 days later.
