McDonald's appeal

Owner of the adjacent Dollar King Plus Market spoke in support, saying the business would bring security, lighting, and jobs to a site plagued by vandalism.

Opposed, questioning why the hearing was moved up and arguing the project conflicts with city planning, health, and transit-oriented goals.

Opposed, citing health impacts, fast-food concentration, and traffic; urged investment in healthy food and community resources.

Opposed; lives across the street and asked the Council to uphold prior denials, calling the repeated reconsideration a tool for exhausting the community.

Opposed, questioning why the project was repeatedly brought back despite prior denials.

Opposed; a developer building mixed-use across the street, he urged the city to prioritize housing and locally focused development instead.

Opposed; encouraged the city to pursue restaurants, coffee shops, and healthier options.

Health promoter with El Sol spoke in Spanish opposing the project, citing childhood obesity and diabetes.

Opposed in Spanish, urging the Council to consider future generations and support healthier food choices.

Opposed, urging the Council to listen to residents and invest in healthier options.

Executive director of the Garcia Center for the Arts opposed, urging support for local restaurants and mixed-use development.

Opposed, saying the city should pursue higher-paying jobs and grocery stores rather than more fast food.

Opposed, urging support for local businesses, healthier food, and community-focused economic development.

Supported the project, citing freedom of choice and the message approval would send to developers.

Supported the project as a former planning commissioner, citing jobs, street improvements, and site activation.

Appellant's representative gave the supporting presentation and rebuttal, citing staff recommendation, site improvements, and 40-60 jobs.

Seventh Ward resident said the city has enough fast food and car washes and urged the council to demand better development than a ninth McDonald's.

Speaking for Senator Eloise Reyes, urged the council to uphold the Planning Commission's denial, saying the project is not the right fit for the Baseline corridor.

Said every resident is within a seven-minute drive of a McDonald's and approving another is a permanent, generational decision favoring traffic over walkability.

Encouraged the city to pursue small businesses, a third space, or a community garden instead, and to uphold the Planning Commission's decision.

Argued a new McDonald's triggers economic substitution, not net new activity, and that a drive-thru is exactly what the TOD overlay was designed to discourage.

Said a drive-thru conflicts with the Transit Overlay District and the Waterman Baseline Specific Plan, and encouraged help marketing the site to better businesses.

Gave a public health testimony: the city's own health scan shows high obesity rates and a drive-thru undermines walkability and TOD goals.

A labor institute worker said the average McDonald's salary of ~$35,000 can't sustain families and urged the council to demand healthier options and better wages.

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president spoke in Spanish and English, saying the applicant's outreach — roughly 15 flyers — was insufficient for a community revitalization decision.

Asked whether the city is ready to demand higher-quality development and whether McDonald's would commit to hiring local workers.

Said the project means part-time, no-benefit jobs and no nutritional value — asking what community benefit the city actually gets.

Said he's not anti-McDonald's but wants development decided within the upcoming general plan and a Baseline specific plan with real community input.

Urged denial, saying the city should promote local restaurants, arts, and housing that build the Baseline corridor's cultural identity.

Said San Bernardino deserves better than out-of-state owners selling to the highest corporate bidder and urged the council to uphold the commission.

A small business owner and developer countered the applicant's claims, citing AB 2011's ministerial approvals and arguing the site could hold 125 residential units and ~25,000 sq ft of commercial.

Ward 7 resident who opposed the McDonald's, saying the city already has eight and should demand better businesses and opportunities.

Spoke in support of residents and the Planning Commission's denial, citing traffic and the city's future vision.

Argued approving the McDonald's is a permanent decision that forecloses housing development on the parcel.

Opposed the appeal, citing the transit corridor, substitution effects on local businesses and public health goals.

A Ward 1 mother and homeowner who said the restaurant conflicts with the specific plan and asked for better neighborhood-serving development.

Spoke on public health, citing youth obesity rates and pedestrian safety concerns along the corridor.

Works with an jobs institute; said the roughly $35,000 average wage is misleading and asked the city to break the poverty cycle.

President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, speaking in Spanish in opposition to the McDonald's.

Asked the council to deny the appeal and hold out for development that builds careers and healthy food options.

An emerging developer who disputed claims the parcel is too small for housing, citing AB 2011 projects nearby and the modest tax benefit.