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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us December 6, 2004 Drive-up permits in flux McDonald's becomes 2nd permit not currently in use By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings McDonald's left more than an empty building when the chain closed down its Ashland establishment on Oct. 31. The restaurant that once inspired a change to city code limiting the number of drive-ups in the city shut down, putting its permit up for grabs. The city council enacted an ordinance that went into effect on July 1, 1984 - when McDonald's was coming to town - to issue just 12 drive-up permits within the city boundaries. "That's when the city started developing a lot of their ordinance codes. The limits were instituted initially to control air quality," said Amy Anderson, the Ashland assistant city planner, explaining that the ordinance is now included in the transportation element of the city's comprehensive plan. "Drive-ups are limited because the city seeks to reduce automobile orientated design. Designs that are highly focused on auto uses are much less pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly." New drive-ups are not permitted north of the Siskiyou Boulevard-Ashland Street intersection, although the three banks downtown have permits that were grandfathered into the ordinance. "[The banks] were active prior to the ordinance," Anderson said. As it stands now, two drive-up permits are not in active use: the permit used by McDonald's and one owned by Premier-West Bank. "There's a misconception that the permit goes with the site," Anderson said. "They can be transferred amongst owners." The city does not regulate the price people can demand for the permit, creating a black market of sorts in Ashland. "I would suspect that, if people are willing to pay to have these, there are people who would like them who cannot get them," Ashland City Administrator Gino Grimaldi said. "It creates a value." The McDonald's permit will be sold with the vacated building at 2235 Ashland St., according to officials at the McDonald's regional office in Washington state. However, there is no provision in the ordinance that requires the permit remain attached to the building. There is also no city control over who the permit is transferred to or what the person will be using it for. The second permit belonged to the now-defunct Leo's Campus Drive-In at 1474 Siskiyou Blvd. until Premier-West Bank purchased it five years ago. Premier-West had originally intended to pursue sites near the corner of Ashland Street and Tolman Creek Road, although nothing ever developed from the interest. The company also looked into selling the permit to Walgreen's, but the store did not want to comply with the drive-up regulations set forth by the city and decided not to open a store in town. Drive-ups in Ashland must meet several standards. For example, average waiting time shall not exceed five minutes and the business must provide two designated parking spaces near the service window where vehicles can park if the wait time becomes excessive. Also, the drive-up must be on flat or downhill land to eliminate excessive fuel consumption. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa studentloans home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms fasa student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation wholesale diamonds Currancy Exchange web conferencing Online Casinos Community Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams