The Estacada Planning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 8 to approve Conditional Use 2025‑04‑CU to add a drive‑through lane at the Barbecue Barn, 519 Southwest Beach Road, in the downtown zone. Staff found the proposal meets the downtown drive‑through standards with conditions addressing screening and pedestrian safety.

Alan, planning staff, presented the proposal and the site plan, noting the downtown zone lists drive‑throughs as conditional uses and that applicable vehicle access criteria are found in the city code’s vehicle access chapter. The submitted site plan shows a circulation path for vehicle queuing with a proposed fence and a row of Leyland cypress trees to screen vehicle activity from adjacent properties.

Staff recommended approval with five conditions. Those conditions include limiting the approval to the proposed location, requiring the public‑works department’s requested “no parking” signage along the Beach Road frontage to prevent conflicts with drive‑through exit movements, requiring the vehicle queuing/screening elements as shown, and requiring building permits to resemble the approved conditional use. The approval vests for two years; construction must begin within that period.

Applicant statements and public comment

Steve (applicant/representative) told the commission the restaurant has operated at the site for more than 40 years and previously had a drive‑through; he said the team will re‑open the restaurant with the drive‑through and that screening plantings and fencing are already on site. “We’re putting a barbecue restaurant in, and all the circulation is there. We have double the parking that we need,” Steve said.

Commission action and next steps

Commissioners had no substantive objections and voted 5‑0 to approve the conditional use with the five staff‑recommended conditions. The city will finalize the written decision and the applicant may proceed to building permits and final engineering review. Public‑works staff requested the no‑parking signage along Beach Road to mitigate conflicts between the drive‑through exit and vehicles parking on the curb.

Ending

Planning staff will draft the final conditioned approval for signature and coordinate with public works and the fire marshal on permit requirements and required inspections before opening.