Business & Tech
Fewer Limits on Hours, Drive-Throughs Than Thought
What kind of restrictions does the city put on Western Avenue establishments? We take a cue from the TV show 'MythBusters' to find out.
Folks along Western Avenue—the east side of Rancho Palos Verdes—claimed that the city prohibits drive-throughs and won't allow businesses to stay open for 24 hours a day. Several managers and many customers think this is true.
Clearly, there are exceptions to the supposed rules. What about the Jack-in-the-Box at Western and Park Western, or the Carl's Jr. further north? Both have drive-throughs, and the Jack-in-the-Box keeps its dining room open all night.
"Grandfathered in," many said.
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These naysayers point to the drive-through at Asaka Grill, a new restaurant where Psketti House used to stand. Asaka Grill has a drive-through, but it's always closed. Always.
Asaka Grill's manager Wind Zheng was quick to debunk the idea that drive-throughs are forbidden.
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"It's because the type of food we serve takes five to ten minutes to cook," she explained.
The long waits would clog up the drive-through. If that problem could be solved, Zheng said, they would open up the drive-thru.
"We allow for drive-through in a specified commercial district," said Eduardo Schonborn, senior planner with the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. "There is no prohibition on them."
One myth busted.
What about 24-hour businesses?
Schnoborn checked.
"No, we don't have anything in the code that specifies hours of operation," he said. "There's no restrictions to being open 24 hours."
He said because the city is 90 percent residential, they do discourage businesses that would negatively impact those who live here.
Second myth busted.
"I don't think most businesses would want to be open 24/7," said realtor Gerry Carrese of Coldwell Banker.
Carrese works mostly in Rolling Hills Estates, which actually does prohibit 24-hour businesses. She pointed out that many entrepreneurs are working seven days a week, up to 12 hours a day.
"What you're really dealing with are small business" she said. "They've got to sleep sometime!"
In fact, the only 24-hour business found in the area was Granny's Donuts—on the San Pedro side of Western Avenue, which stays open all night.
According to manager Cindy, Granny's late-night customers mostly are longshoremen from the port, not the hill.
Even in San Pedro, Cindy said, "It's hard for them to find a place to eat."
