Coffee Shop Space in Huntington Beach

What to diligence before LOI

1. 01

   Base zoning: Section 211.04 permits Eating and Drinking Establishments in the CO, CG and CV districts, but the drive-through subclass is permitted only in CG and CV, not CO. Chapter 204 splits the use into fast-food or take-out (order and pay at a counter or window) and drive-through, so tell Planning which one you are before you file.

2. 02

   Seats set the parking: Section 231.04 parks an eating or drinking use with 12 seats or fewer at 1 space per 200 sq ft, but more than 12 seats jumps to 1 per 60 sq ft, or 1 per 100 sq ft on a site with three or more uses, and a drive-through adds queue space for 5 cars per service window. A 1,500 sq ft cafe needs 8 spaces with 12 seats, 15 with 20 seats in a multi-tenant center, and 25 with 20 seats on its own lot.

3. 03

   Patio: provision X of Section 211.05 lets outdoor dining without alcohol of 400 sq ft or less open without a use permit; above 400 sq ft it needs Neighborhood Notification under Chapter 241, and any outdoor alcohol needs a Zoning Administrator conditional use permit.

4. 04

   Beach and Edinger corridor rules: the Beach and Edinger Corridors Specific Plan (adopted 2010, amended 2015) lists cafes under Convenience Uses, caps each eating and drinking establishment at 5,000 sq ft in a Neighborhood Center cluster, allows sidewalk tables if a 5-foot clear path remains, and permits drive-throughs only in the Neighborhood Center, the Neighborhood Boulevard Segment and the Town Center Boulevard Segment (there only on Beach Boulevard or Edinger Avenue frontage). Drive-throughs are not permitted in the Town Center Core, Town Center Neighborhood, Neighborhood Parkway, Residential Parkway or Residential Transition areas.

5. 05

   Downtown and coast: provision Z of Section 211.05 places Pacific City in District 7 of the Downtown Specific Plan, provision J requires the whole ground floor of a CV property to be visitor-oriented, and Section 211.08 calls for a Coastal Development Permit in the coastal zone unless exempt. Main Street and PCH sites should get Planning's read on which document governs before you sign.

6. 06

   Health and grease: the Orange County Health Care Agency's Plan Check unit reviews every new or remodeled food facility. The City's FOG program page says new food service establishments that cook, process or render beef, poultry or fish must install an inline grease interceptor under Municipal Code Section 14.56, and that shops with a grease device are inspected once a year and those without at least twice. A drinks-and-pastry menu may avoid the interceptor, but hot breakfast sandwiches with meat may not, so settle the menu before plumbing plans.