Philz Coffee may soon open its first-ever location in Pleasanton, pending approval from the city’s Planning Commission. The commission is set to review the coffee shop’s conditional use permit and design plans during its Dec. 11 meeting.
Eric Luchini, senior planner for the city, stated in his staff report that the design proposal for the new Philz Coffee aligns with local regulations. He added that the proposed location is compatible with surrounding businesses and would not negatively impact the area. Staff also included conditions to ensure the safety and well-being of the neighborhood.
Founded in San Francisco in 2003, Philz Coffee has expanded across California and Chicago. If approved, the Pleasanton location will be the second in the Tri-Valley, with an existing store in San Ramon’s City Center Bishop Ranch. The new café would occupy a former Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) location at 1803 Santa Rita Road in the Valley Plaza Shopping Center.
Luchini explained that the coffee shop plans to repurpose the existing 2,479-square-foot KFC drive-through building, with no major changes to the structure. The proposal includes minor updates, such as altering the building’s roof and changing some colors, including replacing red with yellow on the metal roof and cornices. These changes, Luchini noted, would not drastically alter the building’s appearance or affect the surrounding area.
Philz Coffee intends to operate the Pleasanton location daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a maximum of five employees on-site. The drive-through service would remain, as the existing lane has functioned without issues for over 30 years.
Luchini also mentioned that traffic concerns were addressed when the shopping center was originally approved, and the city’s traffic engineer has confirmed that vehicle queues are unlikely to spill over into the shopping center’s drive aisles.
Although staff supports the project as proposed, the Planning Commission has the option to deny the proposal or approve it with modifications, such as limiting operating hours. However, Luchini emphasized that these alternatives would not align with staff’s recommendations, as the project is expected to have minimal impact on the surrounding area.
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