DRIVE-IN AND DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES.
Fresno Municipal Code § 15-2728
in effectSEC. 15-2728. - DRIVE-IN AND DRIVE-THROUGH FACILITIES.
Drive-in or drive-through facilities shall be located, developed, and operated in compliance with the following standards:
A. Where Allowed. Drive-in and drive-through facilities are allowed per base district land use regulations.
B. Separation Requirements.
1. From Residential Districts. Drive-through ordering intercoms or other amplified speaker interface shall not be located within 100 feet of a Residential District.
2. Space between Drive-Throughs. A building with a drive-through lane shall not be located within 400 feet of another structure containing a drive-through facility.
a. Exceptions.
i. This requirement does not apply in the CH Commercial—Highway and Auto district. However, compatibility with traffic flow shall still be assessed.
ii. This requirement does not apply within 1,000 feet of a freeway exit.
iii. This requirement does not apply to projects involving an existing drive-through that is required to relocate due to property being acquired as a result of a public work project and where the new location is within 1 mile of the original location.
C. Drive-In and Drive-Through Aisles. Drive-in and drive-through aisles shall be designed to allow safe, unimpeded movement of vehicles at street access points and within the travel aisles and parking space areas. Aisles shall be designed to provide adequate visibility at their intersection with streets or travel aisles. See Section 15-2018, Intersection Visibility.
D. Landscaping. Each drive-through aisle shall be screened with a combination of decorative walls and landscape to a minimum height of 30 inches to prevent headlight glare and direct visibility of vehicles from adjacent streets, parking lots, and the public right-of-way.
E. Menu Boards. A maximum of two menu boards, not exceeding 20 square feet in area apiece, with a maximum height of six feet are permitted per drive-through. Should a facility have two drive-throughs, each drive-through may have two menu boards. All outdoor speakers shall be directed away from any residential district or residential use.
F. Pedestrian Walkways.
1. Pedestrian walkways shall not intersect drive-in or drive-through aisles, unless no alternative exists due to physical site constraints. In such cases, pedestrian walkways shall have clear visibility, emphasized by enhanced paving or markings.
2. A pedestrian walkway crossing a drive-through lane will be allowed when it is the pedestrian pathway that links the site to the rest of the shopping center. This pathway must be located at the end of the drive-through lane and must be clearly delineated with striping or contrasting paving. Signage notifying drivers in the drive-through lane of the pedestrian crossing shall be provided.
G. Site and Building Design.
1. Walls along the street face and visible from the street, shall be transparent with windows, doors, and other forms of transparent building materials to maximize views in and out of the building and the relationship between interior and exterior to support and animate the public street and sidewalk.
2. Drive-through elements shall be placed to the side or rear of the building.
3. Drive-through aisles shall be designed to reduce idling. Signage to encourage customers not to idle shall be placed either before or at the entrance of a drive-through aisle.
H. Hours of Operation. Should a drive-through facility be located closer than 100 feet from a Residential District, the drive-through shall close no later than 10 p.m.
I. Equal Access. Whenever service is limited to drive-through facilities, customers using non-motorized transportation shall have equal access to service.
(Added Ord. 2015-39, § 1, eff. 1-9-16; Am. Ord. 2017-33, § 26, eff. 7-30-17; Am. Ord. 2018-25, § 27, eff. 6-11-18; Am. Ord. 2025-036, § 2, eff. 10-23-25).
Source: City of Fresno, California, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/fresno/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCOCHFRCA_CH15CIDECOINRE_PTIIIREAPSOALDI_ART27STSPUSAC_S15-2728DRDRROFAFetched: 11/1/2026