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Livermore City Council gave Chick-fil-A its final approval Monday to develop a new location on a recently annexed acre-and-a-half parcel on North Livermore Avenue near Interstate 580.
The project was initially approved by the City Council in September but a finalized parcel map required council’s consideration. The topic was included in the consent calendar, a portion of the agenda where a number of items considered routine in nature are typically voted on in bulk.
However, council members Brittni Kiick and Bob Carling each addressed the item, acknowledging the turbulent relationship between the Georgia-based fast food restaurant and the LGBTQ community.
Chick-fil-A has faced criticism for years over company executives and its foundation donating to charities that oppose LGBTQ rights. The company has said it redirected its charity focus in 2019 to education, homelessness and hunger.
After making a motion to approve the consent calendar, Kiick said, “I just want to recognize that there has been some community feedback about item 4.6 and today we’re being asked to approve items that are administerial in nature, not legislative.” Kiick was referring to comments she received directly from community members prior to the meeting.
She continued, “It’s my job to approve a final parcel map, not make any judgments about whether businesses are good or bad and I recognize there’s been some harm done to the LGBT community by Chick-fil-A. But again, that is not my role here to state what kind of places I believe people should shop at. That’s their choice.”
Kiick also reminded the community that they have “every right to vote with their dollars and get their fried chicken elsewhere.”
Carling offered support for Kiick’s perspective before sharing sentiments of his own.
“I recognize this is an administerial vote and I will vote in favor of the resolution presented to us, but back in September of 2020 when we had a Chick-fil-A representative come before us, that person claimed that there was no discrimination whatsoever within Chick-fil-A and I reminded him that I didn’t believe that for a second,” Carling said.
“He also suggested that most of the blame went to the media for misrepresenting Chick-fil-A’s position with regard to equity and inclusion and again, I find that, at best, a weak argument,” Carling added.
After mentioning his recent work with Vice Mayor Trish Munro on the city’s Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee, Carling added, “I don’t see that Chick-fil-A’s past practices and statements reflect the values that we hold in Livermore.” He concluded his comments by saying that he would not be patronizing the new Chick-fil-A as a customer upon the project’s completion.
The approved resolution gives the city the right to absorb the remaining 21.5 acres of the current areas as two parcels of open space. The 4,821-square-foot restaurant, its parking lot and dedicated landscaping will be rezoned commercial from its current designation as open space. The city will hold off on taking possession of the open space until the Zone 7 water agency can accept responsibility for the 21.5 acres.
Chick-fil-A will be responsible for frontage improvements along North Livermore Avenue, nearby stream bank stabilization, construction of a small portion of the Arroyo Las Positas trail along the south side of the project, and northbound left turn lane improvements at the intersection of North Livermore and Arroyo Plaza. They will also contribute $225,000 to future trail construction in the area.
A complete recording of the June 12 City Council meeting can be viewed here.
Come on Livermore, build that Chick. Hopefully that will help alleviate some of the traffic problems that the Chick in Pleasanton causes.
Hey Bob Carling, so what exactly are CFA’s crimes against the gay community? Is it that CFA hasn’t kowtowed to them like other woke businesses have? I will go out of my way to patronize this new CFA in your place once it opens.
What happened to the Like buttons?
Bob – no crimes. But the corporation did, and has since stopped, donating to charities and organizations that fought lgbtq rights, additionally the ceo has stated her beliefs that gay marriage goes against gods definition of marriage.
These are not crimes by any means, and to be fair the company has stopped donating to these groups. People still associate the CEO’s beliefs with the company.
Personally, I think chik filet is a better organization than most – they pay well, train well, have a strong work ethic, and people love the product. They’ve also changed donation behavior based on community feedback- isn’t that what we want?