Sonora, CA — Some big changes are coming for a 1.14-acre piece of property 1,300 feet northeast of the intersection of Greenley Road and Mono Way.
The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors voted to approve required zoning changes and the issuing of a site development permit for the construction of a Dutch Bros Coffee shop and a Take 5 oil change facility.
Dutch Bros is an Oregon-based chain growing in popularity and known for its drive-through locations.
Take 5 started in Louisiana and has been recently expanding throughout California. It offers drive through oil change service.
The applicant/developer is Michael Fillebrown.
The vote was 4-1 with Supervisor Jaron Brandon in opposition. Brandon raised concerns that the project includes the demolition of a building on the property, often referred to as the “Bird house.” The red house, with a steep roof, was owned by Hal Bird, a former business leader.
Brandon proposed that the project be tabled for the time being and sent to the Historic Preservation Review Commission for additional review.
It was noted at the meeting by county staff that an outside company had looked at the property (a requirement of the developer), and it did not meet the criteria for being a historic structure, which could have prevented its removal.
District One Supervisor Mike Holland countered to Brandon that the developer has already met all of the requirements laid out by the county and opposed delaying it any further. Holland added, “In my opinion, we don’t send this off to a group when they have already paid a professional to look at it.”
The project was also earlier approved by the Tuolumne County Planning Commission.
Today’s vote allows the project to move forward with the construction of the Dutch Bros and Take 5 oil change facility.
