Car Dealership OKd for Old Drive-In Site

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a property zoning change Wednesday that will clear the way for a new business to move into the former Van Nuys Drive-In Theater site.

The zoning change from residential to commercial will allow Car Max, a used-vehicle dealership owned by Circuit City Inc., to purchase and move into the Roscoe Boulevard property, if it wins final approval from the mayor.

For years, the property had been zoned residential, but the drive-in was allowed to exist as an exception.

The zoning change was approved by the city Planning Commission on Jan. 22. Before then, Car Max, council members, local businesses and resident associations spent about nine months in negotiations.

“This is the paradigm of how these kinds of proposals should be developed and implemented, with full community involvement sought and complete support achieved,” Councilman Joel Wachs said.

“We needed something in the area since we didn’t have the drive-in and this seemed like the best alternative,” said Frank Farquharson, who helped organize neighborhood meetings on the car dealership. “We’re really for it. With that going in, it is going to increase employment in the neighborhood.”

As part of the negotiations, Car Max agreed the 75,000-square-foot dealership would have a sound wall and landscaping where the property is adjacent to single-family residential properties. Other requirements include limited operating hours, on-site employee and customer parking, no test drives in the neighborhood, no loud speakers or public address system and access only from Roscoe Boulevard.

Officials at Car Max estimate the dealership will create 150 jobs and generate more than $120 million in annual revenue.

The Van Nuys Drive-In was one of the last in the Valley when it closed in 1996. About a year later, Wal-Mart expressed an interest in the property but opted for a location in Panorama Mall.