McDonald's Ends Up As White Elephant of Council Meeting

Opponents of a McDonald’s restaurant proposed in Loma Linda tried to take aim against the eatery at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, but were forced to change their approach after the city attorney warned that discussion could violate the developers right to due process.

About 50 people who packed into the Loma Linda council chambers were advised by city attorney Richard Holdaway that the council could not take comments or make comments on any specific projects before they are presented to the council, because it opens the door to litigation. An applicant may argue the council was influenced before a design was formally presented, Holdaway said.

Concern was heightened after city staff learned some had been invited via a flier, circulated through several neighborhoods, bearing the headline, “No McDonald’s in Loma Linda,” officials said.

“The city does have it before it at this time a development application which includes as one part of that project the possible development of a McDonald’s restaurant,” Holdaway said. “Our concern as staff is that we saw a flier that specifically urged people to come to this meeting to oppose that project. And that would not be appropriate to consider any evidence on that matter tonight because it is not before you in the noticed public hearing.”

It’s like the judge hearing the case before it is presented in court, Holdaway told the council.

The McDonald’s is a potential tenant for a center proposed by Terra Linda Commercial LLC on a 7.7-acre parcel in the area of Barton Road and Mountain View Avenue.

Despite that the center is still in the design stage, Tuesday’s crowd was one of several that have attended meetings to voice their opposition.

Some criticize the poor nutritional value of McDonald’s fast food. Others fear having a McDonald’s in the city would affect the city’s Blue Zone designation, bestowed on Loma Linda by author Dan Buettner who partnered with National Geographic to identify the zones about five years ago. The zones are areas where people lived healthier lives.

“We do have a heritage of health,” Dr. Daniel Handysides, assistant professor of health promotion and education, told the council. “It’s a heritage that Loma Linda is incredibly proud of. It’s something that we’ve advertised. We’re happy to the only Blue Zone in North America.”

Loma Linda is the only Blue Zone in the country and one of five in the world.

To help nurture their designation, several speakers asked the city to consider a Healthy Cities program.

“I’m involved in Healthy San Bernardino. I’ve seen Healthy Ontario develop,” said Juan Carlos Belliard, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health.  “It’s amazing that there are 14 cities in the county of San Bernardino - Healthy Adelanto, Healthy Apple Valley, Healthy Chino, Healthy Chino Hills etc. - 14 cities and we’re not listed among those cities.”

Councilmembers directed staff to look into a Healthy city program.