After hearing two hours of testimony both for and against plans for the city’s fifth McDonald’s, the Simi Valley Planning Commission couldn’t decide whether to approve or deny the project.

The proposal to build the fastfood restaurant on the corner of Galena Avenue and Cochran Street has met with resistance from nearby residents who don’t relish the idea of having the popular burger chain so close to their homes. Commissioners said Jan. 20 they wouldn’t make their decision until the project’s traffic and safety issues could be further addressed.

Residents of the homes and condominiums across the street from the proposed McDonald’s told the commission they don’t want to see, hear or smell the fastfood restaurant, nor do they want to suffer the additional traffic they’re sure it will bring.

The proposal has its supporters as well.

About 50 residents attended the public hearing to consider a request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to construct a McDonald’s with a two-lane drive-through on the southeast corner of the Farmers Insurance parking lot.

The McDonald’s needs a special permit because even though the new development may fit the existing commercial zoning, its operation at that specific location could potentially impact the site and the surrounding residents.

The business would be located on the site of a vacated building previously owned by Farmers. That building would be demolished and a new, 4,220-square-foot restaurant would be built.

The restaurant, which would include an outdoor patio area, would be open 6 a.m. to 12 midnight Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Speaking in favor of the project were 23 residents, most of them friends and family of Lisa Murphy, who would run the new franchise. Murphy is the daughter of James Powell, who opened Simi’s first McDonald’s on Tapo Street in 1974 and the McDonald’s on Yosemite Avenue in 1993.

Those in favor of the new McDonald’s spoke highly of Murphy and the local franchise’s contributions to the community and said the restaurant would provide more jobs for youth and a place to learn responsibility.

“Nothing is like your hometown McDonald’s. And I know that my sister being awarded this McDonald’s is going to do an outstanding job,” said Michelle Press, who manages the family’s Yosemite location. “The location is the perfect location for a restaurant . . . it would be a great addition to the neighborhood.”

Michelle Phillips, a career advisor for Path Point, a nonprofit in Ventura County that serves youth between ages 16 and 21, agreed.

“McDonald’s has given many of our youth internships and employment opportunities,” Phillips said. “McDonald’s has always been behind hiring our youth in the community and giving them a chance to gain work skills.”

But the 10 residents speaking against the proposal said they aren’t concerned with Murphy’s reputation or with McDonald’s role in the community.

They said they’re concerned about headlights shining into their homes, youth loitering in the parking lot, traffic issues for Darby Street, and the devaluation of their properties, among other things.

“The question is not whether McDonald’s is a good corporate citizen, it is whether a McDonald’s should be on this corner,” said Priscilla Ervin, a 25-year resident of Simi. “Something should be built there, I agree, but it should be like an office building with office hours.”

Ervin said it’s inappropriate to have the restaurant at the proposed location because even though the land is zoned commercial, it’s right next to a residential neighborhood. One more area eatery would only hurt existing businesses in this tough economic time, she said.

Angie Gomez, who lives in the condominiums across the street, said she can smell all the restaurants in the area and she’s constantly “in a plume of smoke,” which forces her to keep her windows closed. She said she doesn’t look forward to the increased traffic and noise the restaurant will bring or a view of the drivethrough from her window.

“There isn’t a need to have a (fifth) McDonald’s in Simi Valley. It’s not necessary,” she said, noting that the Tapo location is less than two miles away.

Neighborhood Council No. 3 heard the project in September and voted to deny it. As a result of the residents’ concerns, McDonald’s prepared noise and odor reports, which found neither the noise nor the smell coming from the restaurant would exceed city thresholds.

City traffic engineer Chic Dabbs analyzed the number of trips generated by the project and determined no significant traffic impacts would result at Galena and Cochran. But Commissioner Mary Bibb couldn’t understand how that could be so.

“I just don’t understand how you can put a McDonald’s there and it would not change the traffic flow,” she said, later adding that she would likely deny the project.

Most of the commissioners felt the project meets city requirements and there shouldn’t be any issues related to traffic, noise or odor.

However, Commissioner Tim Shannon still had concerns related to safety—in particular, that eastbound traffic on Cochran will make a left-hand turn into the Farmers parking lot and cut across to get to McDonald’s as a shortcut. The only other option for eastbound drivers would be to continue to Galena, take a left and then another left into the parking lot.

The commission decided to postpone the hearing until Feb. 17 to give the applicant and city staff time to address the traffic and safety issues and work with neighbors.