City Attorney credits McDonald’s corporate counsel and franchisee for cooperation to help eliminate drug activity, nuisances
SAN FRANCISCO (Oct. 13, 2015)—City Attorney Dennis Herrera has reached an agreement with the McDonald’s restaurant in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood to increase its security measures in an effort to better prevent drug trafficking and related lawless activities, which resulted in hundreds of complaints by neighbors.
As part of the agreement, the Stanyan Street McDonald’s has contracted the services of a security guard to be present at the property during all hours of operation; increased the number of security cameras; added fencing to secure the landscaped portion of the property; increased lighting on the property’s exterior; restricted parking access when the restaurant is closed; taken reasonable measures to prohibit loitering; and will consult with the San Francisco Police Department each month for the first six months following the agreement to review safety and security issues. The agreement also provides that restaurant management will report the storage or sale of any illegal narcotics they observe, and make reasonable efforts to remove people engaged in the use or possession of illegal drugs.
“I am grateful to McDonald’s Corporation and the franchisee for working with us cooperatively to create a safer environment for the neighborhood and a more welcoming experience for their customers,” said Herrera. “By working collectively we were able to identify concrete measures to prevent further public nuisance and still avoid litigation.”
The agreement, which includes a $40,000 payment to the City, follows a pre-litigation demand letter and draft complaint sent by Herrera in May to the Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s Corporation to inform the fast food giant of its possible civil liability under the California Drug Abatement Act and Unfair Competition Law for violations at its 730 Stanyan Street property. According to Herrera’s May 12 letter, the property had generated nearly 1,100 calls for service to SFPD since January 2012—more than any other business in the area. Criminal activity included arrests for sale and possession of LSD, psychedelic mushrooms, hashish, marijuana, and marijuana edibles as well as dozens of incidents involving fights, assaults, auto burglaries and even two dog attacks.
Documentation of the original complaint, demand letter, and agreement can be found below.
Related Documents
- PDF of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office agreement with McDonald’s (Oct. 13, 2015)
- Herrera’s letter and draft complaint to McDonald’s Corp (May 12, 2015)