A Harley-Davidson dealership may be coming to San Carlos.
At tonight’s 7 p.m. meeting, the San Carlos Planning Commission is set to review a request for a conditional use permit amendment to allow automobile sales at 835 East San Carlos Ave., a heavy-industrial zone bordering U.S. Highway 101 to the east, across from the Residence Inn Hotel, according to city documents.
The planned San Carlos location would be a relocation of Harley-Davidson’s current facility at 333 Corey Way in South San Francisco, and would be known as Silicon Valley Harley-Davidson.
According to the plans, the existing 20,300 square foot commercial building at 835 East San Carlos Ave. includes two tenants, a 7,200 square foot space that is vacant and a 13,100 square foot space currently occupied by Pioneer Millworks, which plans to move to a new location within 12 months.
Rich Gargano and Cliff Chester, who own Harley-Davidson dealerships in Morgan Hill, San Jose and San Francisco as well as general merchandise-only retail outlets in Monterey and San Francisco, plan to locate the auto sales facility within the 7,200 square foot space, then later expand into the adjacent Pioneer Millwork space, occupying 15,000 to 20,300 square feet of the building, the city said.
“The San Carlos location will actually be a smaller footprint than what we currently have in South San Francisco by almost half the square footage and is projected to have sales around $10 [million] in the first year.
Harley-Davidson hopes to hold special events as is customary at its other locations including Thursday Night Live with food and entertainment, a once-per-year Open House in conjunction with the new model year release, and a Christmas toy drive that has a group ride leaving the facility at 9 a.m. to deliver toys and donations.
While Harley-Davidson sells and repairs motorcycles, the business is expected to generate significantly less traffic than current and recent and existing site tenants, particularly when Pioneer Millwork vacates, the city said. In addition, the business doesn’t work on bikes older than 2000 nor provide noisy dynamometer engine testing.
And don’t worry about the clientele, owners say. While the business proposal states Harley Davidson “still comes with a preconceived notion of loud motorcycles and rebellious behavior,” it states today’s average rider is “married and in his 50s with an average income of over $90,000.” The business also said Harley-Davidson has also been promoting rider education classes and new products such as electric motorcycles and bicycles.
The Planning Commission’s hearing is set to take place at 6 p.m. tonight in Council Chambers at 600 Elm St. in San Carlos.
Photo: A Harley-Davidson at the Mission Moto Harley-Davidson store in San Francisco.
