Unthinkable Or Inevitable? Boulder Starbucks Drive-Thru Proposal

BOULDER, CO - The city Planning Board will review a proposal for a drive-thru Starbucks location this November, reported BizWest Media on Friday, but it seems that not everyone is looking forward to increased access to pumpkin spice. The location, slated for an old gas station site at the intersection of 30th Street and the Diagonal Highway, would be Boulder's first car-accessible java joint.

Arguments against the new location focus on the "drive-thru" element of the proposal. As city spokesperson Gretchen King told Bizwest, referencing the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, “There are several policies that de-emphasize use of the single-occupant vehicle and emphasize good pedestrian and bike connections and support for a variety of transportation modes.” The Comprehensive Plan provides detailed guidelines and goals for Boulder and Boulder County to guide land use and development decisions.

In Boulder, the City Council cannot call up a proposed development project for a use review unless that project has already been called up by the Planning Board. The Daily Camera reported last week that the call-up period for the proposed Starbucks would have expired last Thursday night. As the Camera explained, "If anyone — including members of the public — requests a call-up from the case manager before 5 p.m. Thursday, Planning Board would hold a public hearing and render a decision."

Someone did. BizWest learned that a resident sent an email to the city requesting the call-up prior to the deadline, and a hearing on the project is now tentatively scheduled for November 15.

The Camera concluded its report on the possible development by noting, "The location, a half-mile from the confluence of the Diagonal and Foothills highways, might be ideal for a drive-thru, given the high-volume of nearby commuters." Time will tell if the Planning Board agrees.

It's easy to stay in touch with local news - sign up for your personalized Boulder Patch newsletter here.

Photo Credit: Francis Joseph Dean/Shutterstock