Starbucks had plans to open a new shop along FM 407 in Northlake, but traffic flow concerns and a landscaping request almost put the plan in jeopardy.
Northlake Town Council voted 6-1 to approve a site plan for a new Starbucks on the southwest corner of FM 407 and Cleveland-Gibbs Road with a variance to the town’s landscaping standards.
Council had the opportunity to weigh in on the site plan at its Sept. 24 meeting because the developer requested a variance to the town’s landscape requirements.
According to the town, the CVS in the area had the same issue. The town said changes to the FM 407 widening plan pushed utilities south and any trees planted would soon have to be removed once work on FM 407 starts.
Council approved the developer’s site plan request without any trees along FM 407 as long as the developer pays funds in lieu of those trees. Council can then use those funds toward planting trees in a more suiting area.
Northlake Town Council member Alex Holmes said it was important for the town to hold a large corporation like Starbucks to a high standard when asking for exceptions to the town’s ordinances.
She was impressed with the cooperation of Starbucks throughout the process and believes the project will succeed, even with lots of local coffee shops in the area.
“I don’t think there is any doubt that Starbucks is going to be successful here,” said Holmes. “I ask our residents and council to continue to patronize our locally-owned shops, but there is no doubt that… we’re all going to benefit from having Starbucks.”
Council’s approval was the final hoop Starbucks had to jump through to proceed with the new location after receiving many points of feedback from the town.
P&Z cited concerns with the original plan’s parking and drive-thru layout at its Aug. 25 meeting, believing it could be hazardous or conflict with existing traffic patterns in the area.
Starbucks resubmitted the site plan addressing the commission’s concerns at P&Z’s Sept. 22 meeting, and finally landed the commission’s recommendation for approval.
“I want to thank P&Z and staff for their work on this – it definitely worked through the process,” said Mayor Pro Tem Maryl Lorencz. “To be able to view it at this point with parking and the driveway worked out, it’s super beneficial.”
The new plan changed the 23 parking spaces, which exceeds the minimum required by the town for a use of this size, to angled spots, which gives the site more space for traffic to flow.
A stacked drive-thru is also part of the site plan, which exceeds the minimum required by the town.
FM 407 is starting to crowd up on the west side of I-35W with the Tom Thumb-anchored shopping center and other smaller shopping centers on the rise. A handful of coffee shops are included in those shopping centers.
