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Maplewood council advances Kenzo Coffee permit amid neighbors' parking, noise concerns
Summary
The Maplewood City Council advanced Bill 62-79 on May 13, 2025, approving first and second readings of a conditional use permit for Kenzo Coffee at 2500 Sutton Boulevard. Neighbors raised concerns about music, driveway blocking and limited on-site parking; the applicant said he would work with the neighborhood and the city.
The Maplewood City Council on May 13, 2025 advanced first and second readings of Bill 62-79, which would grant a conditional use permit to Hunter Ifland of Kenzo Coffee to operate a coffee shop at 2500 Sutton Boulevard.
The proposal drew a public hearing and comments from residents who live adjacent to the site. Michelle Brown, who said she has lived at 7400 Lindover for 27 years and owns the house next door, urged the new owners to limit music and be considerate of neighbors. "They would have live bands. It would, like, blow me out of my house when they would have live bands right next door," Brown said, adding that driveway blocking and limited parking have been recurring problems at that location.
The applicant, Hunter Ifland, told the council community relations would be a priority and that the business would coordinate with neighbors and the city. Ifland said live music is not planned as a core business strategy and that, if offered, the owners would create a plan with neighbors and the city to manage hours and volume. He also said the permit application lists 9:00 p.m. as a possible evening closing time and that he expected primarily daytime operation. "We are probably gonna go 7 to 7 to 2 or 7 to 3. I think on there, it says 09:00 in case we plan to open in the evening," Ifland said. He also said he was considering bicycle parking and expected to hire about seven to 10 employees.
Brown and other speakers raised parking questions cited in the staff memorandum: the property shows 10 on-site spaces, but Brown said conversions of former storefronts to apartments have filled much of the nearby parking, and she reported repeat incidents of patrons blocking driveways. Council members and staff pointed to the city's existing sound ordinance for noise limits and suggested signage and proactive communication as mitigation tools. A council member also offered that if the applicant had a mitigation plan the city could help mediate with neighbors before conflicts arise.
Council members moved and seconded approval of Bill 62-79. After discussion, the council approved the bill on first and second readings; the item will return for a third and final reading at the council's next meeting. No final operational conditions beyond those in the conditional use permit language were adopted at the May 13 meeting.
The application and the public comments signal potential next steps: city mediation between the applicant and nearby residents, possible signage or enforcement around driveway access, and follow-up if noise or parking problems emerge. The council and applicant both referenced the option to revisit a conditional use permit if problems arise.
