Planning commission approves 7 Brew drive‑through at 215 Lakeshore Parkway, 6-0

The Homewood Planning Commission on Aug. 5 voted 6-0 to approve an amendment to the Wildwood Center South redevelopment plan to permit a 722‑square‑foot, drive‑through‑only 7 Brew coffee stand at 215 Lakeshore Parkway. The approval will advance to the Homewood City Council for final action.

The change matters because it modifies the site plan for a Wildwood Center parcel and approves a drive‑through configuration that commissioners said raises visibility and circulation questions for the corridor. Wells Holiday, representing the applicant Southern Brew Corp., said the project would demolish the existing restaurant on the site and replace it with a modular 7 Brew building oriented toward Lakeshore Parkway.

Holiday said, “The 7 Brew is to be a drive through only, liquids only, coffee stand with 2 drive through lanes and 1 bypass lane.” He told the commission the front elevation faces Lakeshore for traffic and visibility reasons and described the building as a prefabricated (modular) unit with an attached exterior cooler that will be treated as part of the single building.

Commissioners asked about parking, operations and screening. The development plan shows four parking spaces; city code requires four. Holiday said the store will staff seven employees per shift across three shifts and that typical opening time will be about 6 a.m. He said landscaping and screening are included in the submittal to help hide electrical boxes and the dumpster area. HVAC equipment will be placed on the roof behind screening, he added.

On site design, Holiday said the orientation decision was made for operational and topographic reasons and is not mandated by corporate standard. “No. It's site specific on where we face the front elevation of our building,” he said when asked whether the company always orients buildings the same way.

City staff noted the exterior cooler’s façade will match the rest of the building and that the dumpster will be screened with exterior siding. Holiday said construction could begin as early as September if approvals are obtained and the work would take about two months.

Commissioner [name as recorded] moved to approve the amendment with a clarification noted on page 4 of the minutes; the motion was seconded. The roll call vote was recorded as follows: Miss Wilcott, yes; Mister Rispinto, yes; Mister Henninger, yes; Miss Andress, yes; Mister Gulas, yes; and Mister Armstead, yes. The motion passed 6-0 and the case will be forwarded to the City Council.

Less critical details: the applicant identified the existing tenant as a Costa's barbecue restaurant to be demolished; the proposed site includes a small patio but no interior customer seating; the applicant described the dumpster as a single, small enclosed unit.