Council approves site plan amendment for Starbucks at 1140 West Riverdale Road

Riverdale City Council unanimously approved a site plan amendment for the existing Starbucks at 1140 West Riverdale Road, authorizing on‑site circulation changes, additional mobile order windows and ADA improvements intended to improve queuing and pedestrian access.

Project details: City planner Brandon Cooper and Joanna Graham of Kimley‑Horn (the applicant’s consultant) presented the amendment, which reconfigures existing pavement, removes and repositions a landscaped island, adds pavement markings and proprietary Starbucks pavement guides, and provides a dedicated ADA stall, ramp and an ADA crosswalk to improve access from the west parking area.

A nearby resident raised concerns about queuing on 1150 and asked whether empty spaces in adjacent storefronts were related to circulation. Graham and Cooper said the plan preserves pedestrian access to adjacent tenant doors and provides a crosswalk that will clarify pedestrian movement across the parking area.

Councilor Arnold moved to approve the site plan amendment; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously on a roll call that recorded Councilors Richter, Hansen, Haas, Arnold and Stevens as voting yes.

What the approval does: The site plan permit allows the applicant to proceed with the circulation and accessibility changes; staff said the approval is for a site plan permit (not a building permit) and that the city had received an acknowledgement from the adjacent property owner permitting the work.

Ending: Councilors and staff welcomed the site improvements as likely to reduce queuing onto 1150 and to make pedestrian access safer; the applicant was thanked and excused.

Speakers quoted in this article are city staff, the applicant’s representative and council members, listed below.