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Council hears conditional-use request for Scooter's drive-through amid traffic and safety questions
Summary
A conditional-use permit for a 7,633-square-foot Scooter's drive-through at Lot 4 Shady Creek was introduced for first reading; staff and the applicant said the design provides stacking for 16–17 vehicles, while council members and the city public advocate raised concerns about potential backups, cross access, and pedestrian bollards.
The City Council on July 10 heard a conditional-use permit request for a drive-through coffee shop at Lot 4 Shady Creek Commercial.
Larry Walker of Bax Engineering presented the request, describing a roughly 7,633-square-foot end-cap building planned at the southwest corner of Highway N and Lake St. Louis Boulevard. "What we're requesting tonight is a conditional use permit for a drive-through restaurant for a Scooter's coffee shop," Walker said, and he noted site-plan approval has proceeded through the review process.
Council members asked detailed questions about driveway circulation and the potential for drive-through queues to back up into residential streets. Councilmember Amanda asked whether traffic might enter the drive-through from the south entrance and whether stacking could block the neighborhood; Walker said signage and a counterclockwise circulation pattern are planned and that the design provides for 16–17 cars to stack around the building. "So with this type of...there's no inside seating, it's just carryout pickup, and the drive-through that's more than adequate for the stacking," Walker said.
Councilmember Wexler asked whether a secondary exit to Lake St. Louis Boulevard could be provided; Walker responded that no additional access to Lake St. Louis Boulevard was allowed under the original commercial development approvals.
During public comment, Arnie C. (city public advocate) said he favored the Scooter's because it is a fixed physical location likely to generate sales tax but asked the council to require pedestrian-protection measures: "I want to make sure that all appropriate safety bollards...are used for public safety for people walking to the store from the parking lot," he said, and he requested wheel stops and code-compliant curbing.
Councilman Kaskala moved, with a second from Councilwoman Taylor, to introduce Bill 77-69, a conditional-use permit ordinance for the coffee shop; the bill received first reading and will return for further consideration with any recommended conditions.
The council did not vote to approve the conditional use at this meeting; public safety concerns and driveway circulation were identified as matters staff and the applicant should address before final action.
