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Commission denies special approval for 7 Brew drive‑through at Orchard Lake, urges traffic analysis and ZBA variances
Summary
The Planning Commission denied a special approval for a 7 Brew (Brutopia Michigan LLC) drive‑through at 27900 Orchard Lake Road, citing noncompliance with indoor‑seating requirements, outstanding circulation/stacking and turn‑movement concerns and the need for Zoning Board of Appeals variances.
The Farmington Hills Planning Commission voted to deny a special‑use application for a proposed 7 Brew drive‑through kiosk at 27900 Orchard Lake Road and advised the applicant to pursue the necessary variances at the Zoning Board of Appeals and return with additional traffic analysis.
Reid (Reed) Cooksey of Stonefield Engineering told commissioners the 510‑square‑foot kiosk and 200‑square‑foot external cooler would focus on mobile ordering and rapid throughput, asserting the model can move cars in about two‑and‑a‑half to three minutes and that "we can get, you know, upwards of 80 cars through in that peak hour." He also said the cooler can be relocated behind the building and that the design meets many dimensional requirements for the B‑3 district.
Staff flagged several compliance issues: the city’s use standards require indoor seating capacity that is not provided (20 seats), the accessory cooler did not meet the required 10‑foot separation distance and therefore may need relocation or a variance, a traffic/turning‑radius demonstration was missing, a tree inventory and photometric lighting data were absent, and some sign and loading requirements need clarification.
An adjacent property owner and business owner, David Elkes, testified that his property and cross‑access easements already experience vehicles cutting through and that a high‑traffic coffee kiosk would likely increase conflicts: "Adding a high traffic restaurant or coffee shop right next door is only going to exacerbate the problem," he said.
Commission deliberation focused on safety and ordinance compliance. Several commissioners said they liked aspects of the design and stacking concept but were not comfortable finding the proposal met the special‑use criteria without a traffic study and without the variances for seating and the cooler separation. The commission therefore moved to deny the application so the applicant can seek ZBA relief and then return with revised plans and required technical analyses.
The vote to deny was recorded by roll call. The applicant said they would pursue variances and work with staff to address the planner’s comments before returning to the commission.
