Minnetonka planning panel backs 7 Brew drive‑through, forwards CUP to City Council

The Minnetonka Planning Commission voted unanimously on Nov. 20 to recommend that the City Council approve a conditional use permit and final site and building plan for a drive‑through‑only 7 Brew at the Highway 7/County Road 101 area.

Staff said the proposal meets applicable city code standards for the B‑2 district, that the site plan and building design are reasonable, and that SRF, the city's traffic consultant, confirmed site circulation and drive‑through operations were appropriate. "There's about a half a percent increase in traffic — that's 104 trips," Planner Drew Ingleson said, and he later clarified the consultant estimated 26 exiting trips during the peak hour and roughly 224 entering trips for the day.

The plan would locate two closely spaced prefab buildings and a trash enclosure on a roughly 12‑acre site currently dominated by shared parking; staff reported the site contains about 482 shared parking spaces and that the 7 Brew layout produces a 16‑space deficit against strict code counts. The applicant provided a striping plan using existing pavement to demonstrate how parking requirements could be met without new construction, and staff included a condition allowing the city to require additional striping if parking becomes a problem.

Traffic and access were the central technical concerns. The applicant's model is a drive‑through operation with two queuing lanes and capacity for about 19 vehicles; SRF's review found average exit headways during peak periods of about 8–8.5 seconds, exceeding a 6.5‑second best practice. MnDOT reviewed the project and flagged the site's proximity to the Highway 7 intersection, recommending exploration of access modifications. Ingleson said the city added a condition allowing the applicant to close the north drive aisle if crashes or recurring circulation problems were observed.

Accessibility and stormwater also shaped staff conditions. A traffic consultant recommended relocating an ADA stall, but the city's building official advised the accessible space must remain the closest stall per ADA requirements, so the stall will not be moved; staff will work with the applicant on alternate routes and signage. Stormwater mitigation on the mostly paved site will rely on underground storage chambers beneath the drive‑through lanes, the presentation said.

Mike Gusterson, representing 7 Brew, described the business as a drive‑through model that uses handheld tablets and a phone app for orders, plans for standard directional signage (non‑branded) at queue ends, a bike rack and limited picnic seating, and prefabricated buildings. "We intend to put on the bike rack," Gusterson said, and he said the company typically staffs locations with younger, largely part‑time employees and focuses on quick service.

Commissioners voiced general support for converting an underused impervious parking field to a productive use and noted benefits such as additional landscaping near Purgatory Creek and potential local jobs. Several commissioners urged coordination with neighboring businesses (including Culver's) and use of directional signage to reduce internal circulation conflicts. The public hearing drew no speakers.

The commission's motion to recommend approval to City Council passed 4‑0 (Commissioners Minyon, Brink, Hansen and Chair Maxwell voting yes). The City Council is scheduled to consider the resolution on Dec. 8. Two separate variance items for garage setbacks (4241 Winchester Court and 15020 Tamar Lane) were postponed to the Dec. 4 meeting earlier in the session.

Next procedural step: City Council consideration on Dec. 8; the commission's recommendation is advisory and does not itself grant the permit.