Council hears conditional‑use request for drive‑through 7 Brew at William Penn Highway

A conditional‑use hearing for a drive‑through 7 Brew coffee shop at 4111 William Penn Highway drew technical questions from council about sidewalks, parking and stormwater but no final decision.

"My name is Bob Gage. I'm with Who Brew LLC. We are a franchisee of 7 Brew Coffee, and I am here to request conditional approval for a, conditional use," Bob Gage said during the hearing. He described a 510‑square‑foot modular drive‑through building with a 273‑square‑foot auxiliary cooler unit; the store is designed as 100% drive‑through with no walk‑up or sit‑down traffic.

Council and staff probed operational details: one council member asked whether parking requirements apply if the business is drive‑through only; Gage said the parking spaces are for employees and explained 4‑hour shifts and overlap. Staff noted engineers were reviewing stormwater and expected full compliance. Gage said the queue was designed to hold 31 cars, citing a best‑case peak of 28 cars in comparable stores.

Council’s solicitor clarified that a conditional use does not survive if the building is removed; if the building stays, a future owner could continue the use. The planning commission recommended approval of related site‑plan and sewage planning module items; staff said those items would appear on the agenda next week.

A council member moved to close the hearing; the motion was seconded and the chair announced the hearing closed by voice vote. No formal vote on the conditional use occurred at this meeting.