Representative for the applicant, Bo Carpenter, didn't try to beat around the proverbial coffee bush. The amendment was for an even more specific reason. "I don't think I'm talking too far out of the school to say that this is going to be a Starbucks," Carpenter said. "We are going to have a new Starbucks next to the hotel."
The Starbucks would be one of four tenants in a 6,000-square-foot building just north of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Asheville West. The lot would include 48 parking spaces and connect to South Bear Creek Road. A short discussion about why the language had been used to disallow drive-through, along with three conditions that city staff recommended to add to approve the project. The language disallowing drive-throughs was added "due to concerns with pedestrian walkways," Carpenter said.
Conditions for the amendments approval included improving the existing crosswalk on South Bear Creek Road to a high visibility crosswalk, that a pedestrian connection be provided in the form of a sidewalk between the existing hotel and future building on the Starbucks outparcel and that the developer make a "best effort" to minimize potential conflicts on the drive-through aisle.
The amendment to allow the addition of a drive-through was unanimously approved with conditions. In 2021, the same amendment had been brought to the commission, where it was unanimously denied, according to city planning documents. As the amendment regards a conditional zoning process, the amendment to allow the Starbucks drive-through will have to be approved by City Council.
