Montgomery Village Board gives initial OK for Starbucks off Hill Avenue near Route 34

The Montgomery Village Board has given its first approval for plans to construct a Starbucks drive-thru coffee shop along the west side of Hill Avenue in the Ogden Hill shopping center.

In a 4-0 vote Monday evening, the Village Board accepted a positive recommendation from the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission in support of a series of zoning variances sought by the project developers that will allow for the construction of the coffee shop on a vacant parcel situated between the Mavis Tires & Brakes and the Earthmover Credit Union building.

The board also completed its first reading of an ordinance granting the zoning variances for the coffee shop. A second reading and final board vote on the variances are expected at the board’s next meeting, April 24.

Joseph Development LLC of Chicago is the project developer.

As proposed, the Starbucks will feature a drive-thru lane and the front of the shop will face towards the shopping center parking lot. Traffic access to the shop will be off of an internal access drive in the shopping center.

Illustration of a Starbucks coffee shop proposed for construction in the Settlers Hill shopping center off Hill Avenue at Route 34 in Montgomery. (Illustration provided by the village of Montgomery)

The shop is proposed for construction near the center, south portion of the site, with parking spaces along the east side of the building and the drive-thru pickup window on the building’s west side.

The package of variances sought by the developers would allow for modifications from village requirements for building setbacks, design standards, parking and landscaping.

When questioned by board member Theresa Sperling, Sonya Abt, the village’s community development director, said the Starbucks will be one of the firm’s smaller shops with coffee and other beverages served to patrons in vehicles using the drive-thru lane or from an indoor counter.

The shop will not offer an indoor seating area, Abt said.

According to village documents, the shop will have 1,500 square feet of total floor space.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously April 6 to recommend board approval of all of the requested variances.

Voting to accept the commission’s recommendation were Sperling along with board members Doug Marecek, Steve Jungermann and Dan Gier. Absent from the meeting and the ballot were board members Matt Bauman and Tom Betsinger.

The Starbucks would be the second to locate within village limits.