Tucker residents heard the zoning and land use plans for a 7 Brew Coffee, a popular drive-thru coffee chain, during an Oct. 23 meeting.
Rocket Brew, Inc. seeks to redevelop the property at 4268 and 4270 Lawrenceville Highway for a 510 square-foot 7 Brew Coffee, a drive-thru coffee shop. Julie Sellers, managing partner with land use litigation firm Dillard Sellers, presented for about 30 minutes on the plans for the coffee shop.
The meeting was required before Rocket Brew, Inc. can submit the application for a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP), concurrent variance, and modification to the city, according to a City of Tucker memo. The company has several locations throughout the state, including shops in Snellville and Buford.
The property’s two points of entrance and exit will on Lawrenceville Highway and Railroad Avenue.
The site plans are pictured below.
The plans for utilizing Railroad Avenue was a point of concern for Megan Thomas, who was one of about 10 residents who attended the meeting at Fellowship Hall of Main Street. She asked Sellers about using part of Railroad Avenue as part of the redevelopment.
“It [Railroad Avenue] is not not large enough currently to hold two cars side by side,” Thomas said. “This was the main reason Arby’s failed in 2019-2020.”
Thomas also asked about the company’s requirement to add sidewalks and curbs around the property, which was not yet included in the project.
District 1’s Roger Orlando said the developers would still need to provide a formal presentation to the planning commission, accept recommendations before the first read of the SLUP request with city council. The project is currently under contract but contingent on council’s approval.
Thomas said she’s intrigued by the drive-thru coffee concept, but she said that downtown Tucker might be saturated in coffee beans already.
“Many of us are asking why it’s okay for two coffee shops to be next to each other. In the downtown corridor, we have three already: Paramount, Perc, The Corner Cup,” she told Rough Draft Atlanta. “ We just heard about drive-thrus being limited in new zoning changes, but maybe that was only for Lawrenceville Highway?”
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District 1’s Roger Orlando said he has heard concerns about his district being overrun with coffee shops, but he says he sees no issue with having more competition if the community desires it.
“I don’t view my role as a councilman to regulate like-business competition [unless it’s potentially a business that could cause a public harm such as gaming or massage], but rather to apply the numerous factors to be accounted for when considering a SLUP request to aid in such a decision,” he said.
The Arkansas-based company has been lauded nationwide for its exponential growth since opening in 2017. Rocket Brew has opened more than 500 stores nationwide, spanning Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah.
“We pride ourselves on speed, quality, and creating positive experiences, one cup at a time,” read a company statement. “From your morning coffee fix to that afternoon boost, 7 Brew is the go-to spot for warm smiles, energizing drinks, and a commitment to the communities we serve.”