Residents Oppose Drive-Thru Coffee Shop

WAUKESHA, WI—Residents objected at a Waukesha Plan Commission meeting Wednesday about a proposed drive-thru coffee shop, arguing that it would lead to noise and traffic and saying that it looked “like it was done with Legos.”

Commissioners agreed with residents about the proposed Biggby Coffee shop on a one-acre parcel at the corner of River Road, Rapids Trail and Raintree Lane.

The comments came during a conceptual review at Wednesday's meeting. The proposal will come back to the Plan Commission for further consideration before the commission sends the proposal to the City Council for final approval.

Residents worried about noise and traffic issues. One resident said the coffee shop "looks like it was done with Legos."

The 350 square foot shop will not include any indoor dining or seating. Instead, outdoor seating will be available on a patio between the drive-thru lanes. Patio seating will include Adirondack chairs and small tables, with a total of fewer than 20seats.

The building may be small, but it will damage the neighborhood, one resident said.
"All these cars are going to be driving through here, and they'll just pick up their coffee,” she said. “How are they going to get that coffee? They're going to shout it into those speakers. And then the waitstaff is going to be shouting back."
The noise will be from 6 a.m. and run through the evening, she added.

The business is a good idea for another part of the city but not in the proposed area, another resident said.

Many of the commissioners agreed with the residents.
Commissioner Cory Montiho said the coffee shop is a nice business but is in the wrong location. He added it should be between two buildings and nowhere near residents.

"For me, it's a hard no,"Montiho said.

Commissioner John Schmitz said it is an odd spot for a coffee shop and that a quieter business should be located there.

"It's a tough fit for that spot," Schmitz said.

Mayor Shawn Reilly agreed with the other commissioners that this is the wrong location for a coffee shop. He added the next step should be to look at the property and discuss what it should be zoned as.

"This development here is not going to get approved," Reilly said.