WESTBOROUGH – A plan to build a Starbucks with a drive-through at 210 Turnpike Road is drawing criticism from neighbors.
The application for a special permit came before the Select Board on Tuesday, Nov. 12, and before the Planning Board on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
According to Kevin Solli, of Solli Engineering, the applicant — 6 Humphrey Realty Trust — wants to construct a 2,400-square-foot coffee shop with a drive-through, along with interior and exterior seating.
The applicant may build the restaurant as of right; the special permit is for the drive-through.
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The new building would be adjacent to an office building that currently houses a dentist office and a window blinds business.
Neighbors are concerned with the possible impact on traffic, especially around Park Street.
“We are concerned about the impact the ‘drive-up/drive-thru’ coffee shop, a/k/a Starbucks, may have on the surrounding residential area,” said Wayne and Claudia Webster of Essex Way, in a letter to Town Planner Jennifer Gingras. “Those concerns relate to increased traffic at a dangerous intersection, hours of operation, noise from the use of the coffee shop and deliveries and trash removal, light pollution, loitering and the increase in traffic along Park Street due to the type of commercial business planned for this site.”
The Websters pointed out the difficulty in getting on and off Park Street via Turnpike Road.
“Traveling east on [Route] 9 and attempting to make the right turn onto Park Street is dangerous. This coffee shop will dramatically increase vehicle turns at this intersection,” the letter read. “Trying to enter Route 9 East at Park Street typically requires a wait of several minutes before being able to enter safely. These traffic issues exist without the addition of a Starbucks at the corner of Park Street and Route 9 East.”
“There’s traffic all day,” said Phyllis Jaffee, who’s lived in town for 44 years.
About the project
There is currently a Starbucks just over a mile away at 139 Turnpike Road.
The plans propose closing off two of the existing driveways off Park Street and to modify one of the existing access drives off Park Street. The modifications result in a new 26-footwide driveway. Painted traffic arrows, stop bars and traffic signage are proposed throughout the site to improve traffic flow and vehicular safety.
The project would construct 24-foot-wide drive aisles throughout the proposed parking areas. The proposed drive-through entrance is located adjacent to the driveway and has been designed with a 20-foot-wide entrance, a 12-foot-wide stacking lane, and a 12-foot-wide emergency bypass lane.
A clearance bar, pre-order menu, digital order screen with canopy and menu board are proposed to be installed adjacent to the drive-through lane.
There would be a 500-square-foot concrete patio and outdoor seating area along the eastern side of the building. In addition to the outdoor seating area, five time-limited, curb side parking spaces are proposed adjacent to the front of the building for customers using mobile ordering and larger drive-through purchases.
There would be a total of 80 parking spaces and three bicycle racks for the property. The bicycle racks are proposed adjacent to the patio area.
The coffee shop is intended to operate between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Based on previous correspondence with the Town of Westborough Department of Public Works’ Engineering Division, the property has an existing sewer allotment of 3,150 gallons per day (GPD). The project proposes to maintain the existing 7,230-square-foot dental office / office building and proposes to construct a 2,400-square-foot coffee shop with a maximum seat count of 65 seats (interior and exterior). Based on the sewer allocation summary, the development will result in a total proposed design flow of about 2,153 GPD, leaving a remaining excess allocation flow of about 997 GPD.
