Palatine council narrowly rejects Starbucks drive-through

Despite a proposal that met all codes, had village staff’s support and would result in only a slight traffic increase, Palatine officials narrowly rejected Starbucks’ plan for a drive-through on one of the town’s main corridors.

Starbucks would have been the anchor retailer in a 7,700-square-foot shopping center to be built on the vacant lot between the McDonald’s and Harris Bank on Northwest Highway, just west of Smith Street.

“We’re not opposed to new business, but we want to find the right place and fit,” said Councilman Aaron Del Mar, who voted against the drive-through proposal. “(There are) a lot of areas that may be a better home.”

Mayor Jim Schwantz cast the tiebreaking vote against the drive-through portion of the proposal, which also calls for a Charley’s Grilled Subs restaurant and a third, still undetermined, retailer.

Two traffic studies concluded the property could handle the additional vehicles — an estimated 224 cars during the morning peak hour — given the proposed right-in, right-out policy, multiple exits and drive-through lane long enough to accommodate 11 cars.

But several officials and residents dismissed the findings, saying the intersection is congested enough during the morning rush without the presence of the world’s largest coffee chain.

“The traffic is a nightmare and (a drive-through) doesn’t make it better,” Mark Bisaillon of Palatine said.

Many opponents to the plan, which first came before Palatine’s Zoning Board of Appeals in October, also agreed with the council’s decision out of fear that business at nearby Norma’s Coffee Corner would suffer. They argued that the village should support local retailers and that Palatine doesn’t need a third Starbucks, especially with one a half-mile to the south at the train station.

Councilman Scott Lamerand voted to approve the drive-through, saying it’s not the council’s place to dictate competition. He also cited the traffic study results, staff support, benefits of developing a vacant parcel and recommendations for approval by the zoning committee.

A Starbucks representative couldn’t say whether the company’s interest in the Northwest Highway location will continue without a drive-through option.

“The absence of the drive-through makes the project less desirable from our standpoint,” Director of Store Development Dean Klein said.