Starbucks Plan Sent Back To Zoning Board

Plans for a Starbucks on Northwest Highway hit a snag at the Monday village council meeting.

The project was sent back to the Zoning Board of Appeals so that residents could comment on a traffic study. The Zoning Board of Appeals is expected to tackle the issue again Dec. 13, with the project returning to the village council in January.

Starbucks would be part of a new stripmall between and in the 200 block of West Northwest Highway near Smith Street. Residents have expressed concerns about potential traffic woes and about the potential impact the project would have on a local coffee shop — , 189 W. Northwest Highway.

District 1 Council member Aaron Del Mar said he wanted to have the vote on the project Monday, noting that Village Hall was packed with residents interested in the issue. However, he said Palatine received a letter from McDonald's Corporation on Monday asking for a chance to comment on the traffic study.

Although the, the traffic study was filed by the property owner after the public hearing. Del Mar said the public hearing needed to be reopened by the Zoning Board to give McDonald's, and residents, a chance to comment on it.

The Starbucks issue has garnered strong interest from the public. — 160 votes against the plan and 81 in support. Despite the fact there was no vote, the council did take comments from the audience.

"We as a town we should embrace diversity," Palatine resident Roman Golash said. "I would hate to see Palatine become a national franchise town, that there are no mom-and-pops around because they've all been wiped out.

"Now I'm not saying that there should not be competition, but we also should embrace those smaller businesses that do their business in Palatine, shop in Palaitne, keep their money in Palatine," Golash said. "We should give them a fair break."

The project requires council approval because Starbucks would have a drive-thru window. The stripmall would be 7,000 square feet. The property's owner, Nick Bharwani, also would own a Charley's Grilled Subs in the stripmall. Part of the development does not yet have a tenant.

Nilax Patel of RESA Construction, who is a designer on the project, said the traffic study had not been a requirement for the project. After , a traffic study was done. When Patel learned that the study would be the impetus to send the project back to the Zoning Board of Appeals, he asked if he could retract it.

After the meeting, Patel chalked up McDonald's concerns to competition.

"In my opinion, Starbucks in a competitor," Patel said. "If they delay us three months, its just three more months where they are not losing business."

As for Norma's, Patel said he respected the business and business owner, but added "this is America."

The Northwest Highway Starbucks would be the fourth in Palatine. There already is a located in the Metra Station near Smith and Wood streets. There also is a at 1590 N. Rand Rd. as well as a Starbucks at 679 E. Dundee Rd. inside .