Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission Rejects Overlay Appeal

(KNOX) -The Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission rejected an appeal to a corridor overlay at 4641 South Washington for Starbucks.

Commission member Andrew Budke said that it is the city’s requirements that made him vote no for the appeal.

“We’ve got a large piece of land and we’re using less than seven percent of that for the building. Like the actual commerce,” Budke said.

“Thinking about the land use and like looking at this as like an outcome, again as other policies, we’re talking about a lot of land here and a fairly modest sized building.” Budke said before casting his vote.

Budke said he had two problems with granting the appeal.

“This strikes me as, again on the one hand, largely inevitable, and also really, really bad land use. Inefficient land use.”

This property is located at 4641 South Washington Street, just south of Choice Health and Fitness. The owners were looking to appeal a window requirement along the corridor overlay due to positioning of the building, drive thru location, and the kitchen location inside the building. In lieu of the windows on the west side, the applicant had been working with Corporate Starbucks to make the landscaping wall aesthetically pleasing.

Other than the windows requirements on the west façade, the property is in compliance of the Corridor Overlay District. Starbucks will have to make variations to its building under construction on South Washington Street in Grand Forks.