3330 piedmont road – starbucks second visit
Description: 3330 Piedmont is the site of an existing drive-through Starbucks on the former “Disco Kroger” property, now branded as Buckhead Landing. This is the second review of this project, the first one occurring at the September 2023 DRC meeting. The applicant is returning as their initial plans have changed sufficiently to require re-review. The applicant is proposing to renovate the existing building (1700 sq ft) on site to add 410 square feet to the structure (an increase of 155 square feet from September 2023), increase the height of the structure to 20 feet from the previous planned 18 feet and fully redo the exterior look of the structure. The applicant will change the exterior landscaping of the property and make changes to pedestrian access to the property. Also modified from the September 2023 plans, the applicant has relocated the drive through kiosks and increased the size of the stacking lanes. This project directly abuts the portion of GDOT and the Buckhead CID’s Piedmont Road complete street project set to start construction in late 2023. The project does not change the use of the building but increases the size and fenestration slightly.
The Development review committee discussed the proposed changes at depth, focusing on the landscaping, drive through configuration, exterior building materials and signage. In respect to landscaping, the committee suggested the applicant use landscaping to direct pedestrians to the soon to be constructed stairway to the parking lot and improved screening of the drive through layout. The committee pointed out that External Insulating Finishing System (EIFS) is prohibited in SPI-9 and would need to be substituted for another material and the signage would be reviewed by another department. The committee commended the revised look and other changes from the September 2023 proposal and determined the plans (with the EIFS swapped for an approved exterior finish) would represent an improved look and feel to the Starbucks.
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Applicant: Michelle Goss, CPD Group
Also present for the applicant: Christian Olteanu
SAP#: SAP-23-086
Variation Requested: None
Recommendations Regarding Variations: None
Additional Recommendations:
The Development Review Committee’s recommendation for approval of these proposed changes is conditioned on the removal and replacement of EIFS with another approved exterior finishing material. Per §16-18I.027.2 that governs SPI-9, EIFS is not listed as an approved exterior finish:
Standards of architectural design. #2.Exterior building materials: All buildings except single-family residential buildings shall be faced with brick, masonry, stone, textured concrete masonry, precast concrete, synthetic stone, wood, metal, fiber cement siding, stucco, and glass or similar products only. However, the use of textured concrete masonry, fiber cement siding, stucco or architectural metal is restricted to no more than 30 percent of any building’s total exterior wall surface fronting a public street.
If the applicant substitutes EIFS with a material listed in the above quoted section and makes no other changes, the committee would not need to review the revised plans
Additionally, the Development Review Committee makes and/or retains the following recommendations made with the September 2023 review of the proposed Starbucks remodel.
Landscaping – In September 2023, the committee noted that the proposed development did not meet the scope of changes necessary to trigger compliance with §16-18I.020, which prohibits drive throughs from being visible from the street, however, it recommends that the applicant respond to the spirit of the legislation by including screening, such as a privacy screen or landscaping, to obscure the view of the drive-through window from Piedmont Road. The committee maintains this recommendation and added that it should also be used to strategically direct pedestrians towards the planned stairway being constructed as part of the Buckhead CID improvements. This will improve both the safety and visual experience along Piedmont Road.
The committee recommends that the applicant time construction to coincide with the Piedmont Road complete street project to minimize disruption to customers and the community. This project is adjacent to Buckhead CID’s Piedmont complete street project. The committee recommends that the applicant make sure to coordinate with BCID and keep BCID in the loop.
The Development Committee does NOT expect to see this applicant again unless significant changes are made to the proposed plans that necessitate additional variations or the City staff and/or Neighborhood Association requests additional input from the DRC.
