Previously rejected, coffee chain again asks to enter Lexington. What did the town say?
The second time was a charm for a national coffee chain looking to have plans approved for a new location in Lexington.
The town of Lexington Board of Appearance on Tuesday unanimously approved plans for Dutch Bros. Coffee to establish a location at 5211 Sunset Blvd. The 950-square-foot drive-thru and walk-up location would be constructed in the northeast corner of the parking lot of a Lidl grocery store, along Sunset.
Tuesday’s approval came roughly a month after the board had initially denied a plan from Dutch Bros. That denial came after a town staff committee noted in paperwork that it “felt that the design of this building did not adequately incorporate the general physical character of its adjacent neighbors, which are primarily constructed of red or brown brick, tan stucco or tan/brown stone.” The staff also noted in February that the “individual corporate image dominates the overall design of the building,” rather than complementing the architectural styles of nearby properties.
While they denied the coffee shop’s February request, the board of appearance, which hears appeals from town’s staff as to whether proposed projects fit the town’s architectural and appearance standards, invited the company to adjust its plans and resubmit the project.
The second time around, town officials noted in planning documents that the new plans from the coffee company incorporated changes to exterior materials and finishings that were more aesthetically compatible with the neighborhood. The lighting plan for the project also was revised, and the amount of overall signage was reduced.
The new plans also note that a three-foot brick wall and “enhanced landscaping” will be used to buffer the drive-thru restaurant from Sunset Boulevard and neighboring road Tom Corley Place. The appearance board had previously asked for more detail about the materials with which that wall would be constructed.
“I think we kind of went back to the drawing board on the building, tried to match the colors and materials you all were looking for, and hopefully it meets the intent and look you guys would like to see,” said Steven Knudsen, of North Carolina’s Durban Development, who spoke on behalf of the Dutch Bros. project.
Members of the appearance board expressed apprciation for the coffee company’s willingness to make adjustments to its plans.
“You guys made a lot of the changes we requested,” board member Larry Wilund said. “It’s a better looking proposal, and more in line with the appearance board items.”
Dutch Bros. Coffee has nearly 1,000 locations across the U.S., with particularly strong representation in states such as Texas, California, Oregon and elsewhere. The company doesn’t currently have any locations in South Carolina.
