The La Quinta Village, which already has a Starbucks, is now getting a slightly bigger Starbucks with a drive-thru – in a move the city hopes will revitalize the shopping center because, ummm, bigger, I guess.
The La Quinta City Council took a moment away from praying this year’s triathlon is less of a clusterfuck than last year’s debacle to unanimously approve the coffee chain project on Tuesday, reports The Desert Sun.
Approval of the project Tuesday by the City Council included a zone change for the shopping center, from neighborhood commercial to community commercial, to allow for the drive-thru; and a variance allowing the drive-thru to be 170 feet from the closest residential property — across Washington Street to the east — rather than the required minimum 200 feet.
“The zone change also allows for additional uses within the center, which could help revitalize it,” said Carlos Flores, senior planner for the city.
The shorter variance is mitigated by a major arterial, two existing screen walls and landscaping, which provide adequate buffer between the drive-thru and neighboring homes, Flores said.
Will the addition of a few more seats and a drive-thru at Starbucks help fill some of the many vacancies in the center? Perhaps. Guess we will have to wait and see – and, when we do, can you fill me in, I’ll be at the better (and local!) coffee house across the street in Old Town.
