A proposed 7 Brew coffee stand would replace the Rite Aid building at 420 Hamilton St. in Geneva, with three drive-thru lanes and changes to how drivers enter and leave the property.
The Geneva Planning Board is scheduled to continue its site plan and architectural review Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. on the second floor of City Hall, 47 Castle St. The proposal was also on the board’s Oct. 21 agenda.
Plans described in Ontario County’s planning review call for demolishing the existing building and constructing a 510-square-foot coffee stand, a separate 338-square-foot cooler and dry-storage building, drive-thru canopies and an enclosed dumpster area.
The 1.81-acre property would retain existing parking to the east, with 11 proposed spaces around the new building, including one accessible space. About 0.92 acres would be disturbed.
Traffic circulation is a central issue in the county review. The proposal would use an existing private drive connecting to Atwood Street on the west and Spring Street on the east. An entrance along Routes 5 and 20 would be removed and relocated approximately 50 feet east.
County reviewers raised questions about whether vehicles waiting at the Atwood Street intersection could block access to the property. They also recommended considering whether an access road could be eliminated, whether vehicles leaving the drive-thru should be directed toward the Spring Street traffic signal, and whether the Hamilton Street driveway should allow only right turns.
The review also identifies pedestrian safety concerns, including whether crosswalks need repainting or pedestrian signals should be added.
State Department of Transportation comments indicate the proposed driveway appears to meet minor commercial driveway standards, but work within the state right of way would require a highway work permit. The agency could request a traffic impact study during permitting.
The Geneva proposal follows 7 Brew’s expansion elsewhere in the region, including an Auburn location on Grant Avenue and plans for a Canandaigua stand along Eastern Boulevard.
Wednesday’s agenda calls for continued review of the Geneva project. It does not announce an opening date or indicate that final approval has been granted.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.