Sterling on the Lake residents Thursday spoke out against a potential zoning amendment to an office building that would allow for a smoothie shop businesses.
Over 75 residents from the Sterling on the Lake neighborhood in Flowery Branch attended Thursday night’s city council meeting, where applicant Matt Rains detailed his plans to operate a smoothie business out of the area’s information center building. The property in question sits at 7004 Lake Sterling Boulevard and is currently zoned as Planned Unit Development.
Rains noted in his application he doesn’t want to change the zoning, but instead add an amendment that will give him the ability to conduct a smoothie business out of the building’s 10-by-15-foot kitchen. The primary reason he chose smoothies is the ease with which they can be made, not using any other cooking amenities like a stove, microwave or oven.
Rains believes a smoothie shop, or other similar operation, would be a positive addition to community activities and schools in the area. The proposal compares a “pick up and go” style of beverage delivery to that of Starbucks. Plans indicate no seating area inside the business, as Rains currently conducts a real estate business in the building. There would be no drive-thru, DoorDash or Uber Eats-type deliveries, according to Rains’ report to the council.
While over 75 residents were in attendance at the public hearing, the council heard from 17 who all spoke in opposition and one resident who spoke in favor.
“So the primary issues would be traffic security, safety, liability, parking and loitering,” local resident Candi McClave said. “There's a big concern about kids from the high school, which I know Mr. Rains was advertising that kids from the high school may come and grab a smoothie, but what that means is, he has no indoor seating at his real estate office. So what that essentially could mean is that they would take their smoothies across to our green space, which is directly across from his building, and could leave trash, vandalism, and things of that nature.”
Another concern expressed by many residents was the possibility of the business growing in the future, should the amendment be granted, along with the amendment transitioning to future buyers of that property.
One resident was met with applause while speaking to the city council after she noted how decisions like this often set a precedent for zoning opportunities down the line.
Rains commented on many of the concerns in a follow-up address to the council, stating his intent to chiefly design the smoothie operation with the Sterling on the Lake community in mind.
Thursday’s meeting was a public hearing, with the first vote coming during the council’s meeting on May 4. A final vote is scheduled to take place on May 18.
