Huntley trustees review plans for 7 Brew coffee after restaurant proposal falls through

The Huntley Village Board is taking a look at proposed plans for a 7 Brew Coffee off Route 47. The Village had previously signed off on plans for a Noodles and Company and urgent care facility on the property, according to Village documents.

Noodles and Company and the urgent care both decided not to pursue those plans, and Core Huntley, the developer, proposed bringing in a 7 Brew Coffee.

7 Brew Coffee is a drive-thru that offers coffee, soda, tea and other beverages. No food would be sold at the coffeeshop. Village documents state 7 Brew is hoping to expand into the Chicago area.

The Village Board had a courtesy review for the coffeeshop last week, and trustees offered their opinions without voting on it.

Trustee J.R. Westberg said he wished it was a restaurant coming into the space instead and expressed concerns about the volume of music the drive-thru might play.

Trustee Ric Zydorowicz said he was “not in favor” of the coffeeshop.

“I don’t see how this fits in that location,” Zydorowicz said.

Trustee Ronda Goldman said the coffeeshop would have some appeal to older residents nearby, but was concerned about back-ups in the drive thru.

She also was concerned about potential noise.

“You’re going to be near a hotel,” she said.

However, many of the elements of the building don’t meet village standards and rules.

According to village documents, three of the sides are proposed to have metal siding, which does not comply with village guidelines. One canopy is lined with LED lights, which also doesn’t comply with local rules. The roof structure also exposes mechanical units, access doors and railings, which also goes against Village code.

Mayor Tim Hoeft was concerned about those and other elements that don’t align with the rules.

Next steps will be to see if the developer still wants to pursue the project, said Village Manager Dave Johnson.