By Thomas J. Sullivan–
A proposal to build a new Dutch Bros drive-thru coffee location in Citrus Heights is moving its way through the Citrus Heights Planning Department evaluation review process.
In April, the city received a complete plan re-submission for the coffee drive-thru from the engineering consultant, Tait & Associates, Inc., of Rancho Cordova. The location is proposed for 7853 Lichen Drive, in the same shopping center as Raley’s.
Casey Kempenaar, city senior planner, told The Sentinel that traffic and noise studies are still being completed, but he anticipates them to be finished within the next few weeks.
Construction of a two-lane drive-thru for the new Dutch Bros would be in a portion of the existing parking lot on a rectangular parcel in front of Raley’s Supermarket closely facing Lichen Drive.
Tait & Associates has submitted architectural, civil, landscaping and site plans to the city for review, answering the city’s specific comments concerning parking stall and sidewalk requirements, ADA compliance, and pedestrian pathways.
Vehicular access into the coffee drive-thru would be from Lichen Drive. Restriping of traffic lanes within the Antelope Plaza Shopping Center around the proposed new Dutch Bros is also shown in recent site plans.
A single ADA-compliant parking stall is now proposed in the revised plans, and a large concrete paved patio area around the walk-up coffee shop will feature outdoor tables, benches, and bicycle racks. Decorative pavers mark two pedestrian pathways to the coffee shop from the adjacent existing plaza parking lot.
Dutch Bros, which has two other coffee shops at 7445 and 8552 Madison Avenue in Citrus Heights, sells specialty coffee drinks, smoothies, teas and the company’s private-label Blue Rebel energy drink.
The single story, blue-roofed drive-thru coffee shop is one of two projects being proposed by Cliffhaven Development of Newport Beach, which also filed plans to build its 22-unit Summerhills Plaza Apartments on the corner of Zenith Drive and Brimstone Drive behind the commercial plaza.
Related: 22-unit apartment complex proposed behind Citrus Heights Raley’s
Ralph Deppisch, a consultant to Cliffhaven Development of Newport Beach, is the developer of both the proposed 22-unit apartment complex and the Dutch Bros coffee shop.
“The new apartments and the new Dutch Bros coffee drive-thru will add considerable value to the mall area,” Deppisch said. “We’re hopeful that we’ll be scheduled for an approval hearing in August.”
The Oregon-based Dutch Bros. company has locations in seven Western states, with more than 9,000 employees. The company hopes to nearly triple its locations from 300 to 800, within the next five years.
Dutch Bros recently opened a 684-square-foot kiosk at 715 Sunrise Ave. in Roseville. Additional area locations include Granite Bay, Auburn and Rocklin.
