GUILDERLAND — The town’s zoning board heard plans last Wednesday for a popular coffee-shop chain and some opposition from a neighboring restaurant.

The board decided to continue Starbucks’ application, for a shop at 1204 Western Ave., so a town-designated engineer can better study the proposal.

The shop, to be built only a few blocks from the Starbucks in Stuyvesant Plaza, is across from the southern entrance to the University at Albany. The chain shop, to be built in place of an existing house, hopes to attract student customers. It is to have a drive-through window.

Many issues, such as drainage and traffic, are still unresolved.

Also, parking is a concern. Additional spaces are needed and Starbucks’ attorney, Jim Schultz, said he tried to contact the owner of the adjacent bar-restaurant, Sutter’s Mill and Mining Co., to discuss sharing parking.

Dennis Quadrini, who owns the property, has a long-time agreement for shared parking with Sutter’s. This, however, is for his apartment building and not for a restaurant.

Schultz said he left several messages that were not returned. At about 11 p.m., Sutter’s owner, Henry Klein, entered the Town Hall meeting room.

He said that Sutter’s has been in business for 33 years and it has issues with Starbucks’ proposal.
"It’s a tight site," for parking, Klein said. "This applicant doesn’t really fit the site...It’s not a good thing for the gateway to the community."

Klein added that he received no messages from Schultz and he then recited his cellular phone number. Later, in the Town Hall parking lot, Klein told The Enterprise, "We will protect our interests."

The board continued the application for town-designated Boswell Engineering to study it.

Other business

In other business, the board:

— Granted a variance to Robert Walsh, of Charlotte Construction, to build a single-family home, at 417 Ridgehill Road, on a corner lot.

A 35-foot front setback is required and Walsh requested a 23-foot setback. Also, a 125-foot width at the building line is required and Walsh asked for a 114-foot width.

The board granted the variance after hearing from a neighbor that, without the variance, the front of the new house would be behind their house, taking away their privacy. Board member James Sumner voted against the proposal; he said he felt the house could be maneuvered to comply with the law; and

— Continued an application of Adirondack Tire, for a variance to use a vacant building, at 1610 Western Ave., as a tire and repair shop. After discussing the conditions needed to grant a variance, the board decided to continue the proposal, since it didn’t receive information from the applicant or town-designated engineer until just before the meeting.