Members of the City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Tuesday evening, tabled action until next week on approving a site plan for Scooter’s Coffee, over concerns about traffic congestion in the area between Oinkers and McDonalds.

Aerial view

Site plan

Scooters Construction Manager Dan Forslund provided details about the company’s desire to erect a drive-thru coffee shop on green space currently located south of the Verizon building at 1500 E. 7th Street.

Commissioner Vicki Brown and others were worried about traffic congestion at the Y turn located just east of McDonalds. Forslund said he would talk with the Iowa Department of Transportation to try and make the turn onto 7th Street both east and westbound, instead of just westbound, as is currently the case, in hopes that, if approved, that would alleviate some of the traffic congestion.

If the DOT gives its blessing, Forslund will come back to the P&Z next week with revised plans for the property. If the business gets the go-ahead from all parties, Scooters would be open from 6-a.m. to 7-p.m., serving a variety of coffee products and breakfast. Forslund said they need to make $1,200 a day to be profitable, and he said their normal heaviest traffic flow is 8-a.m. to 9-a.m., except on Sunday’s.