By Cecily Barnes
On Nov. 8, Starbucks Coffee Co. yanked its application for a conditional-use permit from the Planning Commission's Dec. 12 agenda. A letter addressed to assistant planner Carol Deming requested the proposal be held until further notice.
"We wanted to go back and re-evaluate our traffic study and reconsider suggestions by the city," said Ron Taylor, Starbucks Northern California real estate manager. "What we instructed [project architect] Paul Bosman to do is postpone the hearing date so that we could address all the points the city had proposed."
Specifically, Starbucks will re-evaluate traffic and parking, as well as the design and layout of the building, at the corner of Big Basin Way and Highway 9, to make sure it fits in with the existing structures.
Taylor stressed that Starbucks is committed to working with the communities it joins. As proof, he cited 37 community-service organizations the company assists, including AIDS Walk, Project Open-Hand and the Red Cross.
"We believe we can be a positive impact on the community. We want to make sure we don't do anything that will adversely affect this," he said. "Starbucks is very much concerned with the communities we enter; we tailor our design to fit into each."Nevertheless, community discord is beneath the surface between the city's more traditional residents and those ready to jump on the Starbucks bandwagon. Apparently split into three camps, residents are either all for Starbucks, dead-set against the firm locating in downtown Saratoga, or indifferent. Those opposed insist Starbucks will begin a trend of Burger Kings, Kentucky Fried Chickens and other fast-food chains.
"Starbucks is like the McDonald's of coffee," said resident Adrian Turner.
"All the large chains should be kept out of this town," agreed resident Don Webster.
Those in favor of Starbucks think their fellow residents are not only overreacting, but projecting an elitist attitude.
"Sound the alarm! Man the fortress! Quaint village Saratoga is under attack again," resident Kirch DeMartini wrote in a letter to the editor. "We villagers may be subjected to something worse than a good coffee--a good bagel," De Martini said, referring to the fear of some that Noah's Bagels will logically follow Starbucks.
"I'm all for it," said Cathy Balach, owner of GoodBody's health store on Big Basin Way. "We need more energy in this town. Starbuck's is a reputable business, run very well, and something that would be very fitting for residents."
Taylor encouraged residents to write to the Saratoga News and voice their opinions, explaining that he is genuinely interested in their concerns. It has not been determined when Starbucks application will go before the Planning Commission.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, November 20, 1996.
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