After P&Z rejection, 7 Brew proposal heads to council

A proposed 7 Brew Coffee shop near an elementary school in Springfield is heading to City Council after two rezoning rejections by the Planning & Zoning Commission.

The P&Z Commission most recently voted against the request at its June 16 meeting, said Bob Hosmer, planning manager for the city. The P&Z agenda for that meeting shows Reding Management LLC and Redec LLC are seeking to establish a conditional use permit to allow for an eating and drinking establishment on a vacant 1-acre lot across from Sunshine Elementary School, generally located at 404, 420 and 424 E. Sunshine St. It's at the intersection with Jefferson Avenue.

"Traffic was a concern," Hosmer said of the P&Z Commission's reasoning for voting against the project. "It's not neighborhood-oriented. It's more auto-oriented, which is not very good around a residential neighborhood."

The original denial was at the P&Z Commission's March 10 meeting, Hosmer said. The issue is heading to council at its July 11 meeting, with a vote scheduled two weeks later, he said.

The P&Z Commission serves as a recommendation body for council, Hosmer said. After the original denial, the project went to council on April 4, but the governing board remanded it to P&Z for further examination. Hosmer said some changes, such as additional trees along the residential side of the development, were proposed.

Springdale, Arkansas-based 7 Brew franchisee Brew Crew LLC would operate the shop at the site if it gets council approval. Chris Sebald of Brew Crew penned a letter to the P&Z Commission for its most recent meeting.

"It is our intent to serve the community and our patrons by providing a safe, clean and well-operated business while producing sales tax and creating 40-50 new jobs," Sebald wrote in the letter. “Currently, our three open stores have been well received by the Springfield community.”

Sebald could not be reached immediately for comment by deadline.

Brew Crew made its debut in the Queen City in late 2021 with a 7 Brew at 2317 N. Glenstone Ave., according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. The company since has added stores at 1455 W. Battlefield Road and 2970 E. Sunshine St.