The Board of Zoning Appeals has approved the development of a Starbucks with a Drive-Thru on Erie Boulevard in Downtown Schenectady, one of the busiest streets in the downtown area. This was approved without input from local residents and business owners.

In 2021, Electric Erie Development, LLC sought a use variance from the Board that would allow them to open a Drive-Thru only Starbucks. When the Board did not approve that variance, they attempted again in 2023 citing to a hardship that they could not make a profit without a drive-thru.  The Board  denied their request for a variance  and found that the hardship was "self-imposed".

 The developers met with city officials, including the Mayor, in the Spring of 2025, to argue that the city's zoning ordinance prohibits drive-in establishments, but not “drive-thrus” as an accessory use to a fast-food restaurant. They further claimed the ordinance is vague and ambiguous.  The Board agreed with this interpretation of the zoning ordinance at the May 14, 2025 meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals, where the Vice-President of Economic Development at Metroplex publicly supported the project. No members of the public were in attendance at the meeting to speak in opposition.   We believe that the developers have demonstrated a pattern of acting in bad faith with the city.

A study from the NYS Department of Transportation shows that Erie Boulevard already sees an average of about 16,000 vehicles per day. The Vice-President of Metroplex claimed at the May 14, 2025 meeting that they anticipate that all the planned development on Erie Boulevard will double vehicle traffic on this busy corridor within the coming years.

The city's zoning ordinance intended for the downtown district to be a pedestrian district. We believe that if this Starbucks development goes through, it will make our city less walkable and less safe. We further believe the city is acting against its own interests in favor of development without any consideration of the needs of the community. 

We also believe that the public has a right to comment on the development.

We have a chance to make our voices heard. If enough people sign this petition, we have a chance to persuade the Board of Zoning Appeals to rehear the case and hear the concerns of the community.