Coffee on Wheels: The Coffee Pitt’s drive-thru proposal clears first hurdle

It may take less time to get your morning cup of Joe at a new Pitt Meadows coffee shop soon.

On Oct. 8, city council unanimously granted first two readings to permit a drive-thru at The Coffee Pitt — formerly the home of Caffé Delish — at 12528 Harris Rd, paving the way for a public hearing on the matter. 

The Coffee Pitt opened earlier this month after Caffé Delish, a shop that began in 2023 and became a favourite for its focus on gluten and wheat-free baked goods, shuttered its doors. There are still two Caffé Delish locations open in neighbouring Port Coquitlam. 

But The Coffee Pitt, whose owners have pledged to continue offering a handful of gluten-free options, are looking to re-open a drive-thru window at the building. 

A drive-thru was previously operated at the building from 2003 to 2009. However, it was closed when the site was converted into a retail store that year and following a change to the city’s Official Community Plan (OCP). 

By re-opening the drive-thru window, the café can incentivize busy commuters to support a local business and ease traffic in the community, wrote Mark Zboyovsky, owner of The Coffee Pitt, in a letter to council dated last month. 

“By offering an alternative service point, we aim to contribute to smoother traffic flow around our premises, benefiting not only our patrons but also the local community,” Zboyovsky wrote.

He added in a follow up call with The Ridge that opening the drive-thru is part of The Coffee Pitt’s goal to reach a stable, profitable point by gearing itself to more potential customers. 

According to social media posts, Caffé Delish was serving a niche menu that wasn’t making a profit, said Coun. Bob Meachen. The Coffee Pitt is expected to serve a broader menu, and city council is looking to make it easier for the business to get its feet off the ground. 

“This council does support business in the city — especially for these types of small businesses,” he said. “I hear the food now is just as good but a bit more of a broader selection.” 

Zboyovsky, who appreciated council’s voice of support, says that members of the community he’s spoken with are excited at the prospect of re-opening the drive-thru window. 

“We’re trying to create a place that’s welcoming to everybody, young and old,” he said. “We’re doing better, we’ve had a few slow days, but we’re doing better.”  

City staff did outline concerns with permitting a drive-thru at the location, despite advocating for council to grant first two readings. 

Drive-thrus were not permitted in ‘community commercial’ areas when a new OCP was adopted in 2008. (The property was later rezoned in 2011 when the bylaw was officially adopted.) 

They were included in ‘highway commercial’ zones — a decision that was intended to support small businesses by encouraging walking, other forms of active transportation and pedestrian access to different stores within the town centre, especially those located on Harris Road. 

Should council ultimately approve the drive-thru, it must consider the likelihood of increasing greenhouse gas emissions due to idling vehicles, reducing in-person interactions and trips to neighbouring businesses and traffic spilling into adjoining streets or properties, among other factors. 

The latter concern may impact a new RCMP detachment, a 19,000 square foot building that is expected to open next year and be located slightly south of The Coffee Pitt. 

But staff have created a covenant to prevent any backlogs: mandating that traffic doesn’t back up onto Harris Road, establishing a right-of-way for police vehicles and allowing for the city to conduct a traffic study or site design review if a new business license is received for the building.

“The last thing you want to see is the tailback from that window right into the yard where the RCMP will be trying to exit,” Meachen said. “I’m glad you got the covenant, it needs to be there.” 

Couns. Alison Evans and Gwen O’Connell voiced their support for the drive-thru, saying it would be a worthwhile addition for a wider segment of the population with accessibility needs such as parents with toddlers in the car and seniors who use scooters through the drive-thru. 

“I think they’ve done a good job of being walkable, they’re close to the park, they got patios,” Evans said. “I do appreciate adding this to their business, giving them another tool in their toolkit.” 

O’Connell, specifically, mentioned that a number of residents use scooters in a McDonald’s drive-thru across the street from The Coffee Pitt. And if that company is allowed to operate a drive-thru, which is located within the Meadowtown Shopping Centre, an area where zoning rules permit drive-thrus, then a local business should be afforded the same opportunity. 

“I had a couple of [seniors] tell me they were excited about having a drive-thru there,” O’Connell said. “Believe it or not, a lot of them use the McDonald’s drive-thru. How exciting is this for our city that there’s another choice for them.” 

Mayor Nicole MacDonald shared well wishes for The Coffee Pitt, also noting the irony that a major international corporation can operate a drive-thru on the opposite side of the same street.

“It’s a little hard to swallow when that McDonald’s drive-thru is literally right across the street,” she said. 

The city is looking to hold a public hearing on The Coffee Pitt’s drive-thru application on Oct. 29, according to Zboyovsky. 

If the application is ultimately approved, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will also need to sign off on the plan as any new rezoning bylaw within 800 metres of the Lougheed Highway and Harris Road intersection require provincial approval.