By: Carl Reader
LAMBERTVILLE There won’t be a flap over cappuccino in town.
The Planning Board on May 2 granted a site plan waiver and parking variance that allows J.P. Kline and Sons to open a coffee shop and ice cream store at its present location on Bridge Street.
Jeff Kline, in partnership with Christian Henry, who owns a coffee and ice cream store in Frenchtown, now can convert the front of Kline’s to its new use. The store was a stationery and hobby store for many years.
"The change of use will have a more favorable impact on downtown," contended Kline’s attorney, Dan Langhorne.
Mr. Langhorne said the use intended by his clients was allowed by code and needed only the waiver of a site plan and parking variance. He said the peak times for customers to come to the new coffee shop and ice cream store would be when street parking is available, and that would "smooth out the parking demands."
The only problem appeared to be the one that afflicts all of the downtown parking. The board figured the variance for parking would involve just three spaces. That was based on the formula of one space for every five seats.
Mr. Henry testified there would be five tables with three seats each.
"Is there any usable parking off-site?" asked board Chairman Timothy Korzun.
Mr. Langhorne said Mr. Kline had opened discussions with the Lambertville Station restaurant about that. City Planner Brian Slaugh pointed out the new use would not constitute a destination people would drive to, but instead would be a business that customers could walk to.
"We had three coffee bars in town four months ago," Mayor Dave Del Vecchio said. "Now one is out of business, and one is for sale. What is different with yours from the two that didn’t make it?"
Mr. Langhorne said the downtown location would make a difference since there is so much pedestrian traffic. It’s not simply a coffee bar, but includes ice cream, he said.
"My client (Mr. Henry) does have experience running such an establishment in Frenchtown," Mr. Langhorne said.
Mr. Henry testified he had been in business in Frenchtown for five years and three weeks. He said he was open for business there from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
"In Frenchtown, if you don’t see a parking spot, you don’t come in," he said.
He said his busy time during the week was from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. when people were going to work and stop in for coffee. He and his partner anticipated similar busy hours in Lambertville. Weekends would be busier, he said.
Mr. Henry anticipated the same hours of business in Lambertville as Frenchtown.
Mr. Langhorne showed the board three drawing of the three floors at Kline’s. The first floor would have the coffee and ice cream shop in front with a wall separating it from the shop in the back. The two top floors would remain the same with the music store on the second floor.
There would be one employee during the week and two on weekends, Mr. Henry said. There would be 16 flavors of ice cream, he added.
"If you have a favorite, put it in as a condition (of approval)," Mr. Slaugh joked to the board.
