Planning commission approves plans for a Perrysburg Costco

Costco Plan at Eckel Junction and N. Dixie Hwy.

In front of a packed city council chamber, the Perrysburg Planning Commission today approved a preliminary site plan for a new Costco store by a vote of 5-2, and recommended that a special use permit to build the business be approved by city council.

The majority of residents who attended the meeting were against Costco coming in because of the location and traffic concerns.  

Ted Johnson, who represents Costco for TJ Design Strategies, said they are hoping to open the store next fall.

Costco, a membership-only warehouse store chain with groceries and other products, proposes to purchase 28 acres and put a 154,300-square foot store and accompanying gas station. The site plan shows one road entrance off of State Rt. 25 and two entrances and an exit on Eckel Junction. The store would be located alongside I-475/U.S. 23, adjacent to its northbound exit ramp to State Rt. 25.

Brody Walters, Perrysburg planning and zoning administrator, said he had concerns about where the gas station is located. In the current plan it is at the entrance off of State Rt. 25; he would like to see it near the Eckel Junction entrances so drivers on the main road can see the landscape and store entrance instead of a gas station. 

Other residents were concerned about traffic backing up from the gas station onto State Rt. 25; some noted the traffic congestion issues already at the intersection.

Construction is already planned to improve traffic flow at the intersection of State Rt. 25 and Eckel Junction, but the Costco project could speed up the improvements. The work will add five lanes to the intersection and lengthen other lanes that taper away from the intersection. The estimated cost of the work is $2.2 million.

There will be additional opportunities for residents to express their opinions.

A public hearing will be held at 6 p.m., Dec. 17, before a Perrysburg Council meeting, for the consideration of a special use permit for a retail store over 60,000 square feet. A final site plan will be looked at by the planning commission, followed by council at a future date. 

This Costco, if approved, would be the second in the Toledo area. The first opened several years ago on West Central Avenue at Secor Road in Toledo.

Contact Matt Thompson at: mthompson@theblade.com, 419-356-8786, or on Twitter at @mthompson25.