Perrysburg city planners give Costco final approval
Store close to wrapping up agreement on gas line
3/28/2014
Costco representative Ted Johnson told the Perrysburg Planning Commission construction on the 154,300-square-foot store should begin in a year.
THE BLADE/KATIE RAUSCH
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Costco representative Ted Johnson told the Perrysburg Planning Commission construction on the 154,300-square-foot store should begin in a year.
Costco’s plan to build one of the larger retail stores in metro Toledo received its final approval from Perrysburg city officials on Thursday, when that city’s planning commission OK’d the company’s site plan by a 5-1 vote.
The project will be on the southeast corner of Eckel Junction Road and State Rt. 25.
At 154,300 square feet, the store, which Costco now expects to open by fall 2015, will be about half of the size of the 10-year-old outdoor mall known as the Town Center at Levis Commons, which is less than a mile south of the site.
Costco’s next move will be finalizing an agreement with Columbia Gas Transmissions to reroute a natural gas pipeline.
“They cleared one more step in the process and to this point the city has done what it is supposed to do,” Mayor Mike Olmstead said. “Now it will be between the property owner and Columbia Gas Transmissions to work out their issues.”
Costco officials have told the city that the company is in the process of finishing up a deal to reroute the pipeline.
Perrysburg Planning and Zoning Administrator Brody Walters, left, speaks to the Planning Commission during a presentation by Costco representative Ted Johnson. The board approved by vote of 5-1 the store’s location at the intersection of State Rt. 25 and Eckel Junction Road.
Columbia Gas Transmissions has said the negotiations are ongoing.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would need to approve a deal, a process which could potentially take as many as 18 months.
But Ted Johnson, Costco representative, said he’s optimistic construction will begin in about a year, and that the store will open in late summer or fall 2015.
Buildings on the site are to be demolished in the next few months.
The project is to also include a 16-pump gas station, and there is enough land to lease two nearby lots to other businesses. The company plans to provide 720 parking spots.
Greg Bade was the planning commission’s lone dissenter.
“It is in the wrong site,” Mr. Bade said.
“There is already too much congestion there. I know the city had done their homework, and it is not a bad company. It is just the wrong site.”
Costco's final site plan submitted to Perrysburg shows few changes on its project from previous plans except the underground pipeline is marked as rerouted around the north and east side of the parking lot and building.
Perrysburg officials plan a $2.25 million widening project at Eckel Junction Road and State Rt. 25, starting in July and finishing in December.
The plan is to add five lanes to the intersection as well as lengthening four existing lanes.
The planning commission attached six conditions to its approval.
They pertain mostly to sidewalks, operation and design of the fuel center, signage, and landscaping.
Brody Walters, Perrysburg planning and zoning administrator, described the conditions as minor code variances.
Commissioner Christopher Carry wanted concrete sidewalks instead of asphalt. Mr. Johnson said he believes concrete sidewalks would have to be replaced more often.
Contact Matt Thompson at: mthompson@theblade.com, 419-356-8786, or on Twitter at @mthompson25.