Costco deal steams ahead

Costco architects Mulvanny Architects of Belleview, Wash., submitted plans Thursday to be considered for a building permit.

Deputy Building Official Larry McPhail said the plans would take about three weeks to review.

Costco paid a $10,000 fee for the city to review the design of the $5.5 million, 148,385-square-foot warehouse with 749 parking spaces and a six-pump gas station across Clear Creek Road from Fuji Park.

Construction on the project is expected to start in mid-April.

Costco's deal to buy almost 18 acres of city-owned land is set to be considered by the Redevelopment Authority on April 6, but city officials extended their negotiation deadline through the end of April to allow for unforeseen circumstances.

However, an appeal filed against the planning commission's approval of the Costco project has the potential to stall the project.

"We will go to the redevelopment authority to consider the final agreement on (April) 6," City Manager John Berkich said. "If (city supervisors) were to overturn the planning commission, we would withdraw the agreement because there would have to be changes to it."

The extension gives the city breathing room in case the board of supervisors decides the appeal from Gene and Judy Lepire, owners of Comstock Country RV Resort, has merit. The redevelopment authority will consider the entire contract with Costco assuming supervisors uphold the planning commission decision.

No date has been set for supervisors to consider what to do with the money from the sale of the land, estimated at $3 million

A second appeal against the city by the owners of Bodine's restaurant was dropped. Joe Masini, one of three owners of Bodine's restaurant and the 14-space JDS Mobile Home Park, said city officials worked out all their concerns about access to the restaurant from Clear Creek Road.

Masini said the city has worked through the access issues relating to the restaurant, giving the property two exits and two entrances onto Clear Creak Road. The noise and traffic issues relating to the Comstock Country have not been resolved, Berkich sad.

"The city was very, very accommodating," Masini said. "We sat down and hammered everything out. This is a good situation for us and a good situation for the city. This is a fair shot."

Both Comstock and Bodine's will be affected by the addition of a stop light and the redesign of Clear Creek Road needed to accommodate Costco.

The city has sped through public meetings since December, adding almost 18 acres of land to the city's redevelopment district, a move which allows the city to deal with one entity rather than go through a public bid process for the land.