Eagan approves Kwik Trip planned development amendment at Pilot Knob and Diffley

EAGAN, Minn. — The Eagan City Council on Feb. 4 approved a planned development amendment allowing Kwik Trip to redevelop the Hilltop Plaza site at Pilot Knob Road and Diffley Road with a new convenience store, motor fuel canopy and two-bay car wash, subject to the conditions recommended by the Advisory Planning Commission.

The approved plan covers roughly 3.53 acres and proposes a combined building footprint of about 12,190 square feet — approximately 9,125 square feet for the convenience store and about 3,065 square feet for the integrated double-bay car wash. The plan includes a fueling canopy with underground tanks, 59 parking stalls (20 under the canopy), a stormwater facility in the northeast corner, and a detached garbage enclosure accessed from Hilltop Lane. The applicant proposes to straighten the Hilltop Lane driveway alignment and to reestablish two freestanding signs on the site (a monument sign and a pylon sign) along with limited building and canopy signage.

Why it matters: The redevelopment replaces two largely vacant retail buildings and an earlier demolished fuel station; the council and staff said the project should increase assessed value and modernize stormwater and site improvements. The Advisory Planning Commission held a public hearing and recommended approval before the council vote.

Key approvals and deviations: City staff and the applicant identified several requested deviations from code: a reduced landscape setback of 4.7 feet where five feet is required along the daycare property; allowance for two freestanding signs for a single user on the lot; slightly reduced dimensions (9.5 feet wide) for 12 parking stalls along the north edge where 10-by-19-foot stalls are standard; and a special-use setback reduction for 24-hour fueling-related operations to allow 181 feet where 200 feet is normally required. City code allows 24-hour operation of retail and motor-fuel uses when they meet a 200-foot special-use setback from residential property and are located along a major thoroughfare; in this case the canopy and store meet the 200-foot separation but a portion of the parking lot falls short and the council approved the requested deviation.

Condition and operational limits: The Advisory Planning Commission amended a recommended condition about closing car-wash doors during cycles after the applicant explained closing doors would add about a 99-second delay to processing vehicles and create humidity/maintenance concerns inside the bay. In place of the door requirement, staff and the applicant supported a condition limiting car-wash dryer operation hours; the council approved language that effectively restricts extended dryer use and sets car-wash-related operations within a defined schedule (applicant cited doors that automatically close below about 40 degrees Fahrenheit).

Public comments focused on traffic sightlines, signage visibility and potential noise from the car wash’s blow-drying equipment. The applicant said LED, recessed canopy lighting and cutoff fixtures will be used and photometric plans show light levels under 1.0 foot-candle at property lines. The applicant confirmed the previous site fuel tanks were removed and that Kwik Trip will install new underground tanks and can provide manufacturer/submittal documentation for the equipment.

After discussion, the council moved, seconded and carried the motion to approve the planned development amendment subject to conditions in the APC minutes. Lisa Watson, Real Estate Manager for Kwik Trip, and other Kwik Trip representatives were present and answered council questions about hours, lighting, signage, fuel tanks and the car-wash operation.

Next steps: The approval allows the applicant to proceed toward detailed design and permit review; the city will require the applicant to meet the conditions approved by the council and APC before final permits are issued.