Planning commission recommends special-use permit for Wally’s travel center at Nolan Road interchange after prolonged debate

The Independence Planning Commission recommended approval of a special‑use permit for a Wally’s travel center proposed at 4023 S. Nolan Road at the I‑70 interchange after several hours of testimony from staff, the applicant and dozens of residents and business owners.

Staff presented the application (case 252007) and described a site of approximately 19 acres adjacent to the interstate. The submitted concept included about 54,000 square feet of building area for a travel center; roughly 350,000 square feet of paved area; an above‑ground detention/landscape area; about 84 fuel pumps (42 dispensers); 12 electric vehicle charging stations; and approximately 300 parking spaces. Staff also listed 14 conditions to approval, including confirmation of rights‑of‑way and construction easements, compliance with the city’s street‑network and stormwater requirements, a required plat, a six‑foot masonry screening wall along residential property lines, sidewalks on both sides of internal streets, and a development agreement tied to a city sanitary sewer capital improvement project.

Michael Rubinstein, chief executive officer and co‑founder of Wally’s, told the commission the project has been in study for nearly four years, that the company paid for demolition of the former Kmart/Venture site, and that Wally’s plans to invest “5 to $7 million” in off‑site improvements including lane additions and acceleration/deceleration lanes at the interchange. Rubinstein said Wally’s is a travel‑center concept focusing on food and retail as well as fueling and cited experience from two existing stores when discussing trip generation.

Julie Nolfo, the project traffic engineer, summarized a multi‑year traffic‑impact study that collected data in May 2024 and modeled several future scenarios (2026 and 20‑year forecasts), including school dismissal periods and Saturday peaks. The traffic study and subsequent revisions were shared with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT); staff and the applicant said MoDOT had provided comments and the study was resubmitted on Aug. 5. Nolfo said the study identified existing deficiencies at the interchange and recommended a package of mitigations that the applicant proposes to build: extended accel/decel lanes on I‑70 ramps, realignment of Lynn Court Drive to correct a 30‑foot offset, closure or reconfiguration of an unsafely located on‑site access, a new signal at the reconfigured Linn Court/Nolan Road intersection, a 3‑quarter access at Canterbury/30th Street and coordinated signal timing for the corridor.

Public comment was lengthy and divided. Supporters — including nearby business owners and residents — argued Wally’s would remove a long‑standing blighted site, create jobs, increase city sales tax revenues and pay for substantial off‑site improvements. Several speakers said Wally’s had paid back taxes and funded demolition. Opponents — including leaders and members of the Nolan Road Community Improvement District and Cargo Largo (a major corridor employer) — said the plan is not sufficiently developed, the traffic mitigation timeline and costs are uncertain, sanitary and stormwater engineering remain incomplete, and no independent air‑quality or benzene monitoring has been presented for a fueling operation with dozens of pumps. Opponents also raised concerns about potential public subsidies or a separate Wally’s Community Improvement District that could shift costs to local taxpayers and asked that the application be tabled pending more complete studies and firm financing plans.

Commissioner Eric Ashbaugh said he saw many unresolved issues and voted no. Chair Lori Dean Wiley recused herself before the vote, saying she wanted to protect the city from potential litigation related to her prior public comments; the roll call after the motion to recommend approval recorded: Commissioner Nesbitt — yes; Commissioner Ferguson — yes; Commissioner Ashbaugh — no; Commissioner O'Neil — yes; Commissioner Torres — yes; Commissioner Young — yes. The motion to recommend approval passed with five votes in favor, one no, and the chair recused (recorded as abstention). The recommendation now moves to city council for final action and will require the applicant to satisfy the conditions staff listed before construction permits are issued.