Planning Commission approves Les Schwab final development plan for site at Ninth and Todd Circle

The Planning Commission on Aug. 5 approved a final development plan for a Les Schwab Tire Center at the southwest corner of South Ninth Street and Todd Circle, authorizing a 9,560-square-foot service building, associated parking and landscaping, subject to seven conditions set by staff. The commission’s decision followed a staff presentation and comments from the applicant; there was no public comment at the meeting.

Staff planner Dustin said the property is in a PC-5 zoning district and the South Ninth Overlay District and that the commission’s role was to review the proposed plan for compatibility with surrounding development. "Staff would recommend approval of the plan," Dustin said, listing conditions including routing runoff to the Riffle Addition No. 2 detention pond and requiring a Kansas Department of Health and Environment stormwater permit before a building permit is issued.

The approved plan proposes a single-story, 9,560-square-foot building oriented roughly 160 feet north–south and about 62 feet east–west, with a peak height of 27 feet 4 inches. The building façade facing Todd Circle and South Ninth would combine a Pacific Pearl brick veneer with a darker wainscot and colored accent bands; the sides and rear are shown as insulated concrete painted to match. Renderings show multiple overhead doors with glass, windows and an awning at the northeast entrance.

The operation would include seven service bays. Off-street parking requirements—calculated as two spaces per bay plus one per employee—required 28 spaces; the site plan shows 30 spaces (19 on the east side and 11 on the north), including two ADA spaces near the main entrance. The plan shows a covered canopy on the west elevation intended for larger vehicles such as RVs and buses.

Landscaping on the site is shown to exceed minimum requirements: staff said the site requires roughly 9,000 square feet of landscape area and 19 tree units and the applicant proposes more than 12,000 square feet of landscaping and 23 tree units. The plan includes an outdoor storage or "bullpen" area at the southeast corner screened by an 8-foot solid fence that staff said meets screening requirements.

Signage in the application includes wall signs on each frontage and a proposed freestanding sign at the northeast corner. Staff noted the application did not include elevation drawings for the freestanding sign; a separate sign permit will be required prior to installing any signage.

Dustin summarized the conditions that accompanied staff’s recommendation: 1) runoff directed to the subdivision drainage system and the Riffle Addition No. 2 detention pond with city engineer review before building permit issuance; 2) a KDHE stormwater permit or notice of intent prior to building permit; 3) separate sign permit(s) for wall and freestanding signs; 4) construction of a public sidewalk 1 foot from the property line along the Todd Circle frontage; 5) completion in substantial conformance with the approved site development plan; 6) filing of a stamped final development plan for the record; and 7) obtaining a building permit within 18 months of site approval.

Dan McGee, the applicant’s representative, described the operator and timeline and answered planning questions about pedestrian connections. "They have over 500 existing stores," McGee said, and added the location is part of the company’s regional expansion. When asked whether the applicant accepted the seven staff conditions, McGee said, "Yes. We've reviewed those conditions and don't have any issues with those." He later said the site is slated for a 2027 store opening.

After brief discussion and no public comment, the commission moved and seconded approval. The motion passed by voice vote; staff recorded the motion as approved and no amendment to conditions was made. The commission chair noted there are currently no items scheduled for the Aug. 19 meeting and that September meetings remain on the calendar.

Discussion versus decision: staff presented and recommended approval; applicant representatives confirmed acceptance of the recommended conditions; the commission took formal action to approve the final development plan subject to the listed conditions. No substantive dissent, amendments or additional information requests were recorded during the meeting.

Details left unspecified in the record: the application did not include elevation drawings for the proposed freestanding sign and the transcript does not record a roll-call vote tally or the names of the commissioner who moved and seconded the approval.

The commission’s approval permits the applicant to proceed with engineering and permitting steps required by staff conditions; the KDHE stormwater permit and city engineer review are prerequisites to issuance of a building permit.