Council OKs rezoning and street vacations for planned Super One grocery and outlots on East End

The Superior Common Council approved rezoning and street vacations on Dec. 18 to allow the construction of a roughly 58,000–60,000-square-foot Super One grocery store between East Third and East Fourth streets and related outlots along East Second Street.

City planning staff and the applicant told the council the proposal includes about 350 parking spaces, a 9,000–10,000-square-foot retail component and two outlots of about 8,000 square feet each. Planning staff and the applicant said lighting, landscaping buffers and underground stormwater storage will be included in final engineering, and that traffic improvements including a signal at 20 Second Avenue East and East Second Street are planned.

The rezoning was introduced by the Plan Commission to change the parcel from R-3 apartment residential to C-2 highway commercial and a companion resolution vacating East Third Street, East Fourth Street and adjacent alleys was also before the council. Planning staff said the front portion of the site along East Second Street is already C-2 and the rezoning would cover the interior parcels needed for the new store.

Planning staff Jason (planning staff) said the site layout places the grocery building between East Third and East Fourth streets with parking in the middle and potential restaurant or bank uses on outlots fronting East Second Street. Architect John Geisler, representing the applicant, told the council: “The grocery store is going to be between 58 60000 square feet. That retail component will be between 9 and 10000 square feet. There will be the 2 out lots at 8,000 square feet. Each parking will be in the neighborhood of 3 50 cars, plus or minus.”

City staff described several traffic mitigation measures the city and developer are pursuing. Jason said traffic volumes on East Second Street are about 20,000 cars a day and that the location “almost meets warrants as it sits today” for a traffic signal; adding the grocery will push it over the threshold and the city is contracting design work to place a signal at 20 Second Avenue East and East Second Street. Staff also said engineers are evaluating a four-way stop at 20 Second Avenue East and East Third Street, turn lanes and high-visibility pedestrian crosswalks.

On environmental and site details, the applicant said stormwater will be managed using underground storage and cooling pipes rather than open ponds. John Geisler said the store will use cutoff-style fixtures for lighting and that the trash system is an enclosed compactor with internal chute, noting “the trash compactor will be screened as required by city ordinance.” Landscaping buffers intended to soften the edge with neighboring residential areas were also described.

Public comment at the council’s public hearing included support from nearby business owners who cited safety and economic benefits. Jim Kehoe, franchise owner of the McDonald’s near the site, said the proposed signal and other safety work were positives: “When you see young kids trying to cross the street … it just sort of makes you feel a little a little rough. So I think that that’s being addressed very well.”

Councilors and staff emphasized ongoing review: traffic design, stormwater engineering, utility relocation and detailed site plans will return for staff review and likely Planning Commission action before final approvals. The applicant estimated bidding in spring, starting construction in early summer and opening about a year later.

The council voted to approve the rezoning and the street vacations after the public hearing; the motion carried.