Planning commission recommends approval for Kwik Trip site with conditions, encroachment agreements and revised permit terms

The Cottage Grove Planning Commission on Feb. 24 recommended approval of a site plan review, conditional use permit and a variance for parking/drive-aisle setbacks to allow construction of a Kwik Trip convenience store with fuel and diesel dispensers at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and 90 Fifth Street.

Planning staff said the vacant site—owned by WAG Farms Inc. and located south of Fire Station No. 4—is zoned I-1 (general industrial) and guided as industrial in the city’s comprehensive plan. Sam, planning staff, reported the applicant revised its layout after an aquatic resources survey identified an unnamed tributary and a depressional wetland basin on the parcel; the applicant reduced impacts and proposed a 135-linear-foot permeable stream crossing designated as a tier-5 impact (maximum allowed 150 linear feet).

Sam said Kwik Trip Inc., based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, plans a single-story store with a fuel dispenser canopy, a commercial diesel canopy and anticipates hiring 25–30 employees to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The project includes three driveways on 90 Fifth Street, a right-in/right-out onto Jamaica Avenue, an 8-foot trail along the site, and modifications to the median on Jamaica Avenue to prevent certain left turns. Staff noted the project must meet city code requirements including Title 11-45 (motor fuel stations) and other code standards for materials, landscaping and lighting; staff also required a tree inventory before grading permits.

Because the proposed drive aisle and some parking would extend over adjacent city-owned property, staff recommended an encroachment agreement for a 22-foot-wide, 300-foot-long area and a separate encroachment for a 10-foot culvert that will serve the site’s stormwater. The city will also require Kwik Trip to purchase off-site water‑quality credits because infiltration is not allowed on the lot.

Kwik Trip representative Lisa Watson said the company withdrew its variance request to light the canopy band but requested the commission consider allowing a dimmed or non-lit red band (or an unlit red strip) for brand visibility; staff clarified that an unlit colored band and lit canopy logo would not require a variance but that lit banding on canopies is currently prohibited by code. Watson also described tank and monitoring systems and agreed to provide written documentation of environmental protections to staff.

Commissioners and staff probed environmental and traffic safeguards: the city administrator explained the city is selling the land and retaining ownership of a regional pond (LP3) and said the encroachment mechanism was chosen instead of selling the narrow city parcel due to future pond construction and the temporary nature of nearby composting operations. Commissioners asked about wellhead protection (staff said the site is outside the wellhead protection area), stormwater protections (staff noted clay liners or membranes and off-site treatment credits), canopy column materials (applicant will provide brick columns), and truck circulation for diesel customers (applicant said turn radii were modeled and trucks will be routed to a rear approach).

Staff proposed three modifications to permit conditions: extend several permit expiration dates from one year to 18 months and reword condition 21 to allow limited, neat exterior storage (such as water softener salt, firewood or propane) at pumps and commercial pads. The applicant accepted those changes. With those amendments, a motion to approve the variance for parking setbacks and to approve the site plan review and conditional use permit passed on a 6-0 vote (motion seconded by Commissioner Rasmussen). The commission’s recommendation will go to City Council for final approval.