Commissioners continue Bellevue rezoning for proposed Circle K after neighbor concerns

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners on Monday continued action on a request by Bellevue Property Holdings LLC to rezone two parcels on South U.S. Highway 301 so an applicant could develop a Circle K convenience store with gasoline pumps.

The item was pulled from the consent agenda for separate consideration after a neighbor objected. Staff recommended approval of the rezoning from General Agriculture (A-1) to Community Business (B-2), saying the B-2 classification is compatible with nearby commercial parcels and the site’s commercial future land-use designation. Eric Kramer, planner with Marion County Growth Services, told the board the property sits inside the urban growth boundary, is within a springs protection zone and is in Bellevue’s utility service area.

Why it matters: neighbors said the proposed gas station would sit immediately adjacent to working farmland and homes and could harm livestock, reduce property values and increase traffic. Ashley Yates, who said she owns a roughly 13–14 acre farm immediately abutting the site, told commissioners she keeps cattle, horses, chickens and goats and raised “environmental impacts of a gas station being right there” as a concern. Her husband, Jason Yates, said his driveway and paddocks are immediately adjacent to the proposed buffer line and said he was worried about impacts to animals and safety from a high-traffic drive-through and fuel operations.

Applicant Herb Green of Cad Jazz Engineering (representing Cajas LLC, the applicant) said the development would be a modern Circle K convenience market with a roughly 5,000–6,000 square foot building, a multi-pump fueling canopy and only passenger-vehicle fueling (no truck parking). He said the applicant has completed a tree survey, will preserve on-site trees where they are on the applicant’s property and is prepared to meet the county’s buffer and masonry wall requirements.

County staff and the applicant described the code buffer requirements: a Type D buffer (15 feet wide) with a six-foot opaque wall and specified tree plantings between the wall and property line, and the applicant said they would plant and maintain the required vegetation and provide the masonry wall. Staff also noted the property carries a ‘‘Policy 1.20’’ grandfathering letter tied to historic use; rezoning would revoke that letter. The growth services director told commissioners the code allows an applicant to seek B-2 zoning without a site plan and that many specific operational details are handled later at development review.

Board concerns and outcome: several commissioners said they wanted to see a more complete application before approving a rezoning that would permit multiple by-right uses in the B-2 category. Commissioner Stone said he considered the application incomplete and asked for a conceptual site plan showing building placement and buffers. Commissioner McClain proposed continuing the item so staff and the applicant could provide additional details. The applicant agreed to provide a conceptual layout and to meet with staff on buffer and wall details.

The board voted unanimously to continue the item to a date certain: August 18 (county zoning meeting time announced by the clerk). The motion carried 5–0.

Next steps: Staff and the applicant will work on a conceptual site plan, buffer and wall details and any developer agreement the applicant wishes to proffer. The item will return to the board on the date certain for further consideration.