Provo planning commission approves Walmart Supercenter and 12-pump fuel center at 1957 S. 500 W.

The Provo City Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a project plan for a new Walmart Supercenter and a fuel center at approximately 1957 South 500 West, near the Lakewood neighborhood, and also approved an 11% parking reduction for the site.

City staff said the proposed Walmart building would be about 76,000 square feet with a fuel kiosk and 12 pumps along Lakeview Parkway. Aaron Moore, presenting for city staff, said the company’s plan includes enhanced landscaping — roughly 900 shrubs and 300 trees on the project portion of the site — and a parking study that justifies dropping required spaces from 880 to 791 (an 11% reduction).

Moore told the commission staff’s technical review (CRC review) remains open and several public‑works and utility details must be resolved before building permits are issued. He recommended approval conditioned on completion of the CRC review and recording the final plat for the subdivision that will house the store. The commission’s approval also explicitly included the parking reduction request.

Commissioners and the applicant discussed vehicle ingress and egress, fuel‑station queuing, pedestrian and bicycle access, and future connections to 500 West. Moore and David Day of Public Works said the project will install a signalized intersection on Lakeview Parkway as the primary access, and a secondary connection to 500 West will be required as the surrounding parcels develop. Day said sidewalks and pedestrian connections could be required as part of final engineering and CRC comments, and that fuel underground storage tanks are subject to strict testing and containment regulations.

Neighborhood concerns voiced at the hearing and in written comments focused on traffic backing up onto the freeway ramps, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the adequacy of 500 West for added traffic, and whether the fuel station poses environmental risk given the high water table nearby. Andrew Terry, district chair for District 3, summarized resident concerns about vehicle backups at the Lakeview Parkway/500 West area and requested strong pedestrian and bike connections from the neighborhood into the site. Other public commenters asked that the commission require more “neighborhood‑friendly” architectural treatments and stronger walking/biking access.

Spencer Jaime, the applicant’s engineering/design representative, said the fuel and parking layouts are based on models that have worked at other locations and the team is willing to refine queuing and circulation in coordination with city engineers. Jaime also said Walmart and the property owner are planning future phases for surrounding commercial and townhome development and that the platting/subdivision for the store will be recorded before building permits are issued.

The commission’s motion approved the project plan and the parking reduction with the following conditions: that remaining CRC comments be addressed (with emphasis on sidewalk connectivity to existing infrastructure), that the final subdivision/plat be recorded prior to building permit issuance, and that staff sign off on outstanding technical items. The motion carried unanimously. The commission’s roll call list of members present at the vote included Adam Shin, Barbara DeSoto, Lisa Jensen, Jonathan Hill, Melissa Kendall, Andrew South and Jeff Whitlock.

The approval is a project‑plan level decision; several technical items—traffic mitigation details, final engineering, and any modifications required by the CRC—must be completed before the city issues permits. The commission noted that some pedestrian and bicycle details are expected to be refined as the adjacent parcels and townhomes are planned in future phases.