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ZBA approves Costco employee parking lot variance after developer outlines traffic and safety measures
Summary
The board approved a variance allowing Costco to build a 152-space employee parking lot on two combined parcels, which petitioner said would increase total parking to 907 spaces and ease peak-period congestion; petitioner highlighted crosswalks, a proposed HAWK signal and a shuttle program.
The Town of Merrillville Board of Zoning Appeals voted to approve a variance of use permitting Costco Wholesale to construct an off-street employee parking lot on roughly 2 acres adjacent to its existing store.
Consultant Larry Jurjek told the board Costco currently has about 755 parking spaces and proposes an employee-only lot with 152 spaces that would bring the combined total to approximately 907 spaces. Jurjek said a parking study found weekday peak utilization of 70–75% and weekend peaks approaching 85%, and that the added spaces and circulation improvements would reduce congestion and unsafe parking along drive aisles.
Jurjek described pedestrian-safety measures the developer plans to install, including new crosswalks, a HAWK (High-Intensity Activated crossWalK) pedestrian signal, re-striping, center-median planters to slow traffic, and landscape islands with irrigation. He said Costco will remove existing buildings on the subject parcels, combine the lots and remediate the site (including removing underground tanks) before building the lot; Costco indicated the employee lot would be signed for employees only and that a shuttle service would run for some shifts.
Sheila (staff) summarized the variance request under section 21-172(3)(y), noting staff has met with the developer and town representatives to discuss safety elements and that the variance is limited to this petitioner, location and use. Board members asked whether other adjacent properties had been considered; Jurjek said a northern parcel was a nonstarter due to jurisdictional wetlands.
After questions about handicap parking, towing and when employees would use the lot, a board member moved to approve Z34UV81225. The board recorded four yes votes and approved the variance.
The approval includes the petitioner’s proposed site improvements and noted that details about maintenance responsibilities for medians and the HAWK signal will be resolved between the developer and town staff.
