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Planning commission recommends approval of Costco fuel expansion and canopy signage amendment
Summary
Cascade Charter Township planning commissioners recommended approval of a PUD amendment allowing Costco to add six fueling dispensers (12 new fueling positions), a 40,000‑gallon underground tank and site reconfiguration, and to regularize four canopy signs that have existed on site for over a decade.
Cascade Charter Township’s Planning Commission on March 16 recommended that the Township Board approve a Planned Unit Development amendment for a Costco Wholesale site on 28th Street that would expand the store’s fuel facility and reconfigure site circulation.
Staff presented the request (case 26‑3912), saying the applicant seeks six additional fueling dispensers, a new 40,000‑gallon underground storage tank added to existing tanks, relocation of the fuel facility exit to the northwest corner of the site, and a text amendment to the PUD to permit four canopy signs where the PUD text currently limits service-station canopies to two. Staff told the commission the plans yield a net gain of one parking space (to 745), meet the relevant standards in section 16.03 of the zoning ordinance, and raised no fire‑access concerns.
The commission’s technical discussion focused on circulation and queuing. Commissioner (Committee member) asked whether expanded pumping capacity would push queueing onto 28th Street and whether pedestrians walking to the storefront could face safety risks; staff said the township engineer reviewed the plans and did not raise major egress concerns. Josh Beach, the applicant’s representative, said construction would be sequenced to keep the facility open where possible and confirmed the project adds the new tank without removing existing tanks. "We try to keep the facility open," Beach said, noting overnight construction is typical to limit customer disruption.
Barbara Mosier, Kittleson’s traffic engineer for the project, described Kittleson’s Costco-specific trip‑generation and queuing database and said the firm typically observes that adding pumps reduces queue length. "What we have found is that with gas expansions like this, the queue does get shorter," Mosier said, adding the applicant could deploy temporary on‑site queue management (cones and an attendant) during peak Saturday periods if needed.
Commissioners also discussed the canopy signage. Staff noted four canopy signs have been present on site for at least a decade but that no formal PUD amendment or building-permit record was located for that change; the applicant asked to regularize the current signage rather than remove it. A commissioner proposed, and the maker of the recommendation accepted, revised motion language to clarify the amendment allows existing signage "no more than four signs" rather than authorizing additional signage.
After discussion the commission voted to recommend approval of the PUD amendment with the amended signage language. The motion to recommend approval (moved by Committee member, supported by the Chair) carried by voice vote. The planning commission’s recommendation will go to the Cascade Charter Township Board for its final action.
