Agenda - Council - 08/10/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

and groceries. The request of Coborn's is to increase the percentage to 25 percent, which should still serve the pm'pose for what they are trying to accomplish. Another concern is the requirement that no more than five percent of the square footage of the principal use building may be dedicated for the gas operations and convenience item sales. He explained the concern is that this is open for interpretation. Assistant Cornnmnity Development Director Tn, tdgeon replied staff would be willing to discuss this requirement, and it should not be an issue. This requirement is intended to relate to the typical convenience area. Councitmember EMg stated this will be a 53,000 square foot grocery store with millions of dollars of inventory. He sees the gas as trivial. His position is that he thinks these requirements would run Coborn's' business more than the City should. In regards to the convenience operation, if they are looking at a ~'ocery store to sell goods to a public, and the public wants more convenience items, they should be going to .tl]e market place. They are trying to generate traffic in Town Center, and this is placing restrictions they do not need. His position is that the ten percent gas restriction should be removed. There would be no gas restriction other than the size of the gas and the pumps, and the restriction on the convenience operation should be removed. He a~'ees with the five percent restriction on the square footage. Councilmember Cook stated the problem with that is they are not putting these restrictions on Coborn's; they are changing the zoning. If the restrictions are eliminated there will be an opening for a much smaller operation with a gas station and car wash, which is exactly what they do not want in Town Center. Councihnember Eh, ig stated it would be a mistake to put that restriction on the anchor store. He understands the dilemma, but he does not agree with this restriction on their first anchor store. Counciln~ember Cook commented he would be willing to go to the 25 percent reduction if that is what Cobom's needs. He questioned how the five percent space restriction would affect Coborns. Councilmember Kurak cornmented this would be more of a problem if there were a larger area that would be affected by this. Councilmember Cook stated the concern is a Holiday type gas station could corne in and state that Coborns has a gas station and they want one as well. Also, the five percent restriction limits convenience stores. He would thirtk it would protect Coborns to be the only store selling gas in the core area. Councitmember Elvig asked Mr. McDonald what the lowest comfortable number as a restriction would be for Coborns. He noted the lower the number is the better it would be for the stores that are there. -136- City Council/July 27, 2004 Page 24 of 35