Costco officials still had not decided last week where they were going to put a remote gas station.
However, they say they are still coming to the city of Ridgeland and still planning to build a wholesale warehouse on Highland Colony Parkway.
Ward One Alderman Ken Heard said the national wholesale giant will likely build the gas station on a nine-acre site on the opposite side of the parkway.
“I was told it was under contract,” he said.
Unlike the Costco site, which is zoned C-2 commercial, the parcel across the street is zoned C-3. Land uses permitted there include all uses allowed under C-2 zoning, as well as convenience grocery stores, service stations, fast food restaurants, drive-thru restaurants, photomats and pharmacies.
Any plans would be subject to Ridgeland’s site plan review process and approval by the mayor and board of aldermen, Heard and Mayor Gene McGee said.
“They will submit their site plan for the fuel center just like the Kroger did on their fuel center. It goes to (the) architectural review committee just like any other site plan, and then from there it goes to the board of aldermen,” said McGee.
Recently, the Mississippi Supreme Court tossed out the city’s decision to amend its C-2 zoning ordinance, saying the decision was illegal and constituted spot zoning.
The amendments would have amended the Costco site and would have allowed for gas stations as part of “large master plan developments.”
Costco is still coming to the site but had not decided on where it would put a 12 to 16-pump remote gas station.
Senior Vice President of Real Estate Dave Messner said the wholesaler will likely decide on a location in the next four weeks.
“We intend to move forward in Ridgeland. We are considering alternative gas station locations now,” said Costco Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Dave Messner. “Until we make a final decision … we don’t have additional comments.”
The Costco will be located on the south side of a 45-acre parcel on Highland Colony south of the Old Agency Road roundabout. The store will be approximately 150,000 square feet.
The project is being developed by Andrew Mattiace and H.C. Bailey. The Costco itself will be part of the third phase of Renaissance at Colony Park.
Mattiace couldn’t be reached for comment.
Previously, developer Bob Lloyd applied for a permit to build a Storage Max facility at the site. However, the application was withdrawn after the city amended its zoning ordinance excluding storage facilities as conditional uses in C-3 zones.
Land uses permitted under C-2 zoning rules include “department stores (full line or discount) and furniture and appliance stores.”
The classification has size restrictions, but limits the height of a development to 48 feet, or four stories.
In 2016, the city amended its zoning ordinance to define such developments as “large master plan commercial developments,” and to allow gas stations as part of those developments.
In April, the court ruled that the rezoning couldn’t occur because the city had not shown a “substantial change” in the area’s character since the passage of its comprehensive plan.
Further, the court ruled the changes constituted spot zoning, citing evidence that the amendments were made specifically to benefit a Costco.
