By Alan Torres
Eugene Register-Guard / Register-Guard

Costco wants to expand both its parking and its gas station pumps at its Eugene store, and has two ideas for how it could do so, both of which involve tearing down the closed Office Depot across the street.

In a dated May 21, first reported by Eugene Weekly, Costco representative LUA Consulting told the city Costco wants to demolish the former Office Depot, restripe the surrounding area to create additional parking and expand the existing gas station.

Under this plan, Costco would create 202 parking spaces for Costco employees on the north side of Chad Drive. Costco also would plant trees, and the new parking area would have 13 percent tree canopy.

Costco would simultaneously add four new gas pumps to the existing gas station, replacing 14 parking spaces. Each pump includes two nozzles, so this proposal would bring the number of nozzles from 24 to 36.

In the second plan, dated June 16, Costco would demolish both the Office Depot and its existing gas station. Costco would expand parking where the current gas station is, and build a new gas station and additional parking on the Office Depot lot.

The new gas station would be built to serve 40 vehicles at a time.

Customers would access the new gas station through proposed entrances off Chad Drive and Coburg Road. The Coburg Road entrance would cut through the parking lot currently shared by Winco, Taco Bell and Video Only, with Costco restriping the parking lot to outline the new car route. This plan also would add square footage to the existing Costco building.

According to documents obtained by the Register-Guard through a public records request, Costco and City of Eugene staff were scheduled to meet to discuss the project June 17.

In the application requesting that meeting, LUA, Costco’s consultant, said it does not believe the development will increase peak-hour traffic in the area, but notes that at least the first plan would increase pedestrian traffic and asks the city if upgrades to the pedestrian crossing on Chad Drive will be needed for the project.

Costco purchased the Office Depot building across Chad Drive in 2009. The office supply store closed in May.

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SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The city of Salem has approved a site plan for a 24-acre southeast Salem shopping center that includes a Costco Wholesale, but an appeal of the decision could be imminent.

The Statesman Journal reports the Kuebler Gateway Shopping Center is expected to bring a fueling station and at least four retail buildings.

Still, “the land use decision is not final. They need to make it through appeal,” said City Planner Aaron Panko. “There needs to be a final land use decision approving the development before the city can approve development permits for this project.”

T.J. Sullivan, vice chairman of the South Gateway Neighborhood Association, said he expects his association to appeal the decision. Sullivan has voiced concerns in the past about Costco attracting regional traffic to the area. Others also have been worried about light pollution and noise associated with the development.

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