ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Plans for a proposed Costco along Enka Heritage Parkway are moving closer to a decision after Asheville’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the developer’s resubmitted application on Wednesday, Oct. 7.The approval clears the way for the project to go before Asheville City Council, which is expected to consider the plan on Tuesday, Oct. 13.The proposed Costco would bring more than 160,000 square feet of retail space to Enka Commerce Park, along with a 32-pump gas station, tire cen...
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Plans for a proposed Costco along Enka Heritage Parkway are moving closer to a decision after Asheville’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved the developer’s resubmitted application on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
The approval clears the way for the project to go before Asheville City Council, which is expected to consider the plan on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The proposed Costco would bring more than 160,000 square feet of retail space to Enka Commerce Park, along with a 32-pump gas station, tire center and more than 800 parking spaces.
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The project has been in the works for nearly two years, with the developer, North Carolina Department of Transportation and local officials working through traffic, infrastructure and cost concerns.
The application was previously withdrawn in Feb. after concerns surrounding the project remained unresolved. Since then, local officials have worked with the developer to bring the proposal back to the table.
“Since then, I know several, the mayor and other people have gone to bat with the applicant to try to bring them back to the table and work through some of these issues,” Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission member Brenton Faircloth said.
Faircloth said the updated application appears to address some of the concerns that had delayed the project.
“I can’t speak for the applicant, but it obviously had something from those conditions or from work on the traffic impact analysis with NCDOT,” Faircloth said.
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The proposed development would transform nearly 40 acres of land at Enka Commerce Park. An existing clock tower currently sits on the largely undeveloped property.
“This is a large-scale commercial operation providing employment to people, so I think we are very excited about that and so are a lot of people,” Faircloth said.
The Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval does not mean the project is a done deal. If city council approves the plan, a final traffic impact assessment will still have to be completed, although that work is already underway.
The Costco proposal is expected to go before Asheville City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 13.