Letter to the Editor - Costco Gas Station
Kirkland Views received the following Letter to the Editor submitted by Mike Nienaber:
Dear Editor:
Kirkland is a great city. Costco is a great store. Costco gas stations are even better in these days of high gas prices. Costco wants to build a gas station here at their location on Rose Hill.
The problem? Costco wants to build it way back in the neighborhood next to I-405. That’s great for visibility. That’s terrible for our recently enacted NE 85th Street Rezone, which calls for developement along NE 85th and not back in the neighborhood where ingress/egress is problematic.
The solution? Costco owns two lots on the east side of 120th. They could purchase the other lot available and therby control 3 contiguous lots. That would allow plenty of space for their gas station and provide for access onto both 90th and 120th.
Additionally, their proposed sidewalk additions and the proposed restoration of Forbes Creek leading into Forbes Lake, would dry up subject lots currently underwater. A win/win/win for Kirkland with potential park lands to be acquired. A win for Costco with a gas station close to NE 85th and win for the other property owners too.
Mike Nienaber
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26 Responses to “Letter to the Editor - Costco Gas Station”
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Right on Dude….good thinking!
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Mike- I’d love to have you come to the next Kirkland Chamber public policy meeting and explain, perhaps with a visual, the current Costco gas proposal. We meet at the Chamber office in Park Place on August 25th at noon. Or perhaps I could get you to do an article for us for the next chamber newsletter so that the business community can get behind this idea? Even though I live in NRH I can’t picture the area you are discussing exactly.
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Michelle Goerdel Reply:
August 8th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Or if not us, perhaps the Kirkland Courier? I was following the costco gas station issue but it fell off my radar with the budget issues et al….
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mike nienaber Reply:
August 21st, 2008 at 8:40 am
It will be on the Planning Commission AGENDA, Thursday the 28th.
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I am really glad to hear that Costco will finally open in Kirkland. Any help we can get on gas prices is fine by me.
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Um, so let me get this straight, all that Costco needs to do is buy a certain property thats located between the two other parcels they own? Funny how Mr. Nienaber fails to mention he has an interest in said lot.
http://www5.kingcounty.gov/parcelviewer/viewer/kingcounty/viewer.asp?PIN=1238500100&size=large
So, what’s the asking price? I’m sure you’re willing to offer the property at a discount, since it’s obviously what’s in the best interest of your Kirkland neighbors and the neighborhood at large.
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Rob Butcher Reply:
August 9th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Finn, thank you for your research. This is what amazes me about this community. There is a natural system of checks and balances that can self-regulate if the community cares to get involved. The truth always rises to the surface. What you have discovered does shed new light on the previous statements made. If Mr. Nienaber so chooses, he is free to further argue his point as you are free to argue yours.
Thank you for your comments.
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Tia Reply:
August 9th, 2008 at 8:30 am
The Nienaber brothers spoke at the most recent council meeting regarding this issue. You can hear some of the story starting at about 3:19 on the video. Unfortunately the second speaker ran out of time, but it is clear there are drainage issues with their land due to development in the area.
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Admin Reply:
August 9th, 2008 at 8:41 am
I too heard the Nienabers speak at the Council Meeting and it does appear they have a serious drainage issue on their property and likely attributed to development. It is good that their perspective be heard. It is also good that Finn shed additional light on the story. The more information, the better.
See attachment 5 for proposed location of the gas station.
http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/__shared/assets/10c_NewBusiness9456.pdf
Also, according to Costco, “Locating the facility at the north end of the site instead of near the warehouse is best for parking and circulation.”
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Thanks one and all for the comments. We now have two power players: Costco and the City of Kirkland. Both of them have contributed to the fact that approx. 7 acres of prime commercial land are tied up due to stormwater trespassing on the neighbors land near Costco.
If these two power players so desire, the 7 acres can be returned to a productive state, providing thousands of sales tax dollars to support many of the city’s needs. Also, providing cheaper gasoline for Costco shoppers.
This land was rezoned in recent years for commercial use. It is currently being wasted. With stream restoration feeding into Forbes Lake, a pleasant extension of the Forbes Lake Park could be purchased by the City and the remaining land could be dryed up for commercial development. Like I said earlier…a win/win/win.
BTW…the land for sale is directly north of the small Costco employee parking lot, just east of the warehouse. We currently have a tennant on the property.
I suspect that both Costco and the City of Kirkland Planning Department and Public Works Department would also be happy to weigh-in on this vital matter. Thanks in advance.
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rebel Reply:
August 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
My understanding is that upstream neighbors are responsible for managing their surface water. If they failed to do so and made your property unusable, you may have grounds to seek compensation.
However, you might want to study up on federal regulations and city codes concerning wetlands. Even human caused wetlands have a degree of protection imposed upon them, making draining them potentially infeasible.
Good luck!
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Wes Reply:
August 26th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Mike,
Which property is your’s on the map? There is a parking lot used by costco arcross the street and an old house next door. Is that you?
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mike nienaber Reply:
August 26th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
YES!
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The property owners around Costco may have a point about surface water but is that Costco’s problem or the city’s? If the land owner can somehow prove it is someone else’s problem then I guess his recourse is to sue them.
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I’ve never been to a Costco gas station. How much cheaper is it? Is it members only?
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mike nienaber Reply:
August 11th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
You bet it’s cheaper. I usually go to http://www.seattlegasprices.com and check out the best prices. Costco is consistantly near the top of the list for cheaper gas. You can do the same for other cities such as Bellevue, Kirkland, Woodinville, Issaquah and also Washington.
Yes, it is members only,credit card only, but well worth the cost of membership, especially if you pay with an American Express Costco xecutive Member credit card. You get an annual 5% refund on your gas purchases which makes their gas the cheapest, bar none.
If Costco can locate in Kirkland near to NE 85th, it will be awesome for the convenience of jumping on and off of I-405.
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I also would like to buy gas at Kirkland Costco. Driving into Costco it looks fine on thier side, and across the street it looks like sombody forgot to deal with all “thier” suface water. It looks like sombody made a “bathtub” of the those two lots east of 120th. Why couldn’t Costco and Kirkland fix the water problem and make a better statment of usability and function in that area. By putting thier gas station there both would happen. Nienaber makes a good point about traffic and accessability with the gas station there.
NP
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mike nienaber Reply:
August 25th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Yes NP…so true. Here’s the opportunity to cleam up a major blight in Kirkland, make cheap gas accessible to the existing traffic pattern, provide for additional millions in sales tax revenue, make Forbes Lake Park into the jewel is should be and stop trespassing Kirkland’s stormwater onto private property.
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I’m not convinced. If one gas station can generate that much tax revenue, why isn’t the City awash in funds from the many other existing gas stations? Exactly how much additional sales tax would be generated at the alternate location over the location proposed by Costco? My guess is that it isn’t millions.
I think the analysis falls short. The City does not have the funds at present to make this type of investment.
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mike nienaber Reply:
August 26th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Hi there millions? You must be an insider since you know what the City can and cannot spend millions on. Between Costco and the City, there is enough money to get the job done. That’s a quote from one of their attorneys. All one needs is an excavator, an operator and a few permits then the old Forbes Creek leading into Forbes Lake can be opened and the land drained. That’s the opinion of several professional engineering firms.
My reference to millions was to the entire 7 acres being developed as the prime commercial land it is presently zoned as. Draining would allow for more retail, office and apartment/condos in the area. Believe me though, according to Costco’s figures, they will generate plenty of dollars for both them and the City, no matter what their location is.
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millions? Reply:
August 26th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Not an insider, just a curious blog reader. I know enough to say that the City doesn’t seem to have alot of excess funds available right now.
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mike nienaber Reply:
August 26th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Dear Millions….I believe they have enough of our tax dollars to do what is right for all of us. Also, Costco is invited to share in the restoration project since their stormwater run-off is a major contributor to this repugnant eye-sore. If they want to expand, they should share the reclamation costs with Kirkland.
All good points on many issues that should involve the City doing what’s best for all of us.
Millions: My son works for Costco. They are building a new store in Bellevue and one in Redmond. He says that the Kirkland store will lose business to the new stores. A gas station will help to reduce some of the loss in sales and tax revenues. Not millions a year but certainly any amount lost to another City is not good.
The issue of water and the creation of new wetlands due to private and public development is nothing new. I remember the properties in that area being relatively dry many years ago. It would seem that the issue could be resolved by the City leaders saying we’ll do all we can to “fix it” or make it right. Instead the property owners who dutifully paid their property taxes for all these years are told that there is nothing that can be done and that they lose. This is wrong and I guarantee that none of the electeds or senior city staff would stand still for this. If this water logged land is so valuable then the City should buy it at full market value as if it were dry. I doubt that will happen.
the issue
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I believe I read that Costco has withdrawn plans to build at their site in Bellevue.
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If this is true then maybe Kirkland Costco won’t lose the 33% in sales as projected. That would help our budget!
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