Politics & Government
Plans for Boone Avenue Gas Station, Retail Store Move Forward
If the City Council approves the Planning Commission's recommendations, the BP Gas station on Boone Avenue will be renovated and a new retail store will be added to the piece of land.
In their meeting last night, the Golden Valley Planning Commission reviewed the final PUD plans for the new Boone Avenue retail center and gas station upgrade.
The land, which is currently owned by Linn Investment Properties, is home to an old BP gas station and car wash. Steve Linn, owner of Linn Investment Properties, wants to upgrade the gas station and add a four-store retail center to the space.
While commissioners were concerned about pedestrian access, parking and landscape plans, after discussion, they unanimously approved the plans and made a motion to recommend approval by the City Council.
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According to commission documents, the existing BP Gas Station would be updated with stone pillars, a new car wash and a convenience store. The retail store behind the gas station would be 4,920 square feet and also have a patio.
In order to begin building and renovating, 14 trees will be removed from the property--something that concerned Planning Commissioner Mike Kisch. Linn agreed that he could look for more ways to include trees, though Metropolitan Council utility lines could be a deterant.
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Commissioner John Kluchka encouraged Linn to find ways to make the property more community friendly.
"I'm feeling like it needs to be more of a community space," Kluchka said. Kluchka mentioned that adding a few benches would help encourage residents to gather at the space, rather than just come for gas.
Planning Commission Chair Cathy Waldhauser wanted to see Linn more closely analyse the flow of pedestrian traffic. Current plans show that customers would have to walk around the car wash and cut across the parking lot in order to access the retail store.
"I'm hoping that people will walk here from adjacent businesses," Waldhauser said. "I want to bring people to the front doors of the retail building, rahter than dumping them in the middle [of the property]."
Comments from the Planning Commission will be reviewed by City Council prior to the council's decision.
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