Neighborhood opposition delays Costco’s efforts for new store in Collier County

Before the Collier County Planning Commission could vote on a waiver for a proposed Costco store in East Naples, a representative for the warehouse club chain asked for a continuance, postponing the decision until this fall. 

“We’d like to ask for a continuance specifically regarding the ASW [Automobile Service Station Waiver] decision so then we can provide more substantive market analysis related to the gas waiver,” Costco representative Brad Wester said near the end of a four-hour public hearing July 17 before the planning commission and more than 100 residents in attendance. 

A 162,671-square-foot Costco warehouse store and its 24-position fueling station are proposed for the southeast corner of Rattlesnake Hammock Road and Collier Boulevard on the wooded 26 acres immediately north of Physicians Regional Medical Center – Collier Boulevard. The proposed commercial project is part of the Hacienda Lakes mixed-use planned unit development. Abutting the proposed Costco property, an additional 4 acres of commercial outparcels with more than 45,000 square feet of building area is planned along Collier Boulevard for other businesses that have yet to be determined. 

During the required neighborhood information meeting in February, when more than 200 neighboring residents packed the nearby Florida Sports Park to hear Costco’s proposal, the crowd voiced frustration with Wester when he failed to directly answer many of their questions. The opposition was better prepared for the planning commission public hearing, where speakers calmly and succinctly presented their case. 

“We learned our lesson there and he underestimated us this time,” said Frank Cipolla, a resident of Azure at Hacienda Lakes who organized opposition to Costco’s proposal to build its second Collier County store in their neighborhood. “We were prepared, and he was not. The application was gone over with a fine-tooth comb.” 

The main sticking point is Costco’s request to waive the county land development code requirement mandating a minimum 500-foot separation between facilities with fuel pumps. The proposed Costco property is separated by only 132 feet from the 7-Eleven property with gas pumps directly across Rattlesnake Hammock Road. 

Milton Spokojny, a Michigan attorney who spoke as a resident of Hacienda Lakes Estates, presented several threshold arguments why the planning commission should deny Costco’s petition. 

“The first argument is to show that Costco does not have a market study that must be part of their application process,” said Spokojny, citing section A of Collier’s land development code 5.05.05 regarding facilities with fuel pumps. 

The purpose of this section is to ensure that facilities with fuel pumps do not adversely impact adjacent land uses, especially residential land uses. The high levels of traffic, glare and intensity of use associated with facilities with fuel pumps, particularly those open 24/7, may be incompatible with surrounding uses, especially residential uses, the LDC section states, in the interest of protecting the health, safety and general welfare of the public. 

“You have the ability to deny this petition based on the fact of the impact on the residential area,” Spokojny told the planning commissioners. “The planners did not make any suggestions about that fourth criteria — the impact on the residential area. This has a tremendous impact on the residential area. It has 4,700 cars a day being funneled onto Rattlesnake [Hammock] Road as a result of this construction. This is by their own traffic analysis; it’s not my number.” 

Spokojny also is concerned about Costco’s intentions for a traffic signal to be installed on Rattlesnake Hammock Road east of Collier Boulevard. 

“They’re also asking to put a traffic signal on the second exit where the Ekos apartments are,” he said. “We have to stop there. We are a cul-de-sac; we cannot get access any other way than through Rattlesnake [Hammock] Road. So, there’s a tremendous traffic impact.” 

Before voting unanimously to delay a decision until September on the fuel station waiver, the seven-member planning commission unanimously voted to accept other deviations with a few stipulations for Costco. Stipulations made by the board included a 25% increase in landscaping on the property, removal of the Costco sign on the south side of the building and a requirement to coordinate with Collier Area Transit for a bus stop on Rattlesnake Hammock Road. 

Jan Christopher, a resident of Esplanade at Hacienda Lakes, spoke in favor of Costco building on that neighboring corner. “Currently, with all the increased residences that we have there, you don’t really see crazy traffic happening,” said Christopher, who is a registered nurse and real estate associate. “The most crazy traffic we do see and experience is when they have the swamp buggy races [at Florida Sports Park]; then it gets really backed up and it blocks our access so we can’t even get across Rattlesnake [Hammock Road],” she said. “That could possibly be a problem with Costco, however, I am totally in favor of the Costco being where it is.” 

As a Costco member, Christopher said it is a benefit for her to be able to buy gas there. “Having 24 pumps makes it quick and easy for you to get in and out more quickly,” she said. “I see value in having the Costco there.” 

The Costco representative was asked by a planning commissioner if Costco would still build a store if the fuel stations were denied. 

“This is a unified development plan and it’s always been that way. So, the gas goes with the store,” Wester said. “We heard a lot of speculation today about everyone playing real estate broker and real estate agent to find us other sites, but we’re here to talk about this one and it’s site specific.” 

After a decision by the planning commission, the Costco issue ultimately will be decided by the Collier County Commission, acting as the Board of Zoning Appeals.