Details emerge on possible third Decorah Kwik Star location

By Connor Hopkins

At their Monday, April 11, meeting the Decorah Planning and Zoning commission discussed the prospect of a third Kwik Star location at the site on College Drive. 

At their Monday, April 11, meeting the Decorah Planning and Zoning commission discussed the prospect of a third Kwik Star location at the site on College Drive. The site plan for Kwik Star #1190 was ultimately approved by the commission after members Ryan Delaney, Marla Klocke, Nathan Thompson and Holly Reilly voted “yes.”
The proposed location would be a new convenience store with a single bay carwash and 20 fueling location canopy, per the application. Currently, the site is home to Pyramid Plaza, the former Usgaard Smith Sales and Service and the former College Drive Subway. The total area to be redeveloped is 3.44 acres. The actual convenience store itself will be 11,000 square feet. The entire plot stretches along approximately 275 feet of College Drive and approximately 580 feet of Quarry Road. 
The site plans don’t include much in the way of interior plans, however they do make note of the 20 service points, 35 parking stalls and two handicap-accessible parking stalls, as well as areas for picnic tables and trees. 
The site plan also notes that the building will stretch to nearly the toe of the levee along the Upper Iowa River. This could be a problem, as a letter from the City Engineers to Zoning Administrator Greg Swanson noted there are requirements in place necessitating a 15-foot setback from that point. The current plan has proposed trees and picnic tables in that area.
In the city engineers’ letter, they note that the plot is not yet under the ownership of Kwik Star, but there is a purchase agreement in place. Additionally, they note the plan for an electronic sign, which is prohibited under current city code. If Kwik Star would want to have that digital sign, common with many of their locations, they would have to submit a variance request to the Board of Adjustment.
However, despite these issues, City Engineers Jeremy Bril and Jess Kuennen recommend approval of the site plan, contingent upon Kwik Star addressing all concerns.
Now that it has been approved by the Planning and Zoning commission, the site plan will go to the City Council for discussion at their next meeting Monday, April 18.

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