Plans for a new Costco go to Kelowna City Council on Monday.

Image Credit: Submitted/City of Kelowna

The much anticipated relocation of Kelowna’s Costco warehouse store is a good move, city staff say.

An application to rezone 14.75 acres bounded by Springfield, Leckie and Baron Roads is going to city council on Monday with the full support of staff.

“The proposed commercial development would be consistent with many other neighbouring properties within the Mid-Town Urban Centre including; Real Canadian Superstore, Canadian Tire, Orchard Park Shopping Centre, Staples, Marshalls, Home Depot, and Walmart,” the report states.

“These vendors have benefited from clustering together in a high-profile central part of the City in order to share a traveling customer base effectively making business more efficient.”

This is the location of the proposed new Costco.

Image Credit: Submitted/City of Kelowna

The new site is 770 metres from the existing store at the corner of Highways 97 and 33 and, as such, is really part of the same neighbourhood, the report states.

That means it remains central for Kelowna residents and accessible for out-of-town customers, the report says. As such, the overall impact of traffic in the area is not that great.

Rumours circulated for years about Costco relocating, including suggestions it would move to West Kelowna.

READ MORE: UPDATE: Costco’s rumoured move to West Kelowna takes Kelowna mayor by surprise

“During their search for an appropriate site, Costco considered other locations that were less central but all came with challenges from land use and infrastructure standpoints,” the report states.

This site was announced more than a year ago.

READ MORE: Plans for new Kelowna Costco and gas bar revealed

It will come with many improvements to surrounding roads that will be paid for, in part by Costco and in part by other developers.

Image Credit: Submitted/City of Kelowna

Those include four-laning of Leckie Road along with a number of left turn lanes, some of which will be double lefts.

There will be four access points, two each on Baron and Leckie Roads.

The existing Costco opened in 1991 and needs to expand to serve a growing customer base, the report says.

Plans call for a 167,177 square foot one-storey building, gas bar and 793 parking stalls. The existing building is 135,000 square feet.

If council agrees, the proposal will go to a public hearing to rezone the four vacant properties. If that is approved, a development permit will also be needed.

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