Motorists who would like to fuel up while shopping at the Costco Wholesale Corp. at St. Johns Town Center are out of luck, at least for now.
With a 15-3 vote May 27, the Jacksonville City Council denied a rezoning to allow a members-only gas station in a corner of the wholesale retailer’s parking lot.
The vote came on Ordinance 2025-0249, which contained a request to rezone Costco’s 13.91-acre site at 4901 Gate Parkway from its current Planned Unit Development to a PUD that allowed for the fuel facility.
Votes to deny the rezoning were President Randy White, Vice President Kevin Carrico and members Raul Arias, Joe Carlucci, Matt Carlucci, Rory Diamond, Terrance Freeman, Ju’Coby Pittman, Nick Howland, Reggie Gaffney Jr., Mike Gay, Rahman Johnson, Will Lahnen, Chris Miller and Ron Salem.
Members supporting the rezoning were Ken Amaro, Tyrona Clark-Murray and Jimmy Peluso. Member Michael Boylan was on excused absence from the meeting to celebrate his wedding anniversary.
Costco wanted to add 12 fuel pumps with 24 fueling stations, a fuel kiosk enclosure, curbing and landscape islands. The station was planned on 1.29 acres on the northeast corner of store’s parking lot.
Council’s May 27 vote constituted final action on the ordinance. It came a week after the Council Land Use and Zoning Committee recommended denial on a 5-1 vote.
Lahnen, whose District 3 includes the Town Center, urged members to deny the rezoning. He said the gas station would cause traffic backups on surrounding streets, would reduce Costco’s parking by 15% and would disrupt the internal flow of vehicles on the Costco site.
Clark-Murray said that in denying the request, Council failed to meet its legal requirement to act on “competent, substantial evidence” that would be admissible in court.
“There’s no reason for it to be denied,” she said. “It’s going from PUD to PUD, and it’s surrounded by PUD.
“What I think is the applicant’s representative is going to sue, because there’s no basis for denying this. And in all likelihood, they’re going to win.”
Arias said Council frequently follows the lead of district Council members on rezonings, which meets the evidence standard since those members are familiar with their districts.
He said members whose districts are adjacent to District 3 and frequently visit that district also opposed the rezoning.
Those members include Carrico, whose District 4 is west of District 3, and Arias himself, whose District 11 abuts on the south.
Arias said the area near Costco was already served by Wawa and Daily's fuel stations. Traffic congestion is already a problem in the area, he said, and the Costco gas station would make it worse.
“It is a bad fit for my district, for Mr. Lahnen’s district and for Mr. Carrico’s district,” Arias said.
The city Planning and Development Department staff had recommended approval of the rezoning on the condition that the applicant, Thomas Engineering Group of Tampa, conduct a traffic circulation report. The Planning Commission voted 6-0 in favor of the rezoning, also with the condition for a traffic report.
Costco opened the 164,000-square-foot wholesale club in 2000.
It was the first Costco in Jacksonville, with two more clubs later built with gas stations.
Editor's note: This story was revised to correct the name of one of the two gas stations near the proposed Costco station.