Now 25 years after it opened, Costco Wholesale Corp. wants to rezone its St. Johns Town Center area property to add a members-only gas station in a corner of the parking lot.
Rezoning Ordinance 2025-0249 is scheduled for public hearings May 5 at the Jacksonville Planning Commission, May 13 at City Council and May 20 at the Council Land Use & Zoning Committee.
Costco owns its 13.91-acre site at 4901 Gate Parkway north of Butler Boulevard. It built and opened the 164,000-square-foot wholesale club in 2000.
As previously reported, the general merchandise and services Costco membership club wants to add 12 fuel pumps with 24 fueling stations, a fuel kiosk enclosure, curbing and landscape islands.
Costco is at northeast Butler Boulevard and Gate Parkway. The site for the gas station is between the building and The Markets at Town Center, near the kayak launch on the lake behind REI.
Applicant Thomas Engineering Group of Tampa filed an application with the city to rezone the current Planned Unit Development on the site to a PUD to allow the fuel facility for Costco members.
Costco, based in Issaquah, Washington, near Seattle, sells appliances, household items, furniture, clothing, toys, groceries, books, luggage, linens, fresh flowers, liquor, beer, wine, seasonal décor and other items.
It also offers tire sales and installation, a pharmacy, an optical center, a photo shop, a bakery, a meat counter and more.
The fuel station is planned with access from Gate Parkway to the west and Town Center Parkway to the north via an access road.
Costco Wholesale and the fuel station would be open daily.
In general, the club is open 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-7:30 a.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sunday.
The fuel station generally would operate 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sunday.
Operating hours vary on holidays and special events.
The company applied April 18, 2024, to the St. Johns River Water Management District for a minor permit modification to allow the gas facility. It also submitted civil engineering plans to the city.
The warehouse comprises a 152,777-square-foot enclosed store along with canopies and loading areas. The civil engineering plans say the store is 143,463 square feet.
The gas station would take up about 1.29 acres, according to the Thomas Engineering Group project narrative.
The Markets at Town Center ownership built the kayak launch in 2021 for use by REI and West Marine for outdoor gear and by other tenants, such as Nordstrom Rack, for staff meetings and training.
The civil engineering plans show that parking spaces will be removed for the gas facility, which includes underground fuel tanks and the canopy and fuel facility.
St. Johns Town Center is at northwest Butler Boulevard and Interstate 295.
Costco paid almost $4.5 million for its property in June 2000 from the Skinner family, which sold the property for development of St. Johns Town Center.
Costco built its first Jacksonville store on that site.
The next two Costco clubs were built with gas stations.
The membership warehouse chain opened its second Jacksonville location in February 2018 on about 16 acres at 8000 Parramore Road, off I-295 and south of Collins Road, about 20 miles west of the Gate Parkway store.
The St. Augustine store opened in July 2022 about 22 miles south of the Gate Parkway store.