Montgomery County councilmembers paved the way Tuesday for a mega gas station to be built within Viva White Oak, a 280-acre project adjacent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration campus which is expected to house commercial, residential, retail and public space.
By a vote of 9-2, councilmembers amended setback requirements for a filling station, which they said is geared to convincing Costco to build both a store and a mega gas station on the site.
The adopted Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) requires that the underground pumps be located at least 500 feet from residential and commercial buildings, as well as streams and wells.
The adopted amendment clarifies that the 500-foot requirement starts where the underground fuel is dispensed rather than the end of the property line.
“The ZTA is critical for the Viva White Oak project,” said Councilmember Kristen Mink during Tuesday’s council session. “It is needed to clarify setbacks within a tight site so that Costco—I get to say it—can locate a new store on the White Oak site with a filling station.”
Some 10 years ago, Costco wanted to construct a mega gas station in Wheaton, but the county and the courts turned that request down.
At the time, Costco executives said they would not open a store in the Westfield Wheaton Mall unless they also could open a gas station. While they lost their bid for a gas station, they did open a Costco, which continues to operate in the mall.
Mink said she feared that without the change, the county could lose Costco and several other retailers, whose owners have said they would only consider building in Viva White Oak if Costco were there.
Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Evan Glass voted against the change.
“Obviously, I want Costco to come to East County,” Fani-González said. However, she added, moving the underground pumps 500 feet would make the gas station closer to residents. This would mean more idling gas-emitting vehicles awaiting their turn to fill up near homes.
“It was a health and environmental issue,” said Fani-González.
Mink countered that the county doesn’t limit vehicles from idling at fast-food drive-thru lanes, so this should be no different.
“We need Viva White Oak in this county—full stop,” Glass said. However, he questioned the willingness to conform with Costco’s request when it threatened not to build in Wheaton, yet ended up doing so anyway.
“I have a philosophical concern in this day and age of building mega gas stations at all,” said Glass.
