SLO County News BlogGolf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel NewsSLO Costco Opening SoonTuesday, February 15, 2005SLO Costco could open as soon as JuneThe Tribune, Cynthia Neff Environmental tests give a green-light to SLO site Construction on the proposed Costco warehouse store in San Luis Obispo is likely to start March 1, City Administrator Ken Hampian said Monday. Work can start because no vernal pool fairy shrimp were found in the last of nine tests by soil scientist Julie Thomas and wildlife biologist John Davis. That finding removes another obstacle for the 140,000-square-foot Costco, which will be built off Los Osos Valley Road, next to Home Depot. Hampian estimated that Costco will open in June or July. In November, city officials feared the search for fairy shrimp would derail the project. The shrimp were not discovered near the Costco site, but near Tank Farm Road, a fair distance away. Even so, the Tank Farm Road finding was significant enough to warrant more study of the Calle Joaquin area, biologists said. "We didn't expect to find anything, although there was standing water out there," Mary Reents, president and project manager for Morro Group, Inc. said of the final tests. "Environmentally speaking, we've covered all the bases." Today is the "final step in completing the things necessary to allow Costco to proceed," he said, referring to a reimbursement agreement on the City Council's agenda that would allow Costco to go ahead with the realignment of Calle Joaquin south of Los Osos Valley Road. The company has the responsibility for moving the road west to handle more traffic. Of the realignment project's $3 million cost, Costco's share is about $910,000. Currently the north and south ends of Calle Joaquin do not meet at Los Osos Valley Road, forcing drivers to turn down that street before continuing on Calle Joaquin. Realigning the road would create an intersection at Calle Joaquin and Los Osos Valley Road near the Arco gas station. Hampian said the realignment could be finished within a year. The city also recently sought court permission to take less than an acre of land near Motel 6 and the Rose Garden Inn off Calle Joaquin. Read More
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