City council approves controversial Kum & Go plan in southwest Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The City Council has approved a proposed Kum & Go gas station and convenience store that was rejected by the city Planning Commission earlier this summer.

Tuesday during a Council meeting, the gas station was approved in a 6-3 vote. With this approval, the Kum & Go will be built at the corner of 8th and Brookside Streets, on the northwest end of the historic Ivywild neighborhood on the city's southwest side.

This decision goes against what most neighbors wanted. Nearby residents have opposed the project for months, claiming that it would generate trash, increase traffic and noise, and become a hangout for the homeless.

Those concerns led the Planning Commission to vote against the project that Kum & Go appealed.

Neighbors said that the project isn't needed because a 7-Eleven store is just a few blocks south on 8th Street, and another Kum & Go is already open on the northeast side of the neighborhood, on Nevada Avenue.

Due to that store has been affected by homeless-related issues, it's longer open at night. Ivywild neighbors fear that the same thing will happen if the proposed store opens.

The proposed site has a parking lot, vacant land behind it and two buildings formerly occupied by a consignment store and a pet shop; those are expected to be demolished if the project is approved.

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday's decision, a temporary fence has been erected around the site and some prep work has begun; some neighbors believed it showed Kum & Go was overconfident and would get the project approved despite opposition.

Tuesday's hearing included presentations by city staff and Kum & Go, followed by public comment, Council discussion, and vote.

The proposed site is zoned for a variety of commercial uses, and a planning commissioner cautioned opponents to "be careful what you wish for," meaning that a second rejection of the project could've opened the door to a less desirable project.

"Staff finds that both applications are in conformance with the city code criteria, and recommends to reverse the decision of the city Planning Commission, and approve the development plan and final plat for the Kum & Go station," said city planner Matthew Alcuran during Tuesday's appeal hearing.

Kum & Go representative Mary Castle also addressed the Council.

"Kum & Go has spent considerable time in the past several months working closely with the city and the community to uncover concerns associated with this project," she said. "Significant modifications were made to the site plan based on that feedback throughout the process."

Of the two dozen people who spoke during public comment, only one was in favor of the plan -- a woman who called in with her opinion.

"I'm speaking in favor of it," she said. "I think it's a great addition and I would love to have this in my neighborhood."

One of the harshest critics was Jon Severson, who lives across the street from the site and is a veteran of working in convenience stores.

"You know, it's just not a fit," he said about the project. "Maybe if it was smaller, maybe if it was just a consignment store footprint, I wouldn't even be here today. But it is a huge store -- 4,000 square feet. That's bigger than anything else free-standing on the strip."

At the end of the nearly four-hour hearing, Councilwoman Stephannie Fortune sided with the Planning Commission's earlier vote.

"I live on and represent the West Side," she said. "But in this go-around, I have to say to the neighbors, that I hear your words about many of theses issues and I will be voting against the appeal."

But the majority of the Council agreed that the site is already zoned for a wide range of uses, and said that the project couldn't be blocked legally.

"For me, focusing on the review criteria, I do think this is compatible," said Councilman Dave Donelson. "It's a good place to have it. Kum & Go is a good neighbor. They've shown me that."

A representative of the previous property owners said that they decided against attending the hearing because they feared verbal reprimands from neighbors.

Clay Taylor, who owns the Brookside Garden apartment complex behind the property, said that he doesn't know what to do next.

"I was hoping we'd win today," he said. "I guess we'll just wait and see what happens with the new store."

In a touch of irony, Kum & Go supporters revealed that a gas station used to be on the site in the 1960s.