Ellensburg, a city in central Washington, may soon see the construction of a significant grocery distribution center spread across five parcels and spanning one million square feet. The City of Ellensburg has revealed that WinCo Foods, Inc., a privately held and majority employee-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Boise, Idaho, intends to establish this distribution center within the city limits, according to a recent report in the Daily Record.
Although the facility will primarily serve logistical purposes and won’t cater to consumer shopping needs, its scale is undeniably substantial. According to the JSA Civil Height Variance Narrative document submitted to the city, the proposed development will occupy over 100 acres of land. It will comprise a grocery distribution warehouse measuring more than 1.1 million square feet, a truck returns warehouse covering approximately 47,000 square feet, a driver waiting building spanning nearly 800 square feet, and a check-in building encompassing almost 400 square feet.
Obtaining a height variance was necessary for this project, as alternative options to reduce the building and roof height were deemed unfeasible due to various site constraints, such as existing wetlands, buffers, and groundwater depths. The JSA Civil Height Variance Narrative stated that these constraints made it impractical to consider design alternatives such as enlarging the building footprint to lower the roof height or constructing the facility below ground.
The narrative further argued that enforcing strict height provisions would create an unnecessary hardship for the property owner. The City of Ellensburg conducted an open record public hearing on May 11 regarding the height variance, ultimately approving it in accordance with city officials.
Jeremy Johnston, Ellensburg’s planning manager, confirmed that the developers can now progress with a Boundary Line Adjustment application and subsequently apply for a building permit. However, the Boundary Line Adjustment application must be processed before or concurrently with the building permit, as outlined by Johnston.
While there is currently no definitive timeline for the completion of this expansive facility, its construction and eventual operation will undoubtedly make a significant impact on the Ellensburg business landscape.
