Palm Coast’s Walmart in the heart of the city has submitted a site plan to build a 10-pump gas station and convenience store that will take up a substantial portion of the parking lot at that store.
The 10-pump station will be located in the northwest corner of the parking lot, toward the corner of the property along Cypress Point Parkway and Cypress Edge Drive. The convenience store will be a 1,621-square-foot building that will face the pump island, its back facing the entrance of the Walmart store. The area parceled off from the parking lot will total 26,000 square feet. The entire Walmart property, including the building, totals 1 million square feet, or 23 acres. The Walmart store itself is about 180,000 square feet.
The Melbourne-based Bowman Consulting Group, a commercial property developer, submitted the site plan to Palm Coast around the same time that it submitted a similar plan to St. Johns County, where Walmart is planning a slightly smaller, eight-pump gas station and convenience store in the Walmart Supercenter parking lot at 2355 U.S. 1 in St. Augustine. Walmart has been building and operating gas stations in its parking lot for many years, though it has itself operated them (after using a different vendor before that) since 2016.
There are several gas stations around Walmart.
There is a Circle K gas station catercorner from the Walmart parking lot’s future location of its own gas station. The city does not project a decline in business for surrounding gas stations, nor does it see the proposed gas station as a traffic problem. To the contrary: “That actually relieves traffic,” Jason DeLorenzo, the city’s chief of staff, said. “A trip that came to the Circle K and a trip to the Walmart are two trips through an intersection. A trip to a gas station in the parking lot of the Walmart is one trip: I went to the Walmart and I got gas. That relieves traffic. That doesn’t add traffic.”
There is also somewhat of a lessening demand on parking spaces as customers have taken to Walmart’s pick-up service as the company has expanded its online commerce, which allows for ordering ahead and having the merchandise delivered to one’s car, eliminating the need to navigate the store’s sprawling island. Like the northeast corner of the huge parking lot, the area slated for the gas station tends to see filled parking spaces taper off, the further away they get from the store’s entrances.
There does not appear to be any plans afoot to add electric-vehicle charging stations.
Walmart stock this week was trading at an all-time high of $85 a share, more than doubling in less than two years. The company operates more than 10,500 stores in 19 countries, employing 2.1 million people, with sales of $642.6 billion last year, $441 billion of that in stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. according to its latest annual report.
Billy says
This whole town is gas stations every thousand feet, Convenience stores ,and storage buildings. What a joke Palm Coast has become Housing after housing after housing development.
Cindy says
OMG, OMG are you kidding me????? “The city does not project a decline in business for surrounding gas stations, nor does it see the proposed gas station as a traffic problem. To the contrary: “That actually relieves traffic,” Jason DeLorenzo, the city’s chief of staff, said.” What planet does this guy live on?
Alan says
Why? its already too crowded. I don’t shop there but a few times a year. But probably will not anymore. WAWA is close to being open and will put a hurt on RaceTrac.
Traffic jam waiting to happen.
Land of no turn signals says says
The traffic there now is crazy what’s it going to be when finished?Oh I forgot city counsel Doesn’t care.
Joe D says
I can speculate that the new Walmart gas station addition is in response to the new BJ’s store off route 100 in Palm Coast which I’m also assuming will have discount gas sales (frequently 6-7 cents less than surrounding gas stations). The joys of Competitive Capitalism!
Take a good look says
But why on earth WHY??? Where is the logical thinking behind this idiocy????
Tutanskomun says
Maybe I’ll open a White Castle burger joint and add some real gas to this fuel war thats going on. LOL!
Tadpole says
Not even the same zip code.6 miles away from 100. Still a bad idea to approve.
Lots of gas says
I hope the new mayor and council see that. Mr Delorenzo has never done one thing to help this city. Overpaid and has NEVER done what he was hired to do.
Your welcome says
Are you kidding me?
As far as I know,
Walmart has only one exit (on Cypress Edge) where one can turn left to rejoin traffic towards Cypress Point.
With traffic as it is today, I can’t fathom adding another exit.
Can someone help me out with this great idea?
Maybe if you are already shopping at Walmart, yeah why not.
But going out of your way to fill up your gas tank, it’ll take a 20 minute stop, at least.
Celia Pugliese says
Cindy, exactly Delorenzo leaves in the land that satisfy unconscionable greed and walks allover us the residents taxpayers forced to fund his pay in the city payroll. What can we expect when another city administrator that signed off on the higher built lot, tells the adjacent affected flooded residents that he will benefit looking for a hobby!
The dude says
Walmart is Walmart no matter where you go. Kinda like Waffle House…
That being said, the PC Walmart’s horrible customer experience actually begins just trying to even get in to the parking lot.
And whichever asshat said “they’re not using that parking lot anymore” simply has not been to that Walmart on a Saturday or Sunday.
Given the size and layout of that parking lot, this is a horrible idea, but totally on brand for Palm Coast.
Dp says
This is hands-down, the dumbest idea. You can’t even get into the parking lot half the time because there’s always massive lines just to pull into the parking lot itself. The gas station is gonna make it 10,000 times worse. Not to mention when you drive by the store, it takes nearly 5 minutes to get from one side to the other because people are at a complete crawl when they’re walking out or into the store And you have to sit there and wait. This whole thing is a terrible idea and should not happen. They need to turn this sucker into a Sam’s Club and open a new Walmart superstore like they were planning on like 20 years ago off old Kings on that land they still own. Don’t put it over here. This is a bad idea, especially with gas stations and such a limited driving space on Cypress.
Joey says
Welcome to Palm Coast the land of gas stations, pizza joints and storage facilities !!!
My Take says
they are pissed BJ’s is taking a lot of thier business, so obvious and so not needed.
JimboXYZ says
Dad used to fuel up at the 24/7 Walmart in Yulee, FL. I’ve got no problem with it, perfectly in line with BJ’s concept, only Walmart doesn’t charge for a club membership. All those club concept warehouse places are membership scams anyway. Sam’s, BJ’s Costco, did I miss one/any. Offer everyday lowest prices, being a member with an annual membership fee, even for Amazon is what chases me away as a customer every time. There’s no value added to be a club shopper member, if you think about, you’re just another idiot that thinks the corporation cares a little more about you for shopping there. You have a little card in your wallet or pursebook to maintain every year or send them a longer term renewal fee. If BJ’s can sell gasoline a few cents on $3/gallon cheaper, they all can.
Raymond Royer says
Totally agree Palm Coast main business infrastructure model is a circus and frustrating to even support. I’ve only lived in Flagler Beach 8 years and now even 100 has three more traffic lights and traffic jams most of the days.
Cindy says
First I’m a little insulted being called an idiot, and I don’t think this has anything to do with memberships. It has to do with space and traffic… You see this Walmart is the only one for Palm Coast and Bunnell so when they reduce the parking lot size to fit a convenience store and 8 pumps cause I think those pumps need to be at a certain distance from a store where is everyone going to park and get out of the lot it is going to be pure chaos and I see how people act now when they are in a hurry and have no patience road rage will become front and center.
Bill says
One that pays him very (too) well, and I’d guess there may be “supplemental??”involved.
Angel says
They don’t care as long as they make money they forget where it comes from the people why don’t the rent go down there’s enough of gas station and stores soon you can gas in the Internet help the people not kill them.
Bob says
You are probably living in one of those sub divisions and came from up north stop complaining and move
Larry Torino says
Head shaking by the “traffic” justification statement presented; traffic study to justify? What documentation source? (And we know how such studies tend to be skewed). With this, no account for human nature actions in what cannot help but add chaos with an existing compromised off-site intersection and compromised on-site perimeter vehicular corridors. Uncertain of staff review application scope and findings, however perhaps all plays out well on paper today during off-peak hours weekend, sales, and holidays will most certainly impact quality of life not to mention fast-forwarding 5-15 years. Smart Growth, that elusive term this is not. Much like the Palm Harbor Publix shopping Ctr.; we had the opportunity when renovated to highly improve vehicular ingress-egress at Palm Coast Pkwy by introducing a significant traffic circle for ease of access into and navigating the site. This was nixed in lieu of what you put up with today not to mention once again, 5-15 yrs ahead (add the Starbucks drive-thru to the mix). All a disappointment and degradation to the community by commercial developer leverage.
While at it, what of the existing parking field landscape, or lack thereof. I’m trusting the “new” facility is required to meet current standards. Hopefully, an upgrade is a condition of approval. If no, pencils need sharpening. At what price glory.
Peaches McGee says
“you’re just another idiot”
Civility was lost on you growing up?
Don says
This town sucks. They used to not let people build all this crap, tons og gas stations. Dollar stores everywhere. Storage companies are idiots we got storafe everywhere. Who wants to store garbage? Too many people here now. This wasnt the only place to retire. A few more hurricanes yall will leave. Or I can wait for your property tax to go sky high. Or your homeowners. They yall will move to Mississippi.
D. says
This town is one giant gas station, how many gas stations do we need. Just ridiculous!!!
DaleL says
You will not be able to open a White Castle. They are all company owned.
From Wikipedia: “Throughout its existence, White Castle has been a private company and relied on company-owned stores. It remains privately held today, and its restaurants are all company-owned; none are franchised, except very briefly in Japan during the 1980s and more recently in China since 2017.”
DaleL says
A lot of the reason for membership warehouse stores (BJ’s, Costco, Sam’s Club) is inventory control. Large packages and customer identification result in less theft. This reduces overhead and allows for lower prices.
JimboXYZ says
The traffic in that area of Cypress Point Parkway & Palm Coast Parkway has always been a mess, this won’t make it any worse, certainly won’t make it any better. Look what SR-100 has become, part of it is BJ’s, but the reality is it was Alfin’s growth & Vision of 2050 for approving residential. Westward US-1 expansion is not going to help traffic in Palm Coast either, that’s going to be residential as well. Those fuel pumps, after sitting in gridlock and burning fuel going thru that area is a necessary evil. Unfortunate for Palm Coast that Alfin was mayor at all.
Cindy says
Now I’m curious to see how much the gas will be. Today the price for gas at Sam’s is $2.84/gal the price for gas at BJ’s is $2.94/gal the price for gas at the Circle K is $3.20/gal. If the price for gas is in line with Sams and BJs then the business for those gas stations will most definitely decline. And while I’m at it Walmart should be worrying about “rolling back” their prices and start filling their shelves.
Bill Hensley says
Perhaps an exaggeration – I live off Belle Terre and there is ZERO retail of any type for at least a couple of miles in either direction…once you are in the retail zoning area – that is what you will see – retail/commercial.