Queen Creek council approves Circle K at Germann and Meridian

The Queen Creek Town Council has given a green light for Circle K to build a service station, car wash and convenience store on the southwest corner of Germann and Meridian roads.

At its Wednesday meeting, the council voted 6-0 to approve a conditional-use permit and site plan for the proposed 4,600-square-foot fuel canopy with seven fueling positions, a 5,200-square-foot convenience store, and a 4,714-square-foot car wash located on a vacant 2.8-acre site within the Barney Farms Commercial corner. Council Member Travis Padilla was absent.

The approval was on the council’s public hearing consent agenda in which all items are handled through one motion and vote following a public hearing. No members of the public spoke on the proposed Circle K.

In May, a formal site plan application was submitted to the town’s planning division for the remaining commercial property at the 9.6-acre Barney Farms Commercial corner across from the Mesa city boundary on Germann Road.

The application includes plans for four office/medical spaces ranging in size from 8,775 square feet to 11,050 square feet, a staff report stated.

“The proposed Circle K is part of a larger parcel rezoned specifically to provide commercial goods and services to the surrounding area as part of a coordinated vision for commercial development across the larger site,” the Circle K project narrative stated.

The car wash will be internally connected just south of the fuel canopy and convenience store, the report continued. The Circle K and car wash will be separated by the proposed office/medical office buildings directly south of the car wash.

The fuel canopy will be 470 feet from the nearest residential property, and the car wash will be built 270 feet from the nearest residential property.
“The car wash’s exit tunnel will face east directly toward Meridian Road and other future commercial property,” a report stated.

The car wash will be internally connected just south of the fuel canopy and convenience store, the report continued. The Circle K and car wash will be separated by the proposed office/medical office buildings directly south of the car wash.

“Screen walls will be constructed along Germann and Meridian roads to block vehicle headlights and conceal fuel pumping stations,” the report stated.

On Oct. 14, the Queen Creek Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approving the conditional-use permit and site plan for the Circle K.

While the convenience store will be open 24 hours, the car wash is expected to be open 7 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Brennan Ray of the Ray Law Firm, who is representing Circle K, told the commission.

Addressing concerns about water use, Ray said the car wash will use “an advanced velocity water reclamation system that’s designed to reduce freshwater consumption.”

Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.