The Menomonee Falls Village Board last week approved a conditional use permit that will allow for construction of a Kwik Trip gas station near the northeast corner of Main Street and Pilgrim Road.
The approval will allow the new station to be constructed. It will be comprised of a 5,700-square-foot convenience store and a 95-foot canopy that would cover 11 pumps.
During the Nov. 17 meeting, the key point of discussion involved a fence that was recommended along the front of the building. The recommendation include a wrought iron fence with brick columns. Troy Mleziva, real estate manager for Kwik Trip, said that customers like to be able to see into the store during the evening hours and feel safe going into the site.
“This is the one issue we have a concern with,” Mleziva said.
Village President Randy Newman said the area is a “landmark area” for the village and said the wrought iron would allow customers to see through and observe the building.
“We said in this area — at least I always did — that we expected a higher development in the area,” Newman said.
A motion to remove the fence from the conditional use requirements was defeated by a 4-3 vote.
Also mentioned was the hours for the store. While Kwik Trip stations elsewhere are open 24 hours, the condition approved by the board will allow the station to be open from 5 a.m. to midnight while allowing “pay at the pump” 24 hours.
Newman said that nearby residents were concerned about the building being open 24 hours while other supported it. He said allowing “pay at the pump” was a reasonable compromise to get the business in the area. He added that there was only one gas station in the village was open 24 hours while the others allow pay at the pump.
A motion to allow 24 hour operation for the store was defeated by a 4-3 vote.
The final motion was approved 7-1, with Bonnie Lemmer voting in dissent.
“I think Kwik Trip is a wonderful company, it’s a wonderful Wisconsin company, I think it would be good for Menomonee Falls,” Lemmer said. “My concern really is that corner.”
Lemmer said she was concerned the company “was trying to cram so much in that little space.”
Lemmer said she tried to find out while a proposal for a Kwik Trip facility on Silver Spring Drive was defeated three years ago.
By Thomas J. McKillen
Managing Editor
