Proposed 160,000-Square-Foot Costco at Enka Commerce Park Returns to Planning Commission

Developers seeking to build a roughly 160,000-square-foot Costco at Enka Commerce Park in the Enka-Candler area returned the proposal to Asheville’s Planning & Zoning Commission, but the project has been delayed again after the applicant requested additional time to address design and staff concerns. The repeated continuances prolong uncertainty for neighbors, traffic planners, and city reviewers.

The proposed development would occupy about 39.6 acres at 264 and 274 Enka Heritage Parkway and 1455 Sand Hill Road and includes a 32-pump fueling station and a tire center. The conditional rezoning application must be reviewed by the Planning & Zoning Commission and, if recommended, approved by Asheville City Council before the project can proceed.

The application reappeared on the commission agenda in early February after earlier delays. The development team initially requested a continuance to allow further study of the site design and sought a postponement to March 4. The applicant then asked for a 60-day window to address issues raised in a recent staff report; the commission subsequently voted unanimously to grant a second continuance and rescheduled the hearing for April. Commission Chair Geoffrey Barton acknowledged the project’s complexity: “We do see continuances from time to time; this is a complicated project,” and cautioned the applicant with a firm deadline: “My recommendation would be that’s the last continuance that we provide and that the applicant come prepared to present and be heard.”

Commissioners and staff flagged several technical and public-engagement concerns that the applicant must resolve. City planners highlighted issues in a staff report without spelling out specifics in public remarks. A member of the development team identified coordination hurdles with regional infrastructure, saying, “You’re talking about how the road ties in from one city road to a state road and who’s going to own the road.” The team is working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Sewerage District on those questions. An unnamed commissioner underscored the public stake in the schedule: “I want to make sure people are able to be present for when it’s talked through,” noting many residents are tracking the project closely.

The Planning & Zoning Commission meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Asheville City Hall, 70 Court Plaza, in the first-floor North Conference Room, with a public pre-meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the fifth-floor Large Conference Room; the pre-meeting is open to the public but will not accept public comment. If the applicant is not ready at the rescheduled April hearing, city staff have indicated the project could be pulled from the agenda and re-noticed later to avoid ongoing public confusion.

For Buncombe County residents, the immediate takeaway is continued delay and heightened attention to traffic, road ownership, sewer infrastructure, and the timing of opportunities for public input. Expect the developer to return with more detailed site work at the next hearing or for city staff to reset the process to give the community clearer notice on when substantive review will occur.