The Costs of Costco

Mayor Kelli Linville came one step closer to her goal, convincing her own City Council, at least, to request $2.5 million from Whatcom County’s Economic Development Investment (EDI) fund to help finance a large regional stormwater facility to serve a planned retail expansion in the city’s north end. Council agreed. The expansion is planned along Interstate 5 at Bakerview Road, a patchwork of interconnected wetlands and planned, buildable lands in an area already heavily impacted by big-box retail and associated traffic. The centerpiece of the expansion is a proposed 160,000 sq. ft. Costco and its associated 24-pump gasoline station, intended to replace the warehouse retailer’s existing store on Meridian. Costco Wholesale management claims the existing store is inadequate for future retail.