Merrillville plan commissioners table proposed Costco employee parking lot over indemnity and variance concerns

The Town of Merrillville Plan Commission voted 6-0 on Tuesday to table indefinitely a preliminary one‑lot subdivision application by Maryville Development LLC and Costco Wholesale Corporation for an employee parking lot at 1420 and 1500 E. 79th Avenue.

The application covered 1.968 acres in a Planned Unit Development within the C‑3 Highway Commercial zoning district. The petitioner asked the commission to defer the item because additional information was needed, including resolution of a related use variance before the subdivision could take effect.

A ward commissioner told the commission, "If they don't indemnify us, I'm not supporting this project," saying the town could face liability if an employee were struck while crossing 79th Avenue. Commissioners and staff noted the commission could table the matter until the council considered the use variance. One commissioner cited on‑site capacity at nearby Costco, saying the store "has 750 spaces," and suggested the commission collect empirical evidence of parking demand before approving a new lot.

Commissioners discussed alternatives that would avoid wetlands and retention‑pond impacts and debated the sequencing of approvals: several members said granting a one‑lot subdivision without first resolving the use variance would be premature. The commission suggested staff or the developer provide more data, including possible imagery or utilization counts, before reconsideration.

A motion to table the application "indefinitely until all other issues are addressed" passed on a roll‑call vote with six yes votes and one absence. The motion was seconded by Sean Pettit, and the official roll‑call included affirmative votes from Mister Gong, Mister Schweik, Mister Pettick, Vice President Dearing, Madam chairman (name not specified) and one other recorded vote; one member—Chandler Felton—was absent.

Next steps: the petitioner may return once the use variance has been resolved and requested information has been provided. The commission did not set a specific return date.