Loomis Costco set to break ground in February

Weather permitting, the Loomis Costco project will break ground in February, town officials announced last week. "Assuming weather cooperates, they're looking to break ground in February with an anticipated opening date of early fall," Loomis Town Manager Sean Rabe said. Loomis Town staff, Costco's team and PG&E agents have been holding biweekly meetings to coordinate various road improvements on Sierra College Boulevard at Brace Road. The Loomis Planning Commission will review the Costco environmental document at the regular monthly meeting next Tuesday. "To the credit of the various stakeholders, great progress is being made," Rabe announced in the staff report. Costco will start tree removal with clear weather, according to Rabe, and hopes to finish grading and storm drain work by mid-March. The right-of-way approved by Loomis Town Council on Jan 10 gives PG&E the land rights needed to start "undergrounding" work. PG&E work is expected to start in April and end by May. Costco will then begin the road widening and new signalized intersection improvements, staff said. "Their hope is to be able to start stocking the warehouse in early August and be open by September," Rabe reported. The town of Loomis is also the lead agency on widening Sierra College Boulevard from Brace Road to Taylor Road, the town manager said. As part of the development, Costco will widen Sierra College Boulevard along their frontage with a bike lane and a third northbound car lane between Granite Drive and Brace Road, according to the staff report. A new signalized intersection with dedicated turn lanes will also be built, serving as an entrance to Costco from Sierra College Boulevard. Beyond preliminary roadwork, staff said work on the actual Costco building should start by May with frontage improvements wrapping up in August. The Loomis Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the Sierra College Boulevard widening study and mitigated negative declaration at 7 p.m. next Tuesday at the Loomis Train Depot, 5775 Horseshoe Bar Road.