Riley’s Full Service station has been serving customers along Metcalf Avenue since 1972.
The second-generation business is one of the few full-service gas stations left in Overland Park but owner David Riley worries a new QuikTrip could put him out of business.
“I can’t sell [gasoline] any close to what they do,” said Riley. “I need the business, I need the [convenience] store and the shop to really survive.”
Since December, QuikTrip has been battling the city of Overland Park to open a new store on the corner of 105th and Metcalf. But in order for the 5,858-square-foot store with 24 fueling stations to be given the green light, the city would need to rezone the area.
Tuesday night Overland Park City Council denied rezoning for the QuikTrip. However, that vote was voided after councilman Terry Goodman made an “unusual motion” to have the vote undone since three council members were not in attendance.
“I have been on the council since 2007 and I can think of two other times this has happened so this is very unusual,” said councilman Paul Lyons.
Like Goodman, Lyons voted against the denial. He would like to see the QuikTrip proposal sent back to the planning committee, which also recommended denial.
"I believe that a QuikTrip properly configured with the right landscaping and appearance would fit in very nicely on Metcalf,” said Lyons. "There is nothing in my mind that precludes a gas station from the Vision Metcalf plans.”
Vision Metcalf is the city’s 30-year plan for the corridor. It provides a blueprint for developers for what the city would like to see. For example, the city would like new buildings to be built closer to the street to make it more pedestrian-friendly.
Lyons told 41 Action News he does not believe QuikTrip’s proposal conflicts with this vision despite his colleagues arguing the opposite.
"I’m concerned about the message it could send that could be conveyed there are certain businesses that we don’t want to see on Metcalf and I think we need to carefully consider what businesses we would potentially deny as a result of the Vision of Metcalf,” he said.
City council is expected to vote once again on rezoning for the station at it’s next meeting, Tuesday, Feb 21.
In a statement to 41 Action News, QuikTrip said it “looks forward to the opportunity to continue the discussion.
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at Ariel.Rothfield@KSHB.com.
