Super America Wants to Stay Open, Always

How many people in Golden Valley hunger for an open gas station between 11 pm and 6 am? That’s among the questions city planning commissioners will weight tonight when they revisit a request, first made in 1996, to allow around-the-clock operation of Super America at 1930 Douglas Drive.

The commission meets at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall.

Northern Tier Retail, which recently purchased all Super America stores in Minnesota, wants a conditional use permit to expand the Golden Valley outlet into a 24-hour operation. The store is open now from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

A similar request from Super America’s previous owners came in 1996, when the owners promised to canvas the neighborhood for their thoughts on noise, traffic and other concerns. Those conversations never happened, according to city planners, who say “staff is concerned about amending this permit” until the owners meet certain conditions.

Owners say expanding the hours would better serve overnight shift workers at nearby Honeywell. Planners counter that workers could visit the store before or after their shifts and that there’s another 24-hour gas outlet just a half-mile to the east, at Trunk Highway 100 and Duluth Road. Planners are also concerned about the potential impact to neighboring property values, along with certain aesthetic issues.