■On a 4-0 vote, the Fresno Planning Commission approves a new Costco for NW Fresno.

■The project at Herndon Avenue and Riverside Drive now goes to the city council.

■Plans call for a 32-pump gas station, car wash, and market-delivery option.

A new Costco set for northwest Fresno — billed as the largest Costco in the world — won approval from the planning commission on Wednesday night.

Costco plans to relocate its current location at Shaw Avenue and Golden State Boulevard — opened in 1985 — to Herndon Avenue and Riverside Drive. There is no timetable when construction may start, or when the new Costco will open.

The new location will feature a 219,000-square-foot main warehouse, which will include space for deliveries, known as market delivery option.

Pari Holliday, a Costco development director, downplayed the size.

“That is a miscommunication because of the MDO component. This particular location is going to be a standard-sized Costco warehouse, with a last-mile delivery service,” Holliday said.

New Location Will Feature a Car Wash and 32-Pump Gas Station

Holliday did say that more than 60% of Fresno households are Costco members, and the retailer is the largest contributor of sales tax revenue to the city.

The Costco will feature its standard gas pumps — 32 in all, more than at the Shaw/Golden State location — and new for the Central Valley, a car wash. Costco says the gas pumps at its current location will remain.

City planner Steve Ramirez told GV Wire that Costco plans to continue operating the gas station at its current location, even when the warehouse store moves.

New and Upgraded Traffic Signals

Traffic impacts are expected — the new Costco will feature nearly 900 parking spaces. The city imposed mitigation measures to help alleviate traffic congestion. These include new and upgraded turn signals.

With the 4-0 vote on Wednesday night, the project moves to the Fresno City Council for final approval. That is scheduled for March 7.

Commissioners Peter Vang, Monica Diaz, Jacqueline Lyday, and Kathy Bray voted in favor. Brad Hardie abstained while DJ Criner and Haley Wagner were absent.