By Brandi Makuski

An east-side grocery store is planning to expand.

Aldi’s is proposing a 2800-square-foot addition to the south side of its 5632 Hwy. 10 East location. Because the discount supermarket is located within a highway commercial district, the site plan must first be reviewed by the City Plan Commission, and later approved by the City Council.

According to city documents, the site plan review is a requirement before a building or zoning permit can be issued to ensure appropriate highway access and parking availability is maintained, as well as compliance with city ordinances.

If the city approves the expansion, the store will grow to a total of 18,400 square feet. Several existing parking stalls will be relocated elsewhere in the parking lot, but the property will retain 119 stalls — well beyond the minimum required 62 stalls for a building of its size.

“Staff would recommend approving the site plan to construct an addition as proposed at the location noted
above,” a memo from Michael Ostrowski, community development director, reads in part. “No changes to access or lot circulation are proposed and therefore no injurious affects [sic] should result.”

If approved by the commission, and then the City Council, the project would break ground in July, and would be completed by mid-September.

The City Plan Commission meets at 6 PM on April 3 at the Lincoln Center, 1519 Water Street.