At Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting it was announced that Tractor Supply Company is planning on building a store in Great Bend. The retail chain that offers products for home improvement, agriculture, garden, livestock, and pet care will be building the store to the west of Walmart on Grant Street.
Great Bend City Attorney Bob Suelter says this development has moved quickly, but the problem is hooking up a sewer line to the property.
Bob Suelter Audio
When Walmart purchased their land, the company bought 50 feet of the land west of Grant Street to somewhat control what goes into the lot next door. Tractor Supply will be just west of that strip of land between 7th Street and 8th Street, approximately 300 feet going east to west.
The sewer line that was installed in the 1950s or 1960s runs about a half of a block north of 8th Street underneath the parking lot of The Reserves of Trail Ridge apartment complex. Suelter says developing a sewer line connection to the Tractor Supply location will be difficult, but it will be necessary if further development is to happen along the soon-to-be paved portion of 8th Street.
Bob Suelter Audio
The City Council waived the city ordinance that states no septic systems within city limits to allow Tractor Supply to place a temporary septic system to drain their sewage on the land owned by Lighthouse Investments of Great Bend LLC. Suelter says Tractor Supply plans for a couple of restrooms and sinks, so he did not anticipate much sewage. The septic system will allow Tractor Supply to begin building in October until a permanent sewer line can be connected in a year or two.
Tractor Supply owns and operates over 1,700 stores in 49 states. Suelter expected construction on the Great Bend store to be finished in February of 2019, with the store opening in either February or March.