What could Costco do to help build strong towns?

A Local Conversation leader from Bellingham, WA asks: 

Hello there,

[I am an intern at Costco]. As I'm sure you are aware, my employer benefits greatly from the suburban development pattern. The newly constructed Costco in Lake Stevens WA, for instance, prompted our state transportation authority to build a ten million dollar intersection exclusively to help drivers access the massive parking lot. 
My question for you is: What could Costco do to help build strong towns? I suppose it would benefit our movement if all big box retailers would choose to stop operating, but that seems slightly unrealistic to me. Perhaps a better question is, what can we convince Costco's management to do to build strong towns?

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Hi Cameron, 

I would prioritize the following: 

If we're talking about an existing Costco

1. What are the conditions like for people arriving on foot, in a wheelchair, or on a scooter or bicycle? Is there a clear (and efficient) way to enter the property and get to the front door without being subjected to a gauntlet of unmarked crossings, missing curb cuts, and improper vehicle speeds? Is there a place to leave shopping carts near the bus stop? We place stalls near car parking areas to assist people but do we do anything like this for bus users? Furthermore, the City of Bellingham has invested in improved sidewalks on the roads nearby but Costco management can help city staff by identifying gaps in the vicinity that make it hard for employees and customers who are approaching without a vehicle. 
2. Costco management can ask the city to implement leading pedestrian interval signal changes (https://highways.dot.gov/safety/proven-safety-countermeasures/leading-pedestrian-interval) on the Guide Meridian at key intersections where pedestrians are approaching and on nearby streets as well (where applicable) to improve pedestrian safety. 
3. Costco management can invest resources into local housing advocacy groups who are galvanizing community support for changes to the codes and regulations that have made housing scarcity a reality for staff and customers of Costco alike. Though workforce housing for Costco staff is further afield, the minimum would be to make Bellingham a leader in improving the conditions for incremental increases in housing in existing neighbourhoods. 
4. Costco management can grow its customer base and improve the financial position of its staff by building local support for transit funding for busing service in the city. The Bellingham Costco is very auto-oriented but this comes at considerable cost and provides no upside for further customer growth. 

This is a start - I'd be interested in your thoughts too!

Norm