East Regina is getting a bigger Costco; west Regina's getting a new neighbourhood

Regina city council gave the go ahead Monday to plans for a new neighbourhood.

Called Coopertown, the new neighbourhood will cover approximately 745 hectares of land, which the city estimates will be home to 36,000 residents, spread over six neighbourhoods. No detailed development plan has yet been tabled.

Coun. Mike O'Donnell expressed concerns about the neighbourhood initially, saying it was akin to attaching a Moose Jaw-sized neighbourhood to Regina.

Coopertown was one of two plots of land discussed by council Monday.

On the east end of the city, ​Costco was given the OK to relocate farther east from its current location on University Park Drive.

The move will see a larger facility built on a plot of land neighbouring the upcoming Regina bypass. The proposed plot of land is four kilometres east of its current location.

The new location would be more than 14,600 square metres and include a larger gas bar and 863 parking spaces, according to city documents. The plan for the existing location would be to sell the building.

The additional increase of 2.5 percentage points to the city's mill rate became official, meaning the overall tax hike now sits at 6.49 per cent.

The decision was finalized after the city declined to revisit a tax exemption cut to the Regina Airport Authority. The RAA argued an exemption would help air travel in Regina grow by bringing in a potential airline from the U.S.