City Council Moves Forward With New Fueling Station Plan for Racetrack 76

The City Council approved a Text Amendment Tuesday night allowing for the permit application and architectural review for a proposed automobile fueling station, convenient mart and car wash at 701 West Huntington Drive.

The site presently is the service station, built in 1967, which would be torn down to make room for the new modern facility. The Text Amendment was brought before City Council as the present station pre-dates the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) requirements for gas stations and the Arcadia Municipal Code currently does not have provisions for allowing such a station in Commercial-Office Zones, according to the staff report presented by Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Jason Kruckeberg.

Kruckeberg noted that the present service station does not fit the needs as automobile technologies have changed throughout the years. The present station consists of three service bays, a small snack shop and office occupying 1,568 square feet.

Along with 16 fueling positions, the new facility will feature a Subway sandwich shop, Circle K convenience store (open 24 hours daily/7 days a week), self-service car wash and restrooms spanning over 2,800 square feet. There will be no service bay area. Beer and wine take-out will be sold at the Circle K.

In response to noise concerns by area residents and the , the car wash (which will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) will meet noise decibel requirements and dense shrubbery will be planted along property lines. Also, a number of proposals are being looked at to make sure there is adequate lighting in the area. The number of driveway approaches to the new station will be reduced from the current five to two.

There is also discussions taking place to add a coffee shop such as Starbucks or The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to that location, but no contracts regarding that have been finalized as of yet.