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California City Planning Commission OKs permit for gas station
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
Thursday, February 12, 2009.
By ALLISON GATLIN
Valley Press Staff Writer
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CALIFORNIA CITY - Developmental work can proceed on a gas station and
storage facility at the northeast corner of California City Boulevard and
Randsburg-Mojave Road after the Planning Commission approved a zone change
and conditional-use permit for the project.
The commission voted 3-1 for initial approval of the project, including
changing the zoning from neighborhood commercial to service commercial
and a conditional-use permit for the proposed businesses.
The project consists of a gas station with a minimart and fast-food restaurant on the corner of the 12.56-acre property. Most of the east side of the parcel would be taken up by a ministorage and RV storage business.
The project also includes four commercial office buildings, likely to be used for doctors' offices or similar businesses, according to developer David Bonderov.
Several area residents spoke about the project during Tuesday's public hearing, most voicing concerns about possible traffic impacts to the neighborhood and at the intersection.
"We have done our best to keep a quiet neighborhood. It's going to bring 10 times more traffic to the area," resident Dianne Nyquist said. "If I wanted to live by a gas station, I would've bought by one. I don't want it in my back yard."
Former planning commissioner Marv Sass, a resident of the adjacent neighborhood, said he was concerned about traffic flow into and out of the businesses at that corner and suggested a traffic light be installed to mitigate problems. The intersection currently has four-way stop signs but no traffic light.
Bonderov said the planned minimart and gas station may help cut down on traffic congestion into the business center of Cal City as it would serve residents on the northern and eastern parts of town.
The intersection is already a busy one, especially on weekends when visiting off-road enthusiasts flock to desert areas north and east of the city proper, and Randsburg-Mojave Road is the primary access point to those areas.
Resident Chuck McGuire also voiced concerns that the gas station will attract off-road vehicles that will illegally access it using city streets or cutting across vacant lots.
"This, I feel, is going to be a problem child for this community down the road," he said.
The project site is across the intersection from an earlier, much larger business development that was approved but never completed.
A traffic study for that development determined a traffic light would be required at the intersection, Public Works director Michael Bevins said.
Bevins also maintained that the required fencing around the project might actually deter off-road vehicles from "zooming around the neighborhood" and would have no affect on the weekend traffic that travels through regardless.
"This might at least give them a reason to slow down," he said.
The Public Works director also informed commissioners that the decision before them was only the first step. All subsequent plans for the development will also have to be approved individually, he said.
"What we're looking at is the preliminary stage," he said.
Commissioner Roger Terneuzen voted against approval, saying he felt he needed more information on the project plans and the impact it would have on traffic at that intersection.
"Hearing the comments from the audience, my concern would be traffic and how that will affect that intersection, because it is today a residential neighborhood," he said.
The issue will come before the City Council for approval at its March 3, 2008 regular meeting.
agatlin@avpress.com
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