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SR-400-005-01 " .' e ~. Information: 1/00 ..-J (}(){;- O!santa Monlca, Callfornia July 9, 1984 C/ED:CW:nh TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Mayor and C1ty Counc11 C1ty Staff Standards for SerVlce Stations Clty Council members have requested informat10n on standards for serVlce statlons in response to an increasing number of proposals to convert eXlsting stations to self serV1ce with anclllary retall uses. The fol10wlng sumrnar1zes the changing nature of the auto serVlce and gasol:lne de11 very lndustry and the lmpact of these trends recently in Santa Monica. The report also specif1es standards and review cr1 teria currently used in reviewing ap- pllcations for converSlon. Industry Trends Recent market1ng efforts by 011 companies to compete effectively for the motorist I s dollar have resulted in the lncreas1ng re- placement of full service gasoline statlons by a variety of new types of gasol1ne delivery. MaJor oil companies approach the1r marketing dlfferently. For example, Chevron 1S promotlng eff1- cient, one operator, self serVlce. Exxon is promot1ng a new "look" for older stations. Other companies are emphasiz1ng a new hlgher octane fuel, or a guaranteed repair program. - 1 - e e Industry experts attribute this shift in the decline in gasoline sales over the resul t of more fuel efficlent cars marketing approach last five years as to a In addl tlon, studles over the and hlgher gasollne prlces. 10 years indl.cate that more last mal.ntenance tasks are belng done by car owners themselves or through dealers or auto repair shops, promptlng oil companles and l.ndependent operators to flnd more profltable uses for thelr lube bays such as snack bars or convenlence markets. A further lncenti ve for change has been real estate values, necessi tatlng greater profltabllity of eXlsting stations or their dlsappearance as the property they occupied was sold. Deregulation of the oil industry In 1981 cleared the way for oil companles to withdraw suppll.es from particular customers or from entlre regions In an effort to increase profits. The result of these trends is fewer statlons pumplng more gas, more efficlently, the ellmlnatlon of unprofitable serVlces and the lntroductlon of tle-ln buslnesses WhlCh can take profl table advantage of the traffic using the statlon. Cri tics of these changes pOlnt out that independent operators struggle to survive in the face of oil companles I competitlve prlce cutting, thus impacting small buslness opportunitles. The number of unskilled Job opportunltles is reduced as stations phase out services. Some sectors of the population such as the elderly are dlsadvantaged by the cholce between higher cost of full service and the difficulty of pumping thelr own gasoline. * *Doris Brlan Fuller, Los Angeles Tlmes, June 5, 1984 - 2 - e e Trends ln Santa Monlca In the past year, three proposals to convert existing serVlce statlons to self-service with snack shops have been approved by the Clty. In connectlon wlth new development, the Plannlng Com- mlSS10n has approved proposals for demolitlon of two other sta- tions and replacement Wl th conunerc1al off1.cejretall structures. An application for the remodel of an existing vacant stat1.on at the corner of P1CO and Maln is pendlng approval before the Plan- nlng Conunission currently. In the same period at least 3 bus1.- ness license appllcatlons have been given zoning clearance for new auto repalr bUSlnesses not connected W1.th gasoline sales. Conversion to Self Service with Snack Shop 731 Santa Monica Boulevard 1402 14th Street 1624 Llncoln Blvd. (Mobil) (Chevron) (Chevron) Demolltlon and Replacement with Commercial Structure 1750 Ocean Park Boulevard 1401 Ocean Avenue Standards ~fu1.1e the Clty does not have the authorlty to require an eXlstlng business to remaln open and to contlnue to provide specific ser- V1.ces, awareness of the industry trends can promote policles to ensure that new or converted stations, through their locatlon, operat1on, deslgn and circulation pattern and assoclated uses - 3 - e e provlde a convenience serv~ce and do not adversely lmpact neighborhoods. The Draft Land Use Element lndentlfies gasoline statlons as a convenlence service approprlate for nelghborhood commercial uses. Cl ty wide POllCY 1.2.3 is to limit the number and control the location or otherwise m~tlgate the impact of commercial uses such as banks, alcohol outlets and gas statlons, where over- concentratlon or operation of such uses mlght have an adverse impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Following the adopt~on of the Land Use Element, the Zoning Ordinance will be revlsed to include speclflc standards and procedures to implement POllCY 1.2.3. Research of standards used successfully in other cltles will be conducted ln connectlon with the zoning ordinance revislons. In the interl.m the Planning Commisslon wl11 contlnue to apply speci flC condl tlons to new perml ts. These standard condi tlons are attached. Each proposal also is reviewed on a case by case baS1S for parklng and clrculation impacts, the partlcular land- scape treatment approprlate at each locatlon,the locatlon of pump islands and canoples in relation to rlght-of-way and interior lot 11nes, Sl.tlng of structures and restroom facllities for con- venience, efflclency and securlty, the number, wldth separatlon of curb cuts from each other and from street lntersections, off- street parking demand, appropriateness and operation of accessory uses, and slgnage. In response to recent comments by Councllmem- ber Epstein, staff has added new condltl.OnS requlrlng free alr and water to be available durlng hours of statlon operatlon, and - 4 - e e speclfYlng that underground storage tanks comply with recently Clty-adopted ordinances. Prepared by: Carol Waldrop, Dlvlsion Manager Plannlng and Zoning D1V1Slon Community and Economic Development Department Attachments - 5 - e e Stand~rd Condltlons for Gas Statlons and Self-Servlce Statlons. 1. Plans for f~nal des~gn, landscap~ng, screen~ng and trash enclosures shall be subJect to review and approval by the Arch~tectural Review Board. All existing slgns shall be removed and new signs deslgned in conformance with current s~gn guidellnes and shall be subJect to review and approval by the Arch~tectural Review Board. Landscaplng shall include substant~al plant~ng along all lnterlor lot l~nes, along all non-dr~veway street frontaqes and adjacent to bu~ldings. Mature plantings shall be reqLllreO. as 1.5 feasJ..ble cons~derlng v1s1bllity and security. 2. Minor amendments to the plans shall be subJect to approval by the D1rector of Planning. An increase of more than 10% of the square footage or a s~gn1ficant change in the approved concept shall be subject to Plann~ng Commlss~on review. 3. Construct~on shall be 1n substantlal conforMance with the plans subm1tted or as modlfled by the Plannlng Cornm1ssion, Archltectural Revlew Board or D1rector of Planning. 4. The park~ng spaces shall be strlped, screened and landscaped in conformance with Sec. 9127.J.l and Sec. 9129.F.7. 5. The f~nal park~ng layout and speclflcat~ons shall be subject to reV1ew and approval of the Parkl.ng and Traffic Eng1neer. 6. Refuse areas, storage areas and mechanl.cal equl.pment shall be screened 1.n accordance wlth Sec. 9l27J.2.4. Refuse areas shall be of a Sl.ze adequate to meet on-Slte need. 7. The operat~on shall at all times be conducted l.n a manner not detrlmental to surround~ng propertles or resldents by reason of ll.ghts, nOl.se, act1vlties, park~ng or other act1ons. 8. The eXlstlng drlveways and aprons on - shall be removed and replaced w1th standard curb 3.nd gutter per speclflcatlons of the Department of General SerVlces. 9. Street trees shall be relocated or provl.ded as requlred 1n a manner cons1stent with the Cl.ty's Tree Code (Ord. 1242 CCS), ~ - I -2- e e 16. Under Resolution Number 6385 (CSS) a development fee of _ % would be requIred In connectIon WIth the approval of thIS proJect. The City of Santa MonIca IS currently enjOIned from enforCIng the prOVISIons of such resolutIon relatIng to fees. If the CIty of Santa MonIca prevails In the case of UnIted Brotherhood of CarFenters and JOInders of A~erlca/ et al v. CIty of Santa MonIca et al./ Los Angeles SuperIor Court, Case Number WEe 069227 such fee (or any lesser fee reqUIred by any subsequently adopted ordInance) shall be due and payable WIthIn 90 days of the date that CIty of Santa MonIca is no longer subJect to such inJunctIon. 17. The rIghts granted hereIn shall be effectIve only when exercIsed WIthin a period of one year from the effectIve date of approval. Upon the wrItten request of the applicant, the DIrector of PlannIng may extend this perIod up to an addItIonal SIX months. ---- --- 18. Air and water serVIce shall be made ava1lable free of charge and at a convenIent locatIon dur1ng hours when ga5011ne IS dl.spensed. 19. Removal or replacement of underground storage tanks shall be in conformance w1th all appllcable CIty code reqUIrements. '"