SR-400-005-01
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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),
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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.
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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.
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