Gas station planned for Bernal-Stanley Gas station planned for Bernal-Stanley (March 05, 2004)

Complex to add car wash, food mart next to McDonald's
by Jeb Bing

With a new Shell Oil gasoline station, Jack-in-the-Box fast food restaurant, car wash and a convenience food market opening at Bernal and Valley Avenues across from the Fairgrounds, a developer wants to build a similar complex at the other end of Pleasanton - next to McDonald's at the Bernal-Valley-Stanley Boulevard corner.

The city Planning Commission will hold a public hearing March 10 on the bid by Frank Auf Der Maur Sr., who owns the vacant site. Auf Der Maur would lease the land to Fairland Investment Inc. for an Arco gasoline station. With McDonald's just next door, Fairland would build a car wash and food mart along with the gas station, but not another fast-food restaurant. The food mart would also sell beer and wine.

At a workshop meeting with city planners to discuss the proposal, Michael Aminian, president of San Jose-based Fairland Investment, said the site is in a commercial district that includes a number of auto repair and service centers, but no homes. However, he said he has received supportive letters from many in the nearby Vintage Hills community who would like to have a convenience store and gas station nearby.

At the city's request, Aminian submitted architectural plans for the complex to the Cannon Design Group, which often reviews building plans for Pleasanton. Larry Cannon worked with Fairland designers to simplify the building's roofline and take out proposed towers atop the structure.

"The area is already replete with towers, with the adjacent McDonalds's and the Diablo Auto Body strongly dominated by tower forms," Cannon said. Fairland's new building design now has a steeply pitched roof to hide air conditioner compressors and other mechanical equipment.

The gas station would have eight pumps and 28 parking spaces.

While planners said they liked the revised architectural plans, they also questioned the need to have a gas station and food mart complex at that location.

Planning Commissioner Mary Roberts noted that there are already two gas stations at First Street and Vineyard Avenue just west of the site, with another one planned for Isabel Avenue and Vineyard next to Ruby Hill. Commissioner Trish Maas said she would prefer that the station be "a neighborhood gas station" and not a larger complex that would attract customers from other parts of the city. Commissioner Matt Sullivan questioned whether the station complex would be appropriate for a "gateway" to the city. Commissioner Anne Fox said she found the design "corporate looking" and "like a gas station that would be located off the interstate."

Based on the commission's comments, Aminian said he would make revisions to accommodate some of the criticisms before the March 10 public hearing, which will be held at 7 p.m. in the City Council chamber at 200 Old Bernal Ave.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.