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The Pleasanton Planning Commission appeared luke warm after hearing a proposal by a long-time gas station owner to add a 24-hour 7-Eleven convenience store and automated car wash on the corner site at Santa Rita Road and West Las Positas Boulevard.
Three objectors showed up to voice their gripes at at last Wednesday’s informal meeting of the commission, held to discuss the proposal by Michael Roseberry, owner of the Valero brand station. Still others sent emails to Planning commissioners and city staff asking that the additions not be allowed.
Some of the objections cited concerns over increased traffic, pedestrian safety, noise and crime. Most, however, voiced strong opposition to plans by the proposed 7-Eleven to sell alcohol.
Even though Planning commissioners took no action at the meeting, several asked Roseberry and his representative, Brad Hirst, to hold neighborhood meetings to see if some accommodate could be reached in support of the station’s expansion.
As proposed, the 7-Eleven would sell beer and wine and stay open 24 hours a day. State law, however, bans selling alcohol between 2 -6 a.m.
The station is two-tenths of a mile from Fairlands Elementary School on West Las Positas Boulevard and is the corner retailer at the corner of the Santa Rita Square/Meadow Plaza shopping centers that now include the Walmart Neighborhood Market that opened in July. Girasole, an Italian restaurant next t o the station, closed lat last month but is expected to be reopened under new ownership.
Hirst said the 7-Eleven and car wash would help Roseberry increase customer traffic at the station. With automobiles today requiring skilled service technicians and computerized equipment, smaller stations such as Roseberry’s need to have food stores and car washes to keep customers and attract new ones.
He said students walking to Fairlands Elementary generally don’t pass through Santa Rita Square since the only sidewalk on West Las Positas is on the other side of the street. The 7-Eleven store would add all-day and late night convenience to the neighborhood as well as motorists, Hirst added, and the car wash would be located on the south side of the station, far from any homes.
Roseberry has operated a gas station at the site for 49 years and serves many from the neighborhood. The station has seven fueling islands under a canopy, with access to the pumps and station office from one driveway off Las Positas and two off Santa Rita.
The proposal before planners also seeks to extend the gas station’s hours from 5 a.m. to midnight to a full 24 hours a day. The car wash, which would be coin operated by the motorist who would remain in the car, would be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The existing auto service bays at the station would remain, with the taller adjoining 7-Eleven building including a tower element at the store’s entrance that would be 26 feet high.
City planner Jenny Soo pointed out in her analysis of the Valero application that the property’s current commercial district zoning would have to be changed to Planned Unit Development-Commercial District in order to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at the gas station.
Soo also noted that none of the businesses in the adjoining shopping center, including Walmart, do not operate 24 hours a day.
Emails and calls from residents on Weymouth Court and West Las Positas Boulevard expressed concerns and objections to a 24-hour store, Soo said. City staff has also received calls from other residents in the Fairlands neighborhood expressing similar concerns.
But none of the businesses in the two adjoining shopping centers have objected to the plan. Hirst said he also notified the principal of Fairlands Elementary about the plan and the Planning Commission meeting, but has had no response.
The applicant provided city officials with a survey of the operating hours of service stations and convenience markets throughout the city, which included 10 gas stations, two 7-Eleven stores, one AM-PM market and two Starbucks and one Pete’s coffee shops. Among the 10 surveyed gas stations, seven are open 24 hours and have either a convenience store or a snack shop. In addition, among the surveyed gas stations, five sell alcoholic beverages in the convenience store/snack shop.
Besides urging Hirst and station owner Roseberry to review their plans with those living close to the station, two commissioners, Planning Commission chairwoman Jennifer Pearce and newly-appointed commissioner Nancy Allen, also gave their views on the application:
“I don’t feel that this is the right fit in the neighborhood,” Allen said. “I agree with Allen,” added Pearce.
First WalMart and now a 7-11? Mmmm, and Girosole is closed! Why did Boswells close? Too high of rent? The “Dollar” store sells virtually nothing for a dollar and what is “virtual” golf? Love Kaki Sushi, but all the rest I could do without. The center certainly needs a facelift and an influx of new busunesses, but 24 hours of 7-11 and WalMart is NOT the answer I am seeking.
There’s no opposition from the existing tenants because…well there aren’t any.
I think in order for this to pass they need to take some of the grease from their rags and place it in the commission members hands.
The city is so hot to build low income housing, there’s a massage parlor on every corner, drunks fill the streets at night. What’s wrong with a 7-11?
I agree with Al. We are ok with everything in this town as long as someone is not trying to make a profit. If it is a homeless shelter, low income housing, free transit, bike lanes, free electric vehicle charge in centers, massage parlors, planned parenthood, these are fine business for the city but want to wash some cars and open a 711 how my god that is beyond belief. If this gets turned down then I bet we will be closing another convenient gas station.
Also agree with Homer, Al, and Paul. Seems that the planning and zoning commissions can rezone anything anywhere as long as big bucks are involved. One of the sites chosen for high density housing was the acreage across from Hart School. This site was listed but not given top consideration for rezoning or development. Lo and behold this site is now to be one of the first to have apartment constructed on 12 acres. I really feel sorry for the poor people who have lived across the creek from this site for thirty years with the promise from the city that Hacienda business park would stay as a business only park. Now they have a middle school and god knows how many hundreds of apartments that they will be starring at, at not over, as this freakin development calls for a four story monster building. And why this developement? Maybe because SummerHill apartments greased some palms. And as their website states, SummerHill only chooses property that “maximizes” their profits. To hell with the affected neighborhoods. So yes, lets rezone the hell out of Hacienda so the developers can make their millions, but god help us if we get a car wash and a quick stop shop at a corner gas station.
I am totally against any more drunks in town.
No more sales of alcohol
Save the drunks from themselves.
When I was a kid we used to hang around our 7-11 and ask 21+ year olds to buy us beer. It was a tacky place with dirty sidewalks and us kids out front.
I moved to Pleasanton to get away from dirty places like that, so I could raise my kids in a nice town. With all of the high density houses and no grassy areas, this will be the hang out spot for future trouble makers. Just watch.
Council, Please vote no to a 7-11.
Agree with Bill, Homer, Al, and Paul. However just because summerhill apartments greased the palms and got what they wanted doesn’t mean we need to compound the mistakes elsewhere in the city. My issue is with the proximity to the school and selling alcohol. I sure could use a car wash and a 24 hour store. Also the traffic issue could be addressed with blocking one of the accesses from las positas. There are various ways to solve this issue and make a meaningful and planned decision. Let’s not have a closed mind on this issue.
And please don’t get me started on Walmart! 🙂
I live in this neighborhood and I don’t want a 24 hour 7-11 there. It’s too close to the school and I don’t want people showing up at midnight to buy beer there. I’ve never seen a 7-11 that didn’t attract drunks. We don’t need that in this neighborhood.
I agree with Daniel – I have lived in this devlopment for 16+ years and have seen a rise in crime in the valero gas station shopping center. And Valero has always been a hang out for teens — I for one don’t want to make it even more attractive for teens and invite more hold-ups so close to the elementary school and peoples homes!
Mom and others,
That gas station has been there ever since I moved here in 1968 and by various other names. Kids who buy alcohol are going to buy it where you currently buy it. Adding another car wash and 711 in the area is not going to impact that at all either way. These kids drinking and cauising trouble stems from one problem and one problem only……..the parents and a complete lack of authority over their kids.
Regarding crime? Well the crime around here did not start to a huge degree until the population exploded and drugs became more prevalent. To late to close the barn door and we have had a significant change in the attitude of the police as well. They unfortunately are just punching the clock and doing their time until their next level promotion.
It would seem that people don’t realize that we already have 7-11s in town. And that the Wal-Mart neighborhood market a couple hundred yards away sells beer all hours (except 2-6a). Also one of the 7-11s is 0.2 miles from HPMS. Where is all the outrage about the HPMS students buying beer and destroying the town? There are also two bars less than 0.2 miles from AVHS and about 0.2 miles from Alisal elemntary. There is also a Nob Hill grocery store that sells beer about 0.2 miles from PMS.
What racial/ethnic group consumes the most alcohol and drugs in Plutonia! just axing…
break it down…break it down
the sooner that shape up, the sooner you will have a civilized society.
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Is this the station that was knocked off for cigarettes recently?