Chapter 16.087 — AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATIONS

It is the intent of this chapter to provide for service stations on adequate sites at proper and desirable locations with respect to traffic patterns and adjacent land uses, and to ensure that service stations do not have adverse impact on adjacent land uses.

(08-05)

No new service station shall be constructed, and no service station use of an existing station which has been vacated for more than 12 months, shall be initiated, unless a conditional use permit is issued by the Planning Commission, pursuant to Chapter 16.303 .

All new service station developments and modifications to existing service stations shall be required to be in conformance with the development standards of this chapter. Existing service stations, as well as new service stations, shall comply with all operational regulations of this chapter.

(08-05)

Automobile service stations shall only be permitted in those districts as provided in Chapter 16.051 . All automobile service stations shall require a conditional use permit, and shall be permitted only in conjunction, and compatible with, a larger commercial development (e.g., shopping center, traveler complex, auto service center), located at the intersection of a major or secondary arterial with the freeway or another arterial street as shown in the City's General Plan. All automobile service station facilities shall be located no less than 100 feet from any residential use. (08-05)

A. Lot Area

For all new service stations, the minimum area of a site for an automobile service station shall be 30,000 square feet.

B. Setbacks

For all new service stations, all buildings, including canopies, shall be set back 10 feet from any property line and 20 feet from a public right-of-way. Pump islands shall be set back 25 feet from any property line.

C. Curb Cuts and Driveways

For all new service stations, there shall be no more than one driveway with a maximum width of 35 feet on any one street frontage. At corners, driveways shall not be located closer than 50 feet from the point of intersection of the street side property lines. Entrance to an abutting commercial development or combined driveways will be encouraged to facilitate good circulation.

D. Parking

Parking of vehicles on-site is prohibited except for vehicles in the process of being serviced, vehicles belonging to customers and employees, service trucks owned by the establishment, and rental vehicles as provided in Section 16.087.050 . Tow trucks shall not be parked at the site unless approved as part of the conditional use permit for the automobile service station. Temporary overnight outdoor storage and parking of vehicles waiting for repair or pickup may only be permitted if appropriate and specific parking areas are set aside on the site for such use as part of the conditional use permit. No vehicle may be parked on-site for the purpose of offering such automobile for sale. A minimum of one parking space shall be provided for each 250 square feet of gross interior floor area used for any office/cashier space, minimart, service bay and/or restaurant area, and at least one specially marked parking space shall be provided in a convenient location for air and water services. All parking spaces shall be constructed, marked, and landscaped in compliance with the development standards for parking areas with six or more spaces in Chapter 16.136 .

E. Architecture

All new automobile service station developments and modifications to existing automobile service stations shall be subject to architectural review pursuant to Chapter 16.300 .

F. Signs

All signs are subject to Title 18 of this Code.

G. Perimeter Walls

Walls may be required on the property lines and along the street planted areas if the Planning Commission determines that the site should be buffered from abutting properties. No wall shall be constructed within five feet of a driveway entrance or vehicle accessway opening onto a street or alley which would obstruct a view of pedestrians on the sidewalk, alley, or elsewhere by motorists entering or standing on the parcel.

H. Refuse and Recycling Areas

An enclosed area for refuse and recyclable materials integrated with the design of the station shall be provided to meet the specifications of the Director of Community Services.

I. Restrooms

Every new service station shall provide accessible restrooms for men and women. Such restrooms shall be designed such that the entrance to the restrooms are from within the service station building or related retail/restaurant building, or if the use of restrooms can be continually monitored by a service station employee, the restrooms can be designed to be accessed from the outside.

• J. Lighting

  1. All lamps in exterior lighting shall be so arranged and shielded so as to prevent direct illumination from striking abutting property and from striking the occupants of vehicles passing on the public right-of-way.

  2. All light fixtures under the canopies and on the buildings shall be designed so that all the light rays emitted by the fixtures are projected below a horizontal plane at a point below the lowest part of the lamp (fully cut-off light fixture).

  3. All lamps in fixtures shall be covered with diffusing lenses. In under canopy lighting, no lens shall extend below the bottom of the light fixture (i.e., no drop down lenses permitted).

  4. Parking lot lighting shall be subject to the standards for parking lot lighting in Chapter 16.136 .

  5. Architectural review is required for all new and modified exterior, under canopy, and parking lot lighting.

• K. Landscaping

New landscaping and modifications to existing landscaping at automobile service stations shall be subject to architectural review pursuant to Chapter 16.303 . All automobile service stations shall conform to the following minimum standards:

1. A minimum of 15 percent of the site shall be landscaped and shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

   • a. A 10-foot setback along the street frontages, except where there are driveways (planting not to exceed three feet in height except trees).

   • b. A minimum 200 square-foot landscaped area at the intersection of two property lines at a street corner.

   • c. A planting strip at least five feet wide along all interior parcel lines.

   • d. A planting strip at least three feet wide adjacent to buildings, except where there are walkways.

   • e. Parking area landscaping required by Chapter 16.136 .

2. City parkway areas shall be landscaped (not to exceed three feet in height except on state highway rights-of-way where it must be low ground cover). Street trees shall be provided as determined by the Director of Community Services.

3. All landscaped areas shall have permanent automatic irrigation systems and shall be kept well maintained.

4. All planting areas, except adjacent to sidewalks or in the public right-of-way, shall be surrounded by six-inch P.C.C. curbs unless they have higher planter walls.

5. Extensive planting of trees and retention of existing trees is encouraged.

• L. Off-Site Improvements

The developer shall construct and/or provide all public improvements as required by the City's adopted Public Improvement Policy.

• M. Drainage

All requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) shall be complied with as determined by the City Engineer, and an NPDES permit shall be obtained prior to construction and/or occupation or use of the site, whichever occurs first.

• N. Paving

All areas not landscaped or used for building must be paved to meet City specifications. All concrete pavement areas except sidewalks shall be tinted with pigment.

(08-05; 12-01; 12-04; 14-07)

The sale of beer and wine for off-site consumption may be permitted in conjunction with an automobile service station if such use is included in the original conditional use permit for the gas station or an amendment to the original conditional use permit, or a new conditional use permit is approved for such use at an existing automobile service station, and the sale of beer and wine for off-site consumption is a permitted or conditional permitted use in the zoning district in which the automobile service station is located.

(08-05)

• A. Operations of an automobile service station shall be limited to the sale of such automobile items and services generally required in the operation and maintenance of motor vehicles, and to the sale of such non-automotive items as are required by the motorist. The display of automotive merchandise shall be permitted only within the building. There shall be no body and fender work, painting, repair and rebuilding of electro-chemical batteries, or other hazardous work of a similar nature.

• B. Operations permitted outside shall be limited to:

  1. The retail sale of petroleum products.

  2. The supply of air and water.

  3. Waxing and polishing automobiles.

  4. Tire changing.

  5. Battery servicing, charging, and changing.

  6. Installation of minor accessories, e.g., windshield blades and arms, gas caps, lamps, lamp globes, and performing of minor repair jobs.

All other operations related to the servicing of motor vehicles shall be conducted within the building.

• C. The sale of non-automotive retail items, such as convenience goods including, but not limited to, beverages, food, candy, snacks, maps, toiletries, and hardware items, shall be permitted only inside the building. A specific area of the building may be designated for the sale of convenience goods only if included as part of the conditional use permit for the service station. Any new construction for the sale of convenience goods, or the conversion of existing office space or an existing service bay to such a purpose, shall require amendment to the existing conditional use permit or approval of a new conditional use permit. The use of less than 50 square feet of existing office space or service bays for the placement of coin operated dispensers, refrigerated cases, or display racks shall not require an amended conditional use permit. Vending machines may be placed outside, adjacent to the building in a designated area not to exceed 32 square feet, if screened from public view.

• D. A restaurant may be permitted in conjunction with an automobile service station if approved as part of the original conditional use permit or as part of an amendment to an existing conditional use permit.

• E. A mechanical car wash may be permitted as an accessory use to an automobile service station if approved as part of the original conditional use permit or as part of an amendment to an existing conditional use permit, provided that it is clearly ancillary to the service station use and in a roofed structure, enclosed on at least two sides. A noise study may be required to demonstrate that the car wash use will be in compliance with the City's noise standards. Roll-up doors shall be installed at both ends of the car wash tunnel. The doors shall be in a closed position to secure the building during hours of nonoperation for safety, and to prevent trespassing and vandalism.

• F. The rental of cars or trailers shall be permitted as an accessory use to the service station business, provided that:

  1. A separate conditional use permit for the vehicle rental use is obtained (unless included as part of the use permit for the station).

2. An on-site area sufficient for the parking of rental vehicles must be provided in addition to the minimum area required for the service station and no more than 10 percent of the total lot area may be occupied by rental vehicles.

   3. Rental vehicles may not be parked in the required automobile parking spaces, nor in the area between the building setback lines and the street right-of-way lines.

   4. Rental trailers must be parked within a six-foot high solid enclosure screening them from view of the street or adjacent property.

   5. The rental of trucks, tractors, or similar large vehicles or implements is prohibited.

G. No outdoor storage of equipment and/or miscellaneous retail items shall be permitted. (08-05)

If any service station is vacant for a period of 12 months or longer, it shall be declared abandoned, and the conditional use permit shall be void.

(08-05)

Existing service station lots, structures, and site development which do not conform to the location or development standards of this chapter and which do not have conditional use permits are deemed nonconforming and the provisions of Chapter 16.400 shall apply. If a nonconforming service station is discontinued for a period of 90 days or more, it shall not be re-established unless a new conditional use permit is approved by the Planning Commission. Before approving a new conditional use permit, the Planning Commission shall require that the service station be brought into compliance with the requirements of this chapter as determined feasible by the Commission.

An existing nonconforming service station may be renovated, remodeled or rebuilt upon obtaining a conditional use permit provided that the Planning Commission finds that the proposed improvements brings the station into substantial compliance with the requirements and restrictions of this chapter. (08-05)

The above standards constitute the minimum deemed necessary under general circumstances and in most cases to prevent adverse effect on the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare by automobile service station uses, and that where necessary to prevent such adverse effect in a particular case under appropriate circumstances, conditions may be added to any conditional use permit. Any one or more of the above standards may be modified or waived for existing stations for which modifications are proposed by appropriate action of the Planning Commission upon a showing by the applicant that its imposition would be unnecessary, unfair, or unduly burdensome. (08-05)