HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.A 01/28/2019 Attachment 06-02ATTACHMENT 2
RECEIVED
JUL 09 2018
JoAnn McEachin on behalf of: CITY CLERK
Friends of McDowell Elementary School, Little League children, and East Petaluma resRen s
1512 Sierra Drive
Petaluma, CA 94954
July 8, 2018
Petaluma City Council,
We, the undersigned, petition to appeal the decision by the Planning Commission to approve a
building permit for a Safeway gas station on the corner of Maria Dr. and S. McDowell Blvd. Our
objections are based on the following:
This project is only for the benefit of Safeway, not the community. Petaluma already has several gas
stations - THREE in the area of this proposed site, including the Chevron where Safeway customers
can get up to 20 cents off per gallon - and research has shown that, contrary to what Safeway would
like us to believe, Safeway's reduced gas pricing has mA brought down the pricing of other gas
stations nearby.
The proximity of the proposed gas station is too close to the day care and school, as well as the
Little League ball park. Just because the regulations differ for building a gas station near a school
(allowed) as opposed to building a school near a gas station (not allowed), it doesn't make the
proximity issue any less of a health and safety concern.
Traffic aoW increase. This is common sense. The intersection at S. McDowell and E. Washington is
already congested, and more traffic from cars zipping off and on to Hwy. 101 for cheaper gas will
only exacerbate the problem.
Cars waiting to turn off of McDowell and in line in the parking lot (potentially blocking the sidewalk)
will be idling and spewing emissions causing health concerns for all in the community.
Add into the mix the city transit buses, retail delivery vehicles of all kinds, long gas trucks, and
school buses; the physical area is just not safe for vehicles trying to make turns into and out of a gas
station there.
And, lastly, California is the nation's leader in the purchase of electric cars: "...In some months,
buyers in California purchase more than half of all the electric cars sold in the U.S." (Eric C. Evarts,
Green Car Reports) We emphasize this to reenforce that the community of Petaluma does not need
another gas station now.
This Safeway gas station issue has been cleverly under -advertised to the public. Many residents
don't even know this project is being put forth. It is a hotly contested issue and needs to be heard by
the City Council with full public participation.
We ask you to reverse the Planning Commission's conditional approval, despite (or perhaps in
defiance of) the threat of a lawsuit by Safeway. The decision should be decided in court, if
necessary. Potential court costs should not deter you from protecting the health and safety of our
community. That would be a bad precedent and would send the wrong message to every potential
applicant for a project in Petaluma now and in the future.
Sincerely,
JoAnn McEachin
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Horst Steinfels
1512 Sierra Drive
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